LGBTQ news and entertainment
The current stars of Broadway’s “Phantom of the Opera” – Norm Lewis and Sierra Boggess – strike a pose for the anti-intolerance campaign NOH8.
I think the word for this is “Phantastic!”
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Via press release:
“WWE has teamed up with charitable organization NOH8 to show its support for marriage, gender and human equality.
“Some of WWE’s most notable Superstars and Divas have jumped in front of Adam Bouska’s lens to publicly proclaim their support for equal rights and had a great time doing it!
“Everyone from Chief Brand Officer, Stephanie McMahon and her Superstar husband, Triple H to the cast of E!’s Total Divas joined the silent photographic protest campaign.”
New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, who opposed marriage equality when he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008, has become the first senator to pose for the inescapable NOH8 campaign, the photographic silent protest created by photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley as a response to California’s discriminatory Proposition 8.
Says Sen. Heinrich:
“I am proud to be the first U.S. Senator to participate in the NOH8 campaign. Gay and lesbian couples who accept the responsibility of marriage should have all the rights that come with that responsibility. The time for marriage equality is now.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut became the second senator to participate and Florida Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (below) became the first, and so far only, Republican politician to pose.
“Our nation is based on the principle of equality. That is what this is all about,” said Rep. Ros-Lehtinen.
(source)
Liza Minnelli to Access Hollywood before posing for the NoH8 campaign:
“Here’s what I believe … no shame, no blame, no guilt. Try and be happy. Be who you are.”
Elphaba (Eden Espinosa) and Glinda (Kendra Kassebaum) from the smash Broadway musical WICKED pose for the NoH8 campaign.
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Last month during Las Vegas Gay Pride, I took part in being photographed for the NOH8 Campaign.
The NOH8 Campaign is a photographic silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world, with “NOH8” painted on one cheek in protest.
Nearly two and a half years since its inception, the NOH8 Campaign has grown to over 13,000 faces and continues to grow at an exponential rate. The campaign began with portraits of everyday Californians from all walks of life and soon rose to include politicians, military personnel, newlyweds, law enforcement, artists, celebrities, and many more.
The NOH8 Campaign has received overwhelming support from around the world, and has appeared in various local and national news programs and publications.
Michael also participated as well as LGBT allies, The Chippendales.
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| The Chippendales in photoshoot for NoH8 Campaign |
Great day at Las Vegas Pride today, including a shoot with the “NoH8 Campaign” and Chippendales. Click the pic for a larger view. These guys never cease to amaze me with how cool they are.
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| Zach Wahls and his mothers for the NoH8 Campaign – click to enlarge |
From the NoH8campaign: University of Iowa student Zach Wahls became a familiar face among the LGBT community earlier this year when a video went viral of Zach delivering an impassioned speech about his family and growing up with gay parents to the Iowa House of Representatives.
Zach’s speech was in response to an Iowa bill that would have ended civil unions in Iowa, and the response to the simple elegance and power of the speech fueled the video to spread throughout the internet overnight, gaining several million hits.
Zach’s mothers were honored at the Eychaner Foundation’s Matthew Shepard Scholarship Awards Dinner. While in attendance, Co-Founders Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley (who were also headlining the event) had the chance to speak with Terry Wahls and Jacqueline Reger.
As luck would have it, Zach was scheduled to be in town the very next day – so Team NOH8 rented a car and drove out to Iowa City to meet with Zach’s family and photograph them for the campaign.
For anyone who may have missed this young man’s amazing speech, here it is. Watch this 3 minute speech, and feel good about the future of America: