"That's when I got really down about it because we had all these people freaking out," Megan confessed. Sure enough, after documenting her relationship online, the influencer may have let on more than anticipated.
Love Online
When one long-distance couple set up a blog back in 2009 for memories to look back on, they were eager for what awaited them. Unfortunately, they never could have imagined the events that soon followed.
"It feels horrendous," they confessed of the surprising misconceptions their documented relationship was met with. From their time as aspiring influencers to the accusations it soon called for, here's their remarkable journey to finding love online...
Meet Megan
Before we dive deeper into the influencer couple's troubles online, let's start at the very beginning: meet Megan. Long before the 34-year-old beauty was busy fending off skeptics from her feed, the British native had her sights set completely elsewhere.
After obtaining a degree in Sociology & Criminology, the promising student began a full-time job as a Human Resources Advisor. But while she spent her days focusing on her co-workers' mental health and well-being, hers would soon be tried like never before.
Finding Love in the Oddest of Places
But we're not there just yet. And as the years continued to grow, so did Megan's passion for blogging. And so, like many of us once did, she then decided to open her very own MySpace account. Little did she know, it would change her life in more ways than one.
What happened? By the time Fall of 2006 came rolling around, the passionate blogger's life suddenly took an interesting turn. Much to her surprise, a romance had sprouted in the least expected of places: Her MySpace inbox - which brings us to the other half of our story…
Enter Whitney
Meet 33-year-old Whitney. On paper, the Kentucky native was never meant to cross paths with Megan. And perhaps with good reason. After all, how does a girl from the South come to meet a British girl living in Windsor? Separated by over 4,000 miles, they lived parallel lives. All of that changed in 2006.
On a fateful night in December, as the then-18-year-old was scrolling through her MySpace feed, suddenly something caught her eye: "I clicked on it," Whitney recalled, as she stumbled across Megan's profile. She couldn't quite place it, but there was something special about her.
An Instant Attraction
Without a moment's hesitation, she clicked the "add" button, eager to meet the stranger smiling back at her from her screen. But would Megan feel the same way that she did? Sure enough, she did. "That one click changed my life forever," Whitney recalled of the events that followed.
Not only did Megan instantly message her, but the two struck up a friendship, fast. From late-night chats to lengthy conversations, Megan and Whitney quickly went from strangers to smitten friends. Perhaps that's why it's no surprise what happened next.
They Started a Long Distance Relationship
No, Whitney wasn't planning on finding love online. Only that's exactly what happened. After several weeks spent talking behind the webcam, she and Megan decided to take a leap of faith like never before: They began dating. But were they truly ready for a long-distance relationship?
The truth was that they had no idea what to expect. What they did know, though, was that their chemistry was too undeniable to not give faith a fighting chance. And so, in the years that followed, the long-distance couple did everything they could to make it work. Meanwhile, Whitney continued with school in Hawaii and Megan, London.
“What Wegan Did Next”
As for how the students juggled the two? With thousands of miles separating them, the long-distance couple relied on FaceTimes and phone calls to keep their romance alive. But by 2009, they deployed a new approach - something that would soon take the internet by storm: a blog.
At the end of 2009, "What Wegan Did Next" was born: an online blog intended to make fond memories to look back on. "We love traveling, sipping champagne, and enjoying life together, side by side," their website read. Soon enough, though, they'd welcome an even more exciting chapter.
One Door Closes, Another Opens
In 2011, after endless hours of hard work and long lectures, Whitney's time as a Communications student came to an end. But as they say, when one door closes, another opens. And while her graduation from the University of Hawaii was bittersweet, she was eager to shift her focus onto a future with Megan.
Little did she know, her partner was already 10 steps ahead of her. And on a fateful day in May, she found that out for herself. As the college graduate made her way to the shores of Waimanalo, her favorite beach in Hawaii, Whitney was met with the surprise of her life...
They Got Engaged
"May 17 started out like any other ordinary day, I had no idea what was coming my way," Whitney recalled. Sure enough, after being presented with an impromptu treasure hunt by her friends and family, she suddenly realized something was up. A surprise graduation party? Perhaps an early birthday party?
The confused student was led to her favorite beach, when suddenly everything clicked: "I could see Megan in the distance standing," Whitney recalled. As her girlfriend got down on one knee, she was met with a wave of emotions. "I... began to cry... It was the most pivotal and happiest moment of my entire life."
Separated, Again
What next? After the dreamy proposal, the fiancés instantly got to planning: They were going to move back to the United Kingdom together and obtain a civil partnership within the following months. Or so they thought. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
Much to their surprise, Whitney's visa had been rejected. And so, after finally being reunited, the long-distance partners were separated… again. Whitney moved to South Carolina as she anxiously awaited updates on her visa process. Megan, thousands of miles away, awaited her fiance's arrival back in London.
Tying the Knot
In 2012, after months spent waiting around in limbo, Whitney finally obtained her visa. And on September 28, her and Megan's love story officially reached its latest chapter. Dressed in matching Ted Baker dresses, the fiancés were all smiles as they finally became Mrs. and Mrs. alongside close family and friends.
After exchanging vows, the couple exited the venue of their civil partnership ceremony to Ray LaMontagne's song, You Are The Best Thing. "Baby, we've come a long way, baby," they sang. But what they didn't know then, was that their troubles were actually just beginning.
Trouble in Paradise
They say all good things must come to an end. And when it came to Whitney and Megan? They soon found that out the hard way. Unfortunately, while they had nothing but excitement about their latest chapter, all of that suddenly changed. What happened?
The more their relationship continued to grow, the more it captured people's attention. But despite their venture as aspiring bloggers, becoming the talk of the town wasn't something they welcomed with open arms. Especially once they heard what spectators had to say for themselves...
"Mother & Daughter"
"It's very strange," Megan confessed of the events that soon followed. Despite being just 1 year apart, the happy couple quickly became entangled in a messy misconception - something that left them painfully embarrassed: They were getting mistaken for mother and daughter, constantly.
And it hurt, badly. "It feels horrendous when it happens because I don't want to look old enough to be my wife's mother," Megan confessed, as chatty strangers on the street continued to confuse her and her Mrs. for family members. But how did Whitney feel about it?
Whitney's Concerns
Sure enough, Whitney was just as concerned as Megan. And perhaps with good reason. "I don't want to look young enough to be mistaken for a child. I'm a 33-year-old woman, I want to look like a woman," the frustrated partner explained. Only the confusion continued to worsen.
From delivery guys to store associates to strangers in between, the constant stares and speculation continued to take a toll on her. But Whitney wasn't only worried about herself: "I feel for Megan [too]," she confessed. "It is an awkward situation... when we have to respond, 'No, we're wife and wife.'"
Their Following Grew
As the misconceptions continued to grow, so did their following count online. The happy couple was adamant on sharing their truth with the rest of the world, one post at a time. From TikTok to Instagram to YouTube, "Wegan" quickly made their presence known.
But Megan and Whitney's time setting the record straight wasn't always a sore subject. In fact, the influencer couple began finding humor in their daily struggles, something they felt necessary to make it through the tough times. Whitney even began calling her partner "mommy" in their TikTok videos.
Online Haters
Unfortunately, though, not everybody felt the same way that they did. And as their following count grew by the day, so did the negative comments. "This is a Big Joke!!" one unimpressed user slammed the Wegan's relationship content. "Fake wedding," wrote another.
Sure, life as influencers placed them under the microscope. But that didn't make the criticism they were met with any less painful. "That's when I got really down about it because we had all these people freaking out about it on TikTok," confessed Megan.
Fighting the Hate
After endless posts hijacked by negative comments, Megan and her wife had just about seen it all. But in doing so, they soon came across a new realization: the love they had for one another meant more than any of the hate hurled their way, as painful as it may have been.
And so, the Wegans wiped their tears and blocked out the haters. "Haters gonna hate," they shaded on TikTok. With a new outlook on life and a reinstated confidence, the couple picked up the webcam and carried on with their blogging. There was still lots to be said.
“Long-Distance Relationships Can and Do Work”
After growing thick skin, Megan and Whitney soon found a newfound purpose for their time online: They were going to use their voice for those who didn't have one. After all, the couple's unconventional love story was as inspirational as it was educational.
"We want to show that yes long-distance relationships can and do work, and yes feminine lesbians do exist!" the couple proudly explained on their official blog. Despite all the hurdles thrown their way, they weren't going anywhere just yet. In fact, they were just getting started.
More Accomplishments
As the years continued to grow, the happy couple continued to tick off accomplishment after accomplishment. From founding their very own dating site, Find Femme, to starting an empowering clothing line, it seemed as if Megan and Whitney were unstoppable.
Upon fighting an uphill battle, the couple went from "mother and daughter" to "#BossBabes - running our blog, social media accounts, brand sponsorships, speaking engagements and businesses," as their site proudly put it. And it wasn't long before people took notice.
Going Viral
From their own business ventures to documenting their story online, the proud couple continued to prove the skeptics wrong. They welcomed magazine features, television debuts, and a new influx of followers. And perhaps with good reason. People everywhere were captivated by their unique love story.
But by 2017, the viral stars welcomed a new milestone - something never done before: an appearance on Britain's Say Yes to the Dress, making them the first same-sex couple to ever do so. "It was amazing," they gushed of the debut. "Ultimately, this will further raise the visibility."
Their Wedding
On September 28, 2017, that same happiness reached new heights after the couple tied the knot in another dreamy affair: "We are finally, officially, actually married!" Megan and Whitney gushed as they renewed their vows in a documented wedding ceremony.
"Here's to many many more anniversaries and happy memories together loving each other so much!" Set in the scenic garden of Palm Springs's Avalon Hotel, the quaint affair looked almost out of a fairytale. Unfortunately, things were about to take a sudden turn.
Starting a Family
What happened? As Megan and Whitney celebrated their latest chapter together, they began to plan for the future. More specifically, babies! After all, "it was literally only a year or two into the relationship that we knew we definitely wanted to spend our lives together and have children," as they explained.
But where would they even start? Starting a family wouldn't be the easiest, that much they knew. What they didn't know, was just how challenging it would be. "As a same-sex female couple, we didn't actually know what this journey would look like or where to even start," they reflected.
The Infertility News
Unfortunately, as the women embarked on their journey to parenthood in 2020, they were met with a painful wakeup call: "We were shocked," the couple confessed." We were like, 'Well, surely that can't be right? That's discrimination.'" What went wrong?
As they soon discovered, their NHS clinical commissioning group, Frimley, required very strict rules when it came to fertility treatment. While heterosexual couples only required 2 years of unsuccessful attempts at pregnancy for assistance, same-sex couples required proof of infertlity via 12 self-funded insemination treatments.
Taking Legal Action
Megan and Whitney were devastated, and then some. "This differential treatment towards female same-sex couples amounts to direct and indirect discrimination," they announced. They couldn't sit back any longer. And so, they took to our feeds as they launched one of the most historic lawsuits in Britain history.
Under the Equality Act and European Convention on Human Rights, the couple decided to take legal action against the NHS. "It is time for discrimination to end and for there to be equal treatment with heterosexual couples in the healthcare system," they explained.
Their Plea For Help
Of course, though, Megan and Whitney were up against a whole lot - even they knew that much. That's exactly why they decided to turn to the public in a plea for help. The couple set up a Crowd Justice account, in an attempt to raise support - both figuratively and financially - for their legal battle.
"Please donate what you can and share," they wrote on their page. "Everyone deserves the right to form a family, and together, we can achieve equality." Megan and Whitney were fighting for change. Only in doing so, they soon raised concerns elsewhere…
Their Intentions Were Questioned
As their legal battle continued gaining momentum, spectators continued to follow along on their journey. But not every follower shared their same optimism. In fact, many didn't. As several skeptics soon voiced: what were Megan and Whitney's true intentions here?
"I hope you're just suing the NHS to make the treatment available and not for money, because, if not, in the current climate, you're pretty low," one of many concerned users commented. Was there more to the story than met the eye? It wasn't long before the couple took to TikTok to set the record straight.
A Greater Fight
The latest accusations hurt, badly. And perhaps with good reason. As Megan and Whitney explained, spectators had gotten it all wrong: not only wouldn't they be using the money for any personal matters, but they had grand plans for their legal payout.
"If we win our case, we will donate the funds raised to help fight a similar legal case, or into the Access to Justice Fund or donated to charity," the Wegans proudly announced. There was a much bigger battle to be fought here: "Our hopes are to be able to help create a future where [all] LGBTQ+ families are treated as equal."
Rallying Supporters
Megan and her wife were fighting for people all over the world; other couples placed in the same, heartbreaking position. And as they continued raising awareness for their admirable cause, it wasn't long before they rallied an entire army behind them.
"You could have used your platform to fundraise for your own journey, but instead? You're making money to fund so many journeys," one of many supporters noted. With over £5,600 (about $7,460) already raised, Megan and Whitney were making major strides.
Only Up From Here
Of course, though, there's still lots to be done here. But as far as the Wegans are concerned? For the first time in a long time, they're hopeful - excited - about what awaits them. Whether they win their case or not, their time advocating for others already makes them winners.
"We honestly never expected for to take off the way it did," they recalled of their journey on our screens." Waking up with phone calls from journalists… being inundated with emails was certainly not what we expected! We're so grateful for the overwhelmingly positive response."
Love Always Wins
When a British girl from Windsor first crossed paths with a Southern girl from Kentucky, a remarkable story was born. Together, the two prevailed against all odds to live out their fairytale life. And if there's one thing to takeaway from their unforgettable journey? It's this.
"Motto of the story, y'all: don't give up even if it seems things are against you," Megan and Whitney assured. From fighting for change to starting a movement in the process, the Wegans might just be living proof that love always wins. Check out their Instagram @whatwegandidnext to see what they're up to now… We're expecting big things!