Some people body slam. Others kiss. Anthony Bowens does both—with purpose.
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The AEW star and trailblazing out gay wrestler didn’t just respond to anti-gay protesters last week—he recycled a legendary response that aged like fine champagne at a drag brunch. Bowens, in Arlington, Texas, for AEW’s All In: Texas week, found himself once again in the crosshairs of the ever-trolling Westboro Baptist Church (yes, they’re still a thing, somehow).
Apparently, the sight of Bowens on a Starrcast Texas poster was too much for one Westboro-adjacent protester, who warned on X:
“I’m bringing members of the Westboro Baptist Church with me there to rebuke this sinner!”
First of all: you’d think after all these years, they’d at least upgrade their messaging app. But no matter—Bowens, unbothered and booked, wasn’t about to give them a fresh photoshoot. A fan cheekily tweeted:
“Let’s be honest. A picture of you and your BF kissing in front of them would be epic.”
Bowens, ever the showman, delivered a mic-drop with just two words:
“Already did.”
And with that, he reposted a 2021 Instagram photo—one that shows him and longtime boyfriend Mike Pavano locked in a kiss, directly in front of a sea of Westboro signs and scowls.
It’s giving: romance. It’s giving: resistance. It’s giving: main event energy.
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The photo, which could double as the cover of a gay rom-com called Love Is Louder Than Hate, quickly racked up over 11k likes and a comment section full of digital high-fives. Among the gems:
For Bowens, this isn’t a publicity stunt. It’s a continuation of his career-long mission: show up, speak out, and never apologize for existing. He came out in 2017 in a first-person essay for Outsports, initially identifying as bisexual before later coming out as gay. Since then, he’s climbed the ranks of AEW, and in 2022, became the promotion’s first out LGBTQ male champion. His self-dubbed moniker, “The Pride of Pro Wrestling,” isn’t just branding—it’s truth.
Bowens has mastered the art of using his platform for more than just piledrivers. When someone in 2023 snarked about why anyone should care that an athlete comes out, Bowens responded with a message that still resonates.
That’s not just a clapback—that’s a philosophy.
So the next time someone rolls in with a sign full of fire and brimstone, Bowens doesn’t need to throw a punch. He’ll throw a kiss. And just like that, love wins the match.