Their Passion and Compassion Prove to Be a Winning Combination
For Immediate Release:
May 7, 2012
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
Norfolk, Va. -- The competition to be named PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door is heating up, and either 28-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y., resident Zachary Koval or 23-year-old Mark Kostedt of Maryland Heights, Mo., just may take home the grand prize. These two openly gay men have beaten out hundreds of other entrants from across the U.S. to become two of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round in PETA's contest. Two lucky winners (one male and one female) will each receive a free trip to Hawaii, courtesy of the PETA Member Advantage Program.
"On average, vegetarians are slimmer and healthier than meat-eaters are—and they save more than 100 animals a year from the violence of factory farms, slaughterhouses, and fishing nets," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "One look at our radiant finalists proves that there's nothing sexier than kindness."
Koval went vegetarian at age 10 and later went vegan after learning about the suffering of cows used for their milk and hens used for their eggs. His biggest turn-on is other vegan men, and of his buff physique, Koval—who is an actor with an experimental ensemble—quips, "No animals were harmed in the making of this body."
A procurement agent for a multinational corporation, Kostedt went vegetarian three years ago after watching the PETA video "Chew On This." He says that his healthy and compassionate diet helped him lose a few unwanted pounds and that he has more energy now. He enjoys biking, running, cooking, and reading.
To see photos of Koval, Kostedt, and the other sexy vegetarian finalists, please click here. The voting—which can be done on PETA's website and by texting—ends on May 14, and the two winners will be announced on May 21.
For more information and to vote in the contest, please visit PETA.org or click here.
Three factors will be considered when PETA chooses the winners: the number of votes received from the public, the enthusiasm demonstrated by the entrants in living and promoting a vegetarian lifestyle, and PETA's assessment of the entrants' attractiveness.