Hollywood is showing its support for marriage equality as the Supreme Court hears arguments in an historic case.
A number of members of the entertainment industry headed to Washington as the court heard arguments for and against Proposition 8, California’s gay marriage ban, which a federal appeals court ruled unconstitutional in February 2012. Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk, Prop 8) and Rob Reiner attended, with Black tweeting he was “moved tears several times during arguments today” and that “history has been made.”
Many not in attendance also sounded off, with Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson tweeting “When Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner make the movie about today you are going to want to be the Tommy Lee Jones not the Lee Pace.” Kerry Washington urged her followers to read NFL star Scott Fujita’s New York Times essay endorsing equal rights, calling it a “MUST READ.”
PHOTOS: The 20 Biggest Political Players in Hollywood
A number of stars, including Evan Rachel Wood and Chloe Grace Moretz, promoted the image of a red and pink equals sign, which was originally shared by the Human Rights Campaign on Facebook and has become the symbol of support for marriage equality on social media.
Almost as quickly as the symbol spread, memes began to appear playing off the equals sign. A post on HBO’s official True Blood Facebook page added fangs to the sign to create a vampiric endorsement of marriage equality. An unofficial Lord of the Rings meme put its two stars (Elijah Wood as Frodo and Sean Astin as Samwise) in the equals sign, suggesting that if the two Hobbits were more than just friends, that would be perfectly fine. Another unofficial meme put The Simpsons’ Carl and Lenny in those spots. (The Fox show has occasionally hinted the characters could be gay.)
STORY: Activist Stars Attend Supreme Court’s Gay Marriage Hearing, While Hollywood Tweets Support
Below find more tweets from Hollywood about the Supreme Court, which will move on to consider the federal Defense of Marriage Act on Wednesday. The court is expected to release a decision in June.
Supreme Court, stop acting like cowards.Now IS the time for a broad ruling to make the leap into the 20th century. –Sincerely, the 21st.
— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) March 26, 2013
Moved to tears several times during arguments today – history has been made. fb.me/I88DLMTk
— Dustin Lance Black (@DLanceBlack) March 26, 2013
If you’re against marriage equality, please unfollow me.You can hate LOST all you want, but you can’t hate love.
— Damon Lindelof (@DamonLindelof) March 26, 2013
I agree. RT @barackobama: RT if you agree. #MarriageEquality, twitter.com/BarackObama/st…
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) March 26, 2013
Supreme Court, broaden your mind & open your heart. It’s time for the pursuit of happiness for everyone: #SameSexMarriage
— Susan Sarandon (@SusanSarandon) March 26, 2013
“We will never have true civilization until we have learned to recognize the rights of others.”-Will Rogers #prop8
— Steve Nash (@SteveNash) March 26, 2013
Today I’m thinking of the Supreme Court. I hope they remember what makes our country great, and support equality for all.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 26, 2013
SCOTUS: When Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner make the movie about today you are going to want to be the Tommy Lee Jones not the Lee Pace.
— Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) March 26, 2013
All those guys who refuse to marry their girlfriends until everybody has the right to marry must be shitting their pants.
— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) March 26, 2013
Don’t we live in a “free country?” The greatest single asset America has is it’s inclusion of people of every walk of life #MarriageEquality
— Michael Chiklis (@MichaelChiklis) March 26, 2013
#MarriageEquality is on everyone’s minds. I’m hope #Prop8 is defeated. Freedom to marry is essential and EVERYONE has a right to happiness.
— Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) March 26, 2013
If we have to leave it up to 9 people to decide the proper expression of loveand commitment, I say go with the ’69 Mets.
— Joshua Malina (@JoshMalina) March 26, 2013
I stand with my friend @ltdanchoi as he fights for his humanity bit.ly/16fKS3J #fail2obey
— Russell Simmons (@UncleRUSH) March 26, 2013
Hope that the Supreme Court lands on the right side of equality today. There are many republican allies out there. twitter.com/MeghanMcCain1/…
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 26, 2013
I’m standing with you. #MarriageEquality instagram.com/p/XU-vhtrmjr/
— Felicity Huffman (@FelicityHuffman) March 26, 2013
compelling case for marriage equality in less than 60 seconds video thkpr.gs/1054FO2 via @thinkprogress
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) March 26, 2013
So many old, frightened men making old, frightened decisions. #SCOTUS #northdakota
— Colin Meloy (@colinmeloy) March 26, 2013
has her little sister with her and she’s 15 years old. How would anybody feel in this kind of world protecting his or her little sister?”So… are we a country that protects access to marriage as fiercely as we protect access to assault weapons?Supreme Court, what say you?
— James Van Der Beek (@vanderjames) March 26, 2013
“]
