Professional wrestler Anthony Bowens, known for his open and unapologetic advocacy as an out gay athlete, delivered a bold statement once again by simply living his truth. Currently in Arlington, Texas, for AEW’s All In: Texas week, Bowens made headlines after revisiting a powerful moment from his past.
During his appearance at the Starrcast Texas fan event, Bowens found himself the target of a familiar source of hostility — a member of the notoriously anti-LGBTQ Westboro Baptist Church. The individual, reacting to Bowens’ promotional poster for Starrcast, posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“I’m bringing members of the Westboro Baptist Church with me there to rebuke this sinner!”
In response, a fan suggested Bowens should take a photo kissing his boyfriend in front of the protesters, calling it an “epic” move. Bowens replied simply:
“Already did.”
He then reposted an image originally shared in 2021, showing him kissing his boyfriend, Michael Pavano, in front of Westboro protesters.
The image quickly went viral again, earning over 10,500 likes and drawing praise from supporters online. Some of the top comments included:
“I respect this response 😂😂 just as good as the middle finger to these losers,”
“Love it. Also funny that they all hate homosexuality so much that they never miss a Pride parade 🤔,”
“Know that there are Christians who love and support you.”
Bowens publicly came out in 2017 via a personal essay for Outsports. Initially identifying as bisexual, he later came out as gay. His career has only flourished since — notably becoming All Elite Wrestling’s first openly LGBTQ male champion in 2022. He now proudly refers to himself as the “Pride of Pro Wrestling.”
Beyond the ring, Bowens uses his platform to uplift others in the LGBTQ community. In 2023, he responded to critics questioning why coming out matters with a heartfelt message on social media:
“If you’re someone making that comment… THIS part of my life isn’t for YOU. It’s for those that can relate to me and the struggles that I have gone through…
I didn’t have someone to look up to and now I have the opportunity to be that for others. So yes, it DOES matter.”
He went on to say that life experiences — like grief, bullying, and personal growth — transcend identities and should be embraced as shared human experiences.
“Focus on the things that bring us all together, rather than getting angry at the things that make us different. You’ll live a lot happier life.”
