NOH8 Campaign
The NOH8 Campaign (NOH8 meaning "No Hate") is a charitable organization whose mission is to promote LGBT marriage, gender and human equality through education, advocacy, social media, and visual protest. The campaign was created as photographic silent protest by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley in response to the passage of Proposition 8. Photos featured 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. "H8" (leet for 'hate') is short for "Proposition H8" (pronounced "proposition hate ), a nickname used by critics of the proposition. The photos were featured on the campaign's website, as well as social networks, and a virtual world campaign in Second Life. The images appeared on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter to spread the message of equality. Some photographers and student groups set up their own photoshoots. The campaign photos circulated on the internet and appeared on many supporters' social networking profiles. Both LGBT and non-LGBT people participated in the photoshoots. Slogans popularized by the campaign included: #NOH8 No Hate", #NOH8inMySt8 "No Hate In My State", #NOH8Worldwide "No Hate Worldwide , #AllLoveNOH8 All Love No Hate". History. On November 4, 2008, Proposition 8 passed in California, amending the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The defeat provoked a groundswell of initiative within the LGBT community at a grassroots level, with many new political and protest organizations being formed in response. The NOH8 Campaign was created in 2009 as a result of the passage of Proposition 8, which added an amendment to the California Constitution to ban gay marriage. Proposition 8 was effectively overturned in 2013 as a result of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to affirm a lower  court's ruling on Perry v. Schwarzenegger. Inspired by Proposition 8, the scope of the NOH8 Campaign expanded its goals to fight discrimination and bullying generally and to spread a worldview of acceptance. Celebrity and political support. Proceeds from the November 2011 music video "Attention Please" by Darryl McDaniels of Run–DMC and actress Pauley Perrette of "NCIS" were donated to the NOH8 campaign. Perrette supported NOH8 by providing memorabilia for auction and with awareness-raising efforts such as wearing a NOH8 dress to the People's Choice Awards in 2011 and adding a silent protest photo as the background  and profile pic on her official Twitter account. Celebrities who have been photographed in support of the NOH8 campaign include (in alphabetical order): Lance Bass, Camren Bicondova, Deepak Chopra, Alan Cumming, Dr. Drew. Kathy Griffin, Paris Hilton, Mark Hoppus, Josh Hutcherson, sisters Kourtney, Khloe and Kim Kardashian, Larry King, Chris Kluwe, Lindsay Lohan, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ricky Martin, Idina Menzel, Crystal Reed, LeAnn Rimes, Emma Roberts, Holland Roden, brothers Jonathan, JD and Drew Scott, Gene Simmons, Bryan Singer, Nikki Sixx, Slash, Paul Stanley, Scottie Thompson, Trevor Wright, Mayra Veronica, Nick Verreos, "Weird Al" Yankovic, and David Yost. US politicians and  other political figures who lent their support to the NOH8 campaign included: activist Lt. Dan Choi, Republican mother and daughter duo Cindy and Meghan McCain, House Democrats Rep. Eric Swalwell, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Rep. Bill Keating, Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Rep. Niki Tsongas, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, Rep. Jared Polis, and Rep. Jackie Speier, then-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and 2016 Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. Former WWE wrestler Darren Young wore a NOH8 hoodie for his match at the Elimination Chamber PPV in February 2014 (he was the first  WWE performer to come out publicly as gay while active as a wrestler with the company), and in April 2014, numerous WWE wrestlers participated in a photo shoot to promote the campaign.