‘90 Day Fiance’ Star Armando on Being a "Positive Representation" for Culture (EXCLUSIVE)
Published Oct. 12 2023, 1:45 p.m. ET
Since Season 2 of 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way, TLC fans have been rooting for Armando Rubio and his husband, Kenneth “Kenny” Niedermeier. From the beginning of their 90 Day journeys, the pair have often been the most unproblematic faves the franchise has to offer, making it easy for viewers to dub them as two of the show’s fan favorites.
From the beginning of their 90 Day journeys, the pair have often been the most unproblematic faves the franchise has to offer, making it easy for viewers to dub them as two of the show’s fan favorites.
Armando, specifically, has shared his experiences of being a single father to his daughter, Hannah, after the tragic loss of his ex-wife. Additionally, he discussed being a gay man in his native country, Mexico, and how it has affected his dynamic with his family and community.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Armando chatted with Distractify about being proud of his heritage and how his cultural differences affect his and Kenny’s relationship.
‘90 Day Fiance’ star Armando discussed Kenny’s “interesting” reactions to their cultural differences.
While Kenny and Armando are the first openly gay couple on the 90 Day Fiance franchise, they — like most of their castmates — are also in an interracial and intercultural relationship. However, Armando tells us that he didn’t consider his and Kenny’s cultural background as much when they were dating due to them being friends when they first met.
“We were friends and one thing happened after another, but it happened slowly and organically,” Armand said of his and Kenny’s early lore. “So it wasn't like thought out like, oh my gosh, it's a different culture.”
Although Armando wasn’t too worried about his and Kenny’s differences, he recalled hearing how having “different beliefs” and “different cultures” can affect relationships. However, since they married in 2021, Armando said one of the more significant cultural differences between him and Kenny is their family dynamics, noting he comes from a “loud” family and Kenny certainly does not.
“It was always interesting how, [with] my family, he says, ‘You guys can make a party like that,’” Armando says of Kenny, snapping his fingers. “Like, one person comes over to the house. And then all of a sudden, there's another cousin, my aunt is coming, and it's a party out of nowhere. And it really is true. And growing up, my mom's house was always the house.”
Armando continued: “He says ‘That's pretty amazing.’ Because he even now he sees, when we're at my parents, even someone that happens to drive by and stop, they'll invite him. [They’re] just very welcoming and loving like that. And he thinks it is very, very nice. You know, and he's not used to that, I guess.”
Armando Rubio shared the importance of sharing his Mexican identity and family on ‘90 Day Fiance.’
Fans of Armando and Kenny’s 90 Day Fiance story will know that Armando’s relationship with his family changed once he came out to them in his second episode of The Other Way. Since the momentous era in his life, Armando’s family — namely his mother and father — struggled to accept his identity and relationship.
Armando shared with us that his family’s reaction to his truth stems from many people in his culture’s religious beliefs. However, despite the negative reactions he says he’s received from his community in Mexico, there has been an uproar of fans who tell him how much his story has changed their lives for the better.
“I always feel very good about it when like, my mom has been with us [in Mexico], and someone will stop us and be like, ‘Oh my god,’ ‘I love you so much,’ ‘You're the best,’ or whatever they say. And, you know, it makes me happy that my mom can see that,” Armando explained.”
And, despite the negative reactions he says he’s received from his community in Mexico, Armando said he will continue representing his culture and sharing his family with the world, even though he says it’s “very new for Mexican people.”
“I know I've possibly even helped other people be themselves or come out, but at the same time I know, you know, there's been talks in my town, there's been things,” he explained. “But I've also learned to, be myself and not care.”
“I believe we are a positive representation of our heritage of who we are,” Armando added. “And as a family, a two-dad family, which is very new for Mexican people here and to be able to showcase that in a very positive way is what I focus on.”
