• Openly gay pro strongman places 1^st at 2019 Arnold Pro Strongman contest in Australia
• That same weekend, he married his longtime boyfriend at a beach wedding and were congratulated by Arnold Schwarzenegger himself
• Kearney became the first openly gay competitor at an international professional Strongman competition

An openly gay professional strongman emerged first place at the 2019 Arnold Pro Strongman contest in Melbourne and then wedded his long-time boyfriend on St. Patrick’s Day.

Rob Kearney, 27, one of the world’s strongest men by competing to carry a device (called a yoke) loaded with 1,102 pounds and running the distance in 13.2 seconds, finally tied the knot with his soulmate Joey Aleixo over the weekend at Half Moon Bay Beach.

The two were congratulated by former California governor, movie star, and body builder Arnold Schwarzenegger himself and posted a photo with Kearney and Aleixo on Twitter, saying: “I think this is a first: winning the @arnoldsports Strongman and getting married in the same weekend. Congratulations guys. I was honored to celebrate with you.”

The newlyweds, who have the Instagram handles “worlds_strongest_gay” and “worlds_gayest_strongman” respectively, announced their marriage on Instagram:

“So we did a thing. We didn’t tell many people, but on March 17, 2019 @worlds_gayest_strongman and I got MARRIED!! To call this man my husband is a dream come true and he is and always will be my soulmate. I am so excited to start this new journey as a married couple and my heart has never been so full of love #husbands”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvHCAaLgKHk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

“March 17th, 2019 is a day that i will never forget. Today is the day that I OFFICIALLY MARRIED MY BEST-FRIEND! @worlds_strongest_gay you will always have my heart and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for us.”

Kearney came out as gay in 2014 after he placed second in the World’s Strongest Man competition. That same year he shared to his fans and followers his relationship with Aleixo. By coming out when he did, Kearney became the first openly gay competitor at an international professional Strongman competition.

Talking to Huffington Post back then, Kearney said he no longer wanted to hide who he was, “I hope people realize that being gay doesn’t change the athlete/person that I am. I am still the second strongest 105kg professional Strongman in American and I am still the same Rob Kearney they knew before this news.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvHBnrHgIt-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

While on his 2017 interview with the Williston School, Kearney chatted about the metaphorical weight of coming out and said that living genuinely made him a better strongman.

He is the head athletic trainer at the Williston Northampton School in Massachusetts when he’s not competing, according to Outsports.

We know Francis Libiran through his magnificent works in the fashion industry. But he made everyone speechless when he suddenly marries his long-time partner, Christian Mark. Francis has been very vocal about his sexuality, and he is not ashamed of it.

Despite the fact that our country is conservative, and is not yet very open about same-sex relationships and marriages, Francis and Christian still proved that love always wins.

Days before the power couple tied the knot, their venue, Boracay, was being poured by heavy rains but when the day has finally arrived, not even a single cloud was in sight. It is as scorching as the love Francis and Christian has for one another.

Photographs and video by the great Jason Magbannua, here are 10 photos that prove Francis and Christan’s wedding is #Goals:

1. The Rings

Guess what? It’s not your usual wedding rings! They have come up with this unique design that fits their personality and taste.

2. The Package

The power couple proves that they are, indeed, drool-worthy.

3. Pre-Wedding Preparations

How sweet! Look how they take care of each other.

4. The Dashing Francis Libiran a.k.a Groom #1

Francis Libiran, for all we know, is a successful fashion designer. He was able to dress some of the biggest names in the world. Take note, world!

5. His life partner, Christian Mark a.k.a Groom #2

It is reported that Libiran met Christian in Paris way back in 2014.

6. The Libirans

Groom #1’s family is all in attendance for their little boy’s big day.

7. The Marks

The sweet family of Christian is also present in the star-studded wedding.

And we go now to the tear-jerking part of the list…

8. The Vow

Our hearts melted when the two exchanged vows, and it hit us straight in the feels! When they cry, everyone cried, too.

9. Deal sealer

The wedding will never complete without the groom and groom’s first kiss as a married couple!

10. Long live!

Let us all be happy that the two were able to prove that love knows no gender! Let us spread good vibes and give them both best wishes!

Francis and Christian literally slayed 2017! Aren’t they lovely?

Early this year, a photo of a Thai-German gay couple holding hands on a train in Thailand nearly broke the Internet after it went viral on various social media platforms.

Months after being the talk of the town, the same-sex couple had a beautiful wedding in Aachen, Germany on Saturday, October 31.

Former modeling agency creative director  Naparuj “Mond” Kaendi  fearlessly shared his and Thorsten Middelhof’s wedding photos on social media.

Back in April, their controversial photo earned various responses from netizens. While many internet trolls insulted the lovers because Mond was apparently “average looking” compared to his boyfriend, several netizens showed their support for the couple.

Addressing people who made homophobic and racist remarks on their relationship, Mond said, “Taking photos of people like that is no different than filming under a woman’s skirt. It’s a violation of privacy. The first caption I saw was ‘I’ll have to make my face ugly [to get a hot white guy].'”

Mond, who admitted receiving distasteful comments about his physical appearance being undeserving of Thorsten said, “Sometimes people comment ‘the foreigner got himself a hooker. People don’t know how long we have been together or who we are. Of course, I cannot tell them what to think, but these things wouldn’t happen if no one took a photo.”

Despite China’s hard line stance on gay marriage, an unidentified young man went against the odds and proposed to his male lover on a crowded Beijing subway.

But unlike typical marriage proposals, the man who got down on his knee presented his boyfriend a timepiece instead of a ring.

After putting it around his boyfriend’s wrist, the two hugged each other indicating that his lover said yes.

Several onlookers caught the romantic moment on camera and numerous footage emerged on the Chinese social media site Weibo.

Although the video was frowned upon by some Web users, it also elicited thousands of positive comments from netizens. “Those who say this is disgusting, you are not qualified to judge others,” one commented.

Meanwhile, one user stated, “You should admire their courage. Just because they are people you don’t understand, and even with the pressures of those looking down on them as ‘sinful,’ they are still brave to express their love.”

Although homosexuality was legalized in China in 1997, the couple will not able to tie the knot in the country since gay marriage is still against the law.

Hopefully, the newly-engaged couple can get hitched soon outside China.

Watch the awesome moment below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MCAUMtKZ6A

Pictures of the wedding rites of a gay couple are making rounds in the internet these days.

On October 19, Rafael Pol Yaranon Gregorio and Pol ni rafael  tied the knot in a “Holy Union” ceremony officiated by Fr. Regen Luna of Ekklesia Tou Theou. Facebook user Kerwin John Dante Malveda shared the photos of the event in his account on Tuesday, October 21.

Ekklesia Tou Theou is a liberal church in the Catholic tradition.

What is a “Holy Union”?

According to the website of the church, a “Holy Union” is a Christian celebration of love in which two persons of the same sex are spiritually joined.  In this ceremony, vows and promises are made before God.

Moreover, the church’s prerequisites for “holy union” include the following: at least 8 to 12 months relationship, a personal interview with their Pastor, and a pre-holy union counselling if relationship is less than 12 months.

Those planning to have a “holy union” are also obliged to fill-up legal documents used in countries that allow same-sex marriages.

Is Same-Sex Marriage Legal in the Philippines?

A “Holy Union” is considered invalid in our country since it is not yet legally recognized. Moreover, it does not provide legal protection and benefits from marriage.

Section 1 of the Family Code states: “Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life.”

On the other hand, former University of the Philippines College of Law Dean Pacifico Agabin thinks that the denial of same-sex marriage violates the equal protection of law during the 11th Metrobank Foundation Professorial Chair Lecture Wednesday at the Court of Appeals auditorium.

“The Family Code’s concept of marriage as a contract between a man and a woman aside from being obsolete, violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution,”

He added that it “also intrudes into the right to privacy which is a fundamental right.”

Reactions to the Union

Many of the couple’s friends congratulated and expressed their support to their marriage.

However, according to Rafael Pol Yaranon Gregorio, someone left a negative comment in one of their pictures.

In his Facebook account, Rafael Pol Yaranon Gregorio wrote:

“This Clean woman reacted on our pic stating “…homosexuality… They must be put to death for they are put to death…”

John 8:7 ” When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

You have the first stone… If you did not commit sin, throw it on us…”