3/26/2013
By Ivan Pereira
As the Supreme Court heard arguments on Proposition 8 Tuesday, gay rights advocates made their voices heard on social media just by changing their profile picture.
A modified logo of the nonprofit Human Rights Campaign went viral as more than 50,000 Facebook users shared the image on their pages by Tuesday.
Many of the users, including big-name gay marriage proponents like City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, used the image as their profile picture, and HRC said online campaign has created positive buzz for gay marriage.
“Everyone’s part of Facebook and Twitter these days and it’s important that people see which of their friends support gay rights,” the group’s spokesman Charlie Joughin.
The Supreme Court Justices will also hear opening arguments about the case against the Defense Against Marriage Act, or DOMA, Wednesday.
The Washington, D.C. based group’s logo is blue and yellow, but Joughin said they changed it to red and pink on Monday to send a message to the world.
“Red symbolizes love and marriage is all about love,” he said.
Joughin said the image went viral so fast that it crashed HRC’s website, but was glad that it’s gotten so much attention. Several Hollywood celebrities like Evan Rachel Wood, Patrick Stewart and Sophia Bush have reposted the picture or changed their profile pictures on Twitter.
Quinn, who is running for mayor, said the huge support of the online campaign was inspiring.
“I am hopeful that the Court will ensure equal rights for all and declare DOMA and Proposition 8 unconstitutional. Besides, who doesn’t love red?” she said in a statement.
