His first love
It was at a dance bar in Texas that Joe met his first boyfriend, Brian Rhyne – although he had a girlfriend at the time; he was still coming to terms with his sexuality. Brian was the first partner Joe truly cared for, and the two tied the knot – in an unofficial ceremony, since same-sex marriage wasn’t legal at the time – after several months of dating.
As portrayed on the docuseries, after his first marriage to Brian, Joe was rather reckless when it came to relationships. After his first marriage to Brian, Joe was married twice more, and it was suggested on the show that the two zoo workers Joe was involved with – and married to – didn’t exactly share his feelings. It seems as if Brian was his first (and perhaps last) real relationship.