U.S. Marine Makes First Ever Same-Sex Proposal In The White House


U.S. Marine Corps captain Matthew Phelps proposed to his longtime partner Ben Schock at the White House on Saturday night … and Schock said yes.

According to TODAY, Phelps’ proposal appears to be the first same-sex marriage proposal ever made in the White House. The couple was taking a Christmas tour of the White House when Phelps decided to pop the question.

Schock agreed to marry Phelps 14 months after the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” officially ended.

Once the couple was engaged, the photo of the proposal was posted online by the American Military Partner Association. After the photograph was posted, it quickly spread through multiple social media sites. The photo on Facebook alone grabbed over 2,000 likes and more than 250 shares

Phelps posted an update on his Facebook account after he proposed. It read:

“Such a special night surrounded by wonderful people in an amazing place, and the best is still yet to come. Thanks for all the wonderful greetings and messages, and thanks to Barack Obama and Michelle Obama for lending us your home for the occasion!”

The Huffington Post reported on Phelps’ decision to propose.

Phelps said in an email:

“I wanted to propose to Ben at the White House because that’s where we went for our first date, to the LGBT Pride Month Reception in June. Although we had met a couple years prior at the 2010 Servicemembers Legal Defense Network annual dinner, we didn’t actually start dating until we both made it back to Washington D.C. two years later.”

Phelps then noted:

“When we received an invitation from the Military Partners and Families Coalition to attend the White House holiday tour on December 15, the coincidence that it would be the six-month anniversary of our first date — and also to the White House — was too big not to capitalize on.”

Schock could not be happier with their decision to get married. He said:

“Matthew has made me the happiest I’ve ever been and I am so fortunate that I get to spend the rest of my life with him.

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