US: Hundreds of thousands take to social media to support equal marriage
Thousands of social media users have taken to Facebook and Twitter, to change their profile pictures to an altered version of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) logo, in support of equal marriage.
The logo, released by the HRC to coincide with the US Supreme Court taking on two cases around equal marriage is normally blue and yellow, but was altered for the occasion.
The original image, shared by the HRC was shared over 100,000 times, creating over 10 million impressions across the US. User-customised version were shared countless times more.
High profile posters of the altered logo included Beyoncé and Madonna, as well as Star Trek’s George Takei, and the satirical Facebook page for God, which posted an image of Ladies Liberty and Justice kissing.
Other hand-written notes were posted, as well as user-customised versions of the logo. The popular TV show True Blood shared a version of the photo with vampire fangs as part of the equal sign, and many popular internet memes were integrated into the design.
Takei also posted an altered image from the Disney film the Lion King, with a message which read: “From a friend. One day we’ll look back and say, ‘This is where we drew the lion.’”
The HRC Director of Marketing Anastasia Khoo commented on the campaign. She said: “It’s unquestionable that marriage equality has captured the imagination of Americans from all walks of life.
“You see that represented today by the amazing number of people that have shared their passion and enthusiasm for this issue through various digital platforms,
“By harnessing the passion that equality supporters feel for the freedom of loving and committed couples to marry, the internet is awash in a sea of red – the color of love.”
The HRC website had seen a 600% increase in traffic since posting it.
A decision by the Supreme Court in both cases is expected by the end of June.
