Check out ‘Queer Eye’ star Antoni on vacay in the Caribbean

 

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A post shared by Kevin Harrington (@kevharrington)


Queer Eye is finally back on our screens, with the new Texas-set series hitting Netflix last week. Chef Antoni Porowski, 37, escaped the US at around the same time. Going on his Instagram account, he’s been enjoying some New Year vacation time in the Caribbean.

 

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Antoni posted several photos of himself in beachside locations, and in many of the images is partner Kevin Harrington. Antoni and Kevin have never explicitly stated they’re a couple, but they’ve both posted plenty of Instagram images and stories together, and have often attended big events as a couple.

It’s thought that Antoni has been dating Kevin, a strategic planner from New York who works at a big ad agency, since October 2019. They were first spotted together at Bette Midler’s Halloween party that year.

Antoni hits St Barts

Neither Antoni nor Kevin stated the exact location of their vacation, but some commentators have identified it as the island of St Barts (Saint Barthélemy or St Barths in French). Coincidentally, Antoni, on bidding goodbye to the location in his last posting, said, “au revoir ma belle p’tite île”. St Barts is a French-speaking island.

 

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A post shared by Antoni Porowski (@antoni)


Before Kevin Harrington, Antoni was dating Flipping Out’s Trace Lenehoff for a year and had a partner, Joey Krietemeyer, for the seven years before that.

 

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A post shared by Antoni Porowski (@antoni)


St Barts is part of the French West Indies, along with the likes of St Martin and Martinique. Technically known as an “overseas collectivity of France,” its citizens are French and it follows the same laws as France. It’s therefore a part of the Caribbean regarded as LGBTQ-friendly. It even boasts its own gay-friendly beach: Saline Beach.

 

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UP NEXT: More Caribbean wanderlust

Chic St Barts is known for attracting the rich and famous (Leonardo DiCaprio was also caught there by paparazzi this week). For some other gay-friendly Caribbean locations, check our suggestions below.

Six other Caribbean gay-friendly Caribbean destinations

• Aruba

California Lighthouse, Aruba
California Lighthouse, Aruba (Photo: Aruba Tourism Authority)

Aruba is an island in the Caribbean but also an autonomous region of the Netherlands. Thankfully, it shares many of the same laws. Same-sex sexual activity is been legal, with an equal age of consent of 15, and there are same-sex civil unions (but not marriage). You’ll find several gay bars in its capital, Oranjestad.

• The Cayman Islands

(Photo: Cayman LGBTQ Foundation)

The Cayman Islands are an autonomous British Overseas Territory. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 2001, and the country legalized same-sex civil partnerships in September (legal battles for marriage continue to rumble on). Last year it held its first Pride march [above].

Related: Cayman Islands just threw its first Pride Parade 

• Puerto Rico


Following the US Supreme Court ruling, and as part of the US Commonwealth, Puerto Rico legalized same-sex marriage in 2015. It has several gay bars in its capital, San Juan, the gay-friendly Atlantic Beach in Condado, Pride festivals, and plenty of gay-friendly resorts.

• Cuba

 

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Just south of Florida and the Bahamas, Cuba is one of the more populated Caribbean island nations, with around 11 million inhabitants. Gay sex is legal and the country is currently reviewing its legislation to allow same-sex marriage. As reported by GayCities last month, it also has a big, five-star, gay-friendly hotel: The Gran Muthu Rainbow Hotel is located in Cayo Guillermo, a tropical island off the coast of central Cuba.

Related: Cuba now has its first, big, five-star gay hotel

• Saint Martin/Sint Maarten


This northeast Caribbean island (300km east of Puerto Rico) is split down the middle. The northern Saint Martin is a French territory and southern Sint Maarten is part of the Netherlands. The population of around 76,000 is divided similarly between the two halves of the island.

In terms of safety for gay travelers, it has a reputation as one of the most welcoming in the Caribbean. Gay sex is legal across the island. Saint Martin legalized same-sex marriage in 2013, but the southern part of the island has yet to follow suit. Orient Bay Beach and Happy Bay Beach in the north and Cupecoy Beach in the south, are gay-friendly and clothing optional.

• Bermuda

 

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A popular stopping-off point for many Caribbean cruises, Bermuda is another British Overseas Territory. On paper, it’s a tolerant place, with gay sex legal and anti-discrimination laws in place.

However, as a society, anti-discrimination attitudes persist in some areas. For example, Bermuda’s Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage legal in 2017, but the government then implicated legislation to outlaw it in favor of domestic partnerships. The UK’s Privy Council is now reviewing the issue, which could take years, but for now, same-sex couples can marry in Bermuda. However, you will find gay life here, with a gay-friendly beach between Chaplin Bay and Horseshoe Beach.

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