The Tweet of the men kissingPhoto: Twitter/Screenshot
When 26-year-previous most cancers researcher Tyler Hightower posted a photograph of himself kissing his boyfriend, a development supervisor named Ahdeem Tinsley on Twitter, Hightower solely had 44 followers.
He didn’t count on the picture to trigger a lot of a stir. Now, per week later, the picture has been shared over 12,000 instances and appreciated over 100,000 instances, with quite a few people celebrating the picture of love between two black, huge-bodied men.
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In the preliminary tweet, he wrote, “Posting this because representation matters. The black, gay, and happy gworls are out here! We live together and have two cats (Buddy and Gigi). This was our 1 year anniversary. We are at the 1 year and 8 month mark and still going strong!”
Hightower instructed NBC that on the night time they took the photograph, they every obtained matching tattoos of every others’ initials and the date.
Hightower is 6”2’ and weighs 394 kilos.
Here is the total picture:
Posting this as a result of illustration issues. The black, homosexual, and completely happy gworls are out right here! We reside collectively and have two cats. This was our 1 yr anniversary. We are on the 1 yr and 8month mark and nonetheless going sturdy! pic.twitter.com/MZiIfzl5e1
— Ty (@TheBigDog77) October 1, 2019
The picture is all of the extra placing when you think about that almost all media has by no means depicted two giant-bodied men of shade being affectionate with each other. The newest GLAAD report on TV variety confirmed that solely 14 to 25 p.c of queer characters on TV are black, and most are skinny.
For many viewers, the 2016 film Moonlight and brief-lived 2005 TV collection Noah’s Arc supplied the one depictions of black similar-intercourse male relationships that people have ever seen onscreen.
Hightower instructed NBC:
The responses have been awe-inspiring. People are replying saying that the picture made their day and that they didn’t know there was love for people like them.
Part of our identification is being fats, heavy, thick, black and homosexual men, and we wish all people to know that irrespective of your measurement, shade or faith, be your self and reside authentically, and you can see love.
The couple have additionally since made a YouTube video during which they share extra about themselves and the way they met:
