The “Harry Potter” theme song resonated across the Equality House lawn in Topeka, Kan., as famed professor Albus Dumbledore walked down the aisle. Then came the melody from “The Lord of the Rings.” Gandalf the White and Frodo Baggins, the ring bearer, marched down to join him.
“Gandalf the White, will you have Albus Dumbledore to be your husband and will you love him faithfully as long as you both shall live?”
“Albus Dumbledore, will you have Gandalf the White, to be your husband and will you love him faithfully as long as you both shall live, recognizing that he has a tendency to come back from the dead?”
(Photo courtesy Equality House) (Courtesy of Planting Peace)
So it wasn’t a true wedding, but when Planting Peace’s Equality House orchestrated a pretend one during the weekend using local actors, the message was real and pointed, specifically, pointed at the Westboro Baptist Church, the small, independent church infamous for picketing soldiers’ funerals and denouncing homosexuals, which is located just across from Equality House.
“I think it’s just about the power of fiction, right?” Planting Peace director of operations Davis Hammet told WIBW-TV. “All of us love the stories … because they’re about people seeking justice, struggling through these things and finding courage and strength to do what is right.”
Equality House has not released the actors’ real names.
The idea came from a recent cyber struggle between “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling and Westboro Baptist Church. After Ireland voted to legalize gay marriage, Rowling tweeted a meme, saying “What if Dumbledore and Gandolf were gay together?” She wrote: “Then they could get married in Ireland!” Westboro responded: “If that happens, WBC will picket!”
(Photo courtesy Equality House) (Courtesy of Planting Peace)
So Sunday afternoon, the two fictional characters tied the knot.
“When we read the battle between J.K. Rowling and the Westboro Baptist Church, we instantly connected with Ms. Rowling’s message on many levels,” founder Aaron Jackson told the Huffington Post in a statement. “The Equality House was founded to take a stand against the hurtful words and actions of hate groups like the WBC. … We must actively stand up to hate and ensure that LGBTQ youth understand that they have a broad platform of love and support in this world. That is a core part of what we do at Planting Peace. We are delighted to be hosting the Dumbledore and Gandalf wedding and stand with them in the face of bigotry and celebrate equality for all.”
After the ceremony, Galdalf read a statement.
“When you are gay, lesbian, transgender, bi, queer or questioning, we say this: You are loved. You are beautiful. You are worthy. You are valued,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You are perfect. You are not alone, and you have a community of support — that’s obvious.”
“When I was 9 years old, if you would’ve told me that as an adult I would be planning a wizard wedding, I think my mind would have exploded,” Hammet told the Washburn Review. “It’s a dream come true in a lot of ways.”