On April 1, 2010 millions of Americans are going to wake up and wonder what joke is going to be played on them. As they open up their web browsers for their morning dose of news they are going to click on a story that couldn't possibly be true, the headline reads... "Same Sex Couple Makes History Winning Popular Vote in National Wedding Contest."
Some will be overjoyed with the headline, others will think it is absolutely horrible, and still others will think that this must be a fake headline because after all it is April 1! April Fools they think! But in just a couple days this could be a reality for Jonathan and Gregory who are currently in second place in Crate and Barrel's Ultimate Wedding Contest. Greg and Jonathan can possibly make history by being the first same sex couple to win a National Wedding Contest. Imagine the excitement and the outrage, and the statement for marriage equality made by simply winning.
With just 30 hours left to vote Gregory and Jonathan need 5000 votes to pull off this incredible upset. They are ahead of third place by almost 11,000 votes! This is LGBT history in the making. Gregory and Jonathan have already received endorsements from GLAAD (http://glaadblog.org/2010/03/01/crate-barrel-holds-inclusive-ultimate-wedding-contest-anti-gay-blogger-attacks/) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (http://www.thetaskforce.org/blog/20100329-tfstaff-weddingcontest). Now they just need one last push to make a difference.
Jonathan is the survivor of a violent hate crime in Boston, and after his attacker plead guilty to nine counts including civil rights violations but served no jail time Jonathan realized something needed to be done. With Gregory by his side he started speaking out about hate crime sentencing and many other LGBT issues. After moving to the District of Columbia Jonathan and Gregory joined the fight for marriage equality, and were the 20th same sex couple to apply for their marriage license in the District on March 3. Their picture from that day was even featured in the New York Times.
Gregory and Jonathan entered this contest on a whim back in February, but as the community rallied around them they realized that this was much bigger than just a wedding contest. This became an opportunity to make a huge social statement. An opportunity to be a part of history as the first same sex couple to win a mainstream wedding contest. Once Jonathan and Gregory rose to the top spot in the contest they faced attacks from anti-gay blogs, and others. After the written attacks Jonathan wrote in his blog...
There is no way that I can drop out of this competition and retreat. I cannot stop being who I am and I need to make a difference. Words are powerful, and so are actions. And just like words of hatred can have power over people, words of hope can have power over people as well. We have the power to change society, we have the power to make a difference.
We all now have the power to make a difference and make a strong statement for marriage equality. It would be great for the community to put these two in the top spot and show the nation that it does not matter if it is two men or two women. It is about love and not gender and Crate and Barrel has the ability to help make this statement.
Voting Link:
http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/22682
More Info:
http://www.gayultimatewedding.com
Thank You From Jonathan and Greg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmvTfiWbCpg
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