90-Day Fiancé: The Other Way’s Armando and Kenneth are the shows first male gay couple, and they are already a fan favorite after the season 2 premiere aired on Monday night. The franchise has previously featured a lesbian couple on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, but Stephanie and Erika didn’t end staying together after Stephanie was unable to come out to her mother as bisexual. Now, The Other Way is showcasing Kenneth and Armando, who met through a gay father’s support group, and they are stealing the hearts of 90-Day fans around the world.
The couple, although far apart in age, has some of the strongest similarities among all the couples on the show, sharing a multi-level bond that goes beyond shallow physical and personality traits. Kenneth is a 57-year-old single father of four who had kids through a surrogate and raised them on his own. When he met 26-year-old Armando, he had raised a son, Bricen, and three triplet daughters, Cassidy, Taylor, and Madison, as well as a grandson. The family man was clearly smitten with Armando from the beginning and was able to share the hardships of being a gay single father with Armando. In addition to having a young daughter, Hannah, Armando had also lost his ex-wife in a tragic car accident months after the divorce was finalized. This left him as an openly gay single father in Mexico, which is still predominately homophobic.
The couple’s story is relatable for many who are also struggling to come out and find love, but also because they are a real relationship with genuine ups and downs. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the couple spoke out about their journey leading up to the show and what fans can expect in episodes to come, "You're gonna see some ups and downs with us, you're gonna see some differences because of our age and some differences because of our culture, and some differences in our parenting styles." He shares, "It's not all roses. We're very emotional people and it does come out."
Armando’s continuous struggle to be out to his family is a storyline that can speak to many fans. Kenneth has made the decision to leave his family in Florida to pursue a life with Armando in Mexico, but Armando’s unaccepting family is a conflicting source of tension. Seeing the couple work through these troubles together makes them one of the best and most important couples ever depicted on the franchise. Kenneth says, "Give our story a chance… especially to the people that might not believe in same-sex relationships. Give ours a chance, to watch our story, watch it unfold and they might just see a love story, and they might change their mind and their heart."
Kenneth and Armando seem to have a genuine love and care for each other that transcends stereotypes and bias, which makes them instantly relatable and draws the audience into their story. It also means that we really feel their struggles. But beyond their challenges, this 90 Day Couple has developed a strong connection, and it looks as if their love can survive the troubles the lie ahead.
90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way airs Monday nights at 8pm EST on TLC.
Source: Entertainment Tonight