Strongman Rob Kearney Comes Out as Gay

The world's second strongest man showed a different kind of strength on October 20, when he came out as gay on Facebook, and the sports world is heralding this champion.

"My #mcm [man crush Monday] goes to this guy, my boyfriend Joey Aleixo!" wrote Kearney on Facebook. "The past months have been crazy, but throughout all of this you've given me a reason to smile. So I guess this is me coming out and saying... I'm gay!!"

The Next Level reported that "with his imposing shoulders and rebellious mohawked hair, Rob Kearney is undoubtedly a certain type of red-blooded man's man; the type of powerhouse that holds the rest of us guys absolutely dumbstruck.

"The guy moves quite literally tons of weight each week with nothing but his bare, brute strength. Rob's lifting and training make the rest of us gym-goers look like we're playing a lazy game of croquet. His ability to use his thick, muscular frame to make immobile objects take momentum is astounding, and even intimidating. Thousands of pounds of steel and cement obey his aggressive, almost hostile muscular force. But unleashed, male super-strength is not uncommon to Rob. It is just a part of his day."

Outsports notes that Kearney "lifts heavy stuff for cash money, folks" and competes on an international level. But historically, his coming out is signifigant because "Kearney is the first self-acknowledged gay man to be actively competing in pro-level, international strongman competition. He is in a pantheon of brave souls who decided to not hide for the fear of harming their social status or career aspirations."

"I thought it was important to be honest," Kearney told writer Christian Matyi, who is also a bodybuilder. "People need to know that one of the top strength athletes on the planet is also gay. But I didn't want it to affect my ability to compete. And that possibility definitely crossed my mind before I made that post."

Kearney's coming out post garnered more than 1,200 likes, and nearly 200 comments. Most of the responses were supportive and lauded the athlete.

Kearney said he knew that coming out at this early stage in his career could have a negative impact, especially in the hyper masculine world of strength athletics. But he wanted to showcase his strength in a new way, and give his boyfriend the validation he believes their relationship deserves.