Thursday, March 25, 2010

NOH8: UNCG Edition

On March 21st I participated in a photo shoot for the NOH8 Campaign. Since California's passing of Proposition 8, which amended that states constitution so that it can continue to discriminate against Gay's and Lesbians who previously could legally marry in California, there have been countless protests and people speaking out against it.

The NOH8 (No Hate) Campaign, designed by Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley, has garnered world-wide attention in the last two years. That may have something to do with its growing celebrity status. While the first shoots were of average, everyday Californians, the celebrity community jumped on the band wagon (they love a good cause) and has since popularized the campaign and helped inspire it to spread.

Recently, it spread to Greensboro, NC- thanks to my good friend *Brandon Lee! He organized the first NOH8 Photo Shoot in October of 2009 for anyone in town who wanted to participate. This March he and Brittany Clark conducted a second shoot and people representing UNC-G specifically got the chance to lend their face to the campaign. And I was happy to be one of them.

All the pictures have a couple of things in common:
1)A silver piece of tape covering the mouth (this is a silent protest!) and
2)the NOH8 logo adorning something in the picture.
But that's where the similarities stop.

And that's really my favorite part of the pictures. They allow a certain amount of individuality to come through from the subject. The poses are varied and the props are unique. Most wear white, but some don't. One of my favorite images is of Lt. Dan Choi, an Iraq War Veteran who was discharged under 'Don't Ask Don't Tell,' wearing his Army fatigues. His fist raised high, he stands defiant, refusing to accept the prejudice that made him a celebrity when he really just wanted to be a soldier.

His story, like hundreds of others, is told through the photograph. Elements of individuality are there, and they are great. But it is the common elements which speak the loudest. His mouth was covered, just like mine was. And he, like I, wore the NOH8 logo. Pictures say a thousand words. I'm glad that with these, we were all saying the same thing.
NO
H8

Here's a link to the NOH8 website if you would like to know more http://www.noh8campaign.com/

*Check out Brandon in this video, talking about the first NOH8 shoot that he organized in Greensboro!