If you’re on Facebook, there’s a lot of red on your screen today. And a bunch of equal signs as well. The Human Rights Campaign’s effort to turn attention to the Supreme Court’s hearing on arguments to overturn California’s anti-gay marriage legislation has turned viral, scooped up what seems like every other profile picture on Facebook (and many on Twitter), and taken a cause once considered a quixotic special interest quest to the very beating heart of the consumer mainstream.
“Red is a symbol for love, and that’s what marriage is all about,” said Human Rights Campaign spokesperson Charlie Joughin. “We wanted to give people an opportunity to show their support for marriage equality in a public and visible way.”
What emerged was not just support, but explicit eagerness in the support of gay marriage. In my view, that eagerness expressed itself in two ways. First, sheer numbers and diversity. That college roommate, the kid you went to high school with, your colleague from two jobs ago, that client, or an older person who you know, deep down, has changed her mind about homosexuality. Red equals signs cut across gender, age, location and orientation.
Secondly, the creativity was impressive. From the simple logo suggested by HRC, people began to create their own variations on a theme and those spread quickly. The HRC’s Storify has several examples, including Star Trek’s George Takei and the HBO series True Blood. But I came across many variations, including twin Fender Stratocaster guitars, a Grateful Dead tour logo, and broken pieces of matzoh on a red plate. Other people tweaked their usual profile pics to add a bit of red.
Read also:
Facebook Goes Red To Support Marriage Equality (Huffington Post)
What's That Red Equal-Sign on Facebook All About? (ABC News (blog))
Marriage Equality: Celebs Turn Their Facebook Red as Supreme Court Hears … (E! Online)
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