The Noble Beast Foundation's Mission Statement
“Advocate International Equal Rights by confirming the essential nature and contributions of gay men to a healthy society where gay is not a stereotype.”

Beneficiary Background & Purpose
The Noble Beast Foundation, founded by Don Spradlin in 1999, showcases gay leaders willing to stand up and be proud of the fact that they are gay even though this world includes 13 countries where being GAY is punishable by death, and 27 countries where being GAY means incarceration and where the right to marry is forbidden. To all cultures we say look at the Mr. Gay Ambassadors as spokesmen who are capable of delivering the message that religious, cultural, political and individual rights can be respected and be a healthy part of every society’s identity.
As long as a society hates a part of itself, it will by definition be sick. Healing can only come from the acceptance of diversity and equal rights within all cultures.
We do not seek assimilation within society, which always comes on the terms and values of the dominant culture. Assimilation also results in invisibility of the minority cultural component. What we seek is the recognition of the essential nature of the gay spirit and recognition that gay people are equal contributors to the health and quality of every culture in the world.

Annual HERO Award
The 2009 “International Mr. Gay Competition” (IMG) gave the Foundation’s HERO Award to Nikolai Alexeyev, one of the licensed Mr. Gay national producers and Director of the IMG's European Affairs. Mr. Alexeyev was an organizer of the first Pride Parade in Moscow in 2006, where marchers were attacked while Moscow police stood by and watched. Mr. Alexeyev was honored at the 2008 IMG Awards Gala on January 20, 2008, at the Music Box in Hollywood for his tireless effort to achieve equal rights in Russia.

The 2008 HERO Award was given to California State Assemblyman Mark Leno, who was successful in two of the last three years in getting both houses of the California Legislature to approve a gay marriage rights, which were then vetoed by the Governor.

© 2010 Noble Beast Foundation