From little Doogie Howser to womanizer Barney Stinson, Neil Patrick Harris has always been well loved as an as actor though hearts were crushed all around the world when he openly admitted in November 2006 saying “…I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love.”
In September 2007, Neil attended the Emmy awards with his partner David Burtka (whom he dated since 2004). On August 14, 2010, he then announced that he and Burtka were expecting twins via a surrogate mother. Shortly after the Marriage Equality Act in New York was passed on June 24, 2011, Neil and David announced their engagement via Twitter,stating that they had proposed to each other five years ago, but kept the engagement secret until same-sex marriage became legal.
This year, we see a side of Neil that we’ve never seen before. Rarely do we see Barney Stinson in a vulnerable position but in February issue of Out Magazine’s Love Issue, despite being suited up still, the couple shares with us a side unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Our hearts melted when we saw the pictures and we know you will too.
There’s no liplocking but the image of David kissing Neil on his neck is perhaps the most intimate we’ve seen from the couple in years. The pictures were taken by Matthew Kristall.
Neil gave an interview for Out talking about how he met David, through a friend back in 2004. At that time, Burtka was already involved in a relationship. As new parents and long time lovers, the couple are perfect role models for many gay and lesbian couples out there. Here are some excerpts from the feature:
“There’s something kinetic about him and his being. He’s classically sexy, yet he’s very much a boy in his energy. It’s a great dynamic,” Harris writes of Burtka.
“When I see people who are equally attractive, they tend to seem quiet and kind of Marlboro Man-y, and David’s the antithesis of that. He’s more like Tigger. I’m, in turn, very introspective–the thinker, rather than the doer. I tend to weigh options before making decisions, and David is the polar opposite of that. We’re hyper similar and also incredibly opposite.”
Of Harris, Burtka similarly scribes, “Without him, I can’t breathe. The biggest thing is that he makes me laugh, but he’s also smart. He can do everything. I’m not kidding; I think he’s half robot. He makes me a little more grounded, and I bring out the wild side in him. Don’t get me wrong–we fight. Our fights last five minutes, then we’re over it. And we’re both Gemini–we have a good twin and a bad twin, and the four of us get along really well.”
Burtka, who joined E! News this month as a correspondent, adds, “I don’t want people to think we’re a perfect couple. Nothing’s perfect. A relationship is work and it changes. It’s more good times than bad, but it’s not always good. We have a great recipe for a wonderful relationship, but we don’t want to be the poster boys for gay relationships. We’re not trying to pretend that we are perfect. We’re just trying–in a good, positive, loving way–to life our lives.”
Harris looks forward to the day the two become legally wed. “I’m not the biggest fan of the word ‘partner’: It either means that we run a business together or we’re cowboys,” Harris pens. “‘Boyfriend’ seems fleeting, like maybe we met two weeks ago. I’ve been saying ‘better half’ for as long as I’ve been able to. I think it’s a little self-deprecating and clearly defines that we’re in a relationship, but it would be nice to say ‘my husband.’”
The annual “Love Issue” by OUT magazine features first-person accounts of gay relationships and gay families which are often misrepresented in America. This special edition also highlights 25 other diverse gay relationships and families. Thank you Neil and David for teaching us that love is love no matter how it comes packaged.
