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Openly gay All Elite Wresting performer Anthony Bowens and his boyfriend, Michael Pavano, recently found themselves in the vicinity of homophobic protesters.
The protesters were holding signs with slogans such as "Trump, Make America Great Again: Ban Homo Marriage” and “Homos go to hell.”
After seeing the protesters, Bowens and Pavano decided to fight back against their message in the most wholesome way they could—with love.
Bowens and Pavano took a photo of themselves sharing a sweet kiss in front of the protesters. Bowens then shared this photo on his Instagram.
See the post here:
The photo has since gone viral, garnering over 27,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
Instagram users are loving Bowens and Pavano's defiant kiss as a way to counterprotest the homophobic picketers.
@bowens_official/Instagram
@bowens_official/Instagram
@bowens_official/Instagram
@bowens_official/Instagram
@bowens_official/Instagram
@bowens_official/Instagram
@bowens_official/Instagram
@bowens_official/Instagram
@bowens_official/Instagram
@bowens_official/Instagram
Bowens' sexual orientation has been a topic of conversation for him in the past, as he originally came out as bisexual in 2017 before coming out as gay in 2019.
Bowens said:
“I’ve loved pro wrestling ever since I was 5 years old and I didn’t want my experience ruined because of other wrestlers thinking I got into it for the wrong (sexual) reasons."
“The ring is my sanctuary, where nothing else matters. I couldn’t bear to think that if I came out, I’d spend most of my time worrying if the person I was wrestling was uncomfortable and didn’t want to work with me.”
After coming out as gay in 2019, Bowens told Sports Illustrated:
"I'm representing the LGBT+ community and athletes that are LGBT+, but even more than that, too. I’m representing the small-town kid who was told he’d never make it, and I’m here for the shy kid that is ready to burst out of his shell and be that social butterfly."
“To know that I’m having a positive impact on people is a blessing, and makes me feel that I made the right decision to come out.”