Be Heard

I posed for the NOH 8 Campaign because of being bullied as a child. I was either too overweight, or too gay as a child, or never good enough. Later because of the hate I endured I turned to drugs as an an adult to cope. I posed to make my voice heard of the damage hate and bullying can do. I've been clean for over a year now and I am proof we are not defined by our past. Love to

I volunteered for the Atlanta photo shoot because I believe all people should be treated equally . My mother was a Southern feminist who taught not only with her words but by her actions. She treated everyone with respect and was often judged for her open-mind . My obstetrician in the 1980s was a lesbian. I didn’t know that until many years later when Mom told me

I chose to have my daughter participate in this campaign. I'm tired of hate being taught . I explained to my 5 year old what this photo meant before she took the photo . I wanted her to have a choice if she wanted to do it or not. Once I told her the message of this campaign, she was excited to be a part of it . Hate is taught and I'm sick of it . I'm hoping that the more children

“ I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once. ” ― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars Nikki and I met at a time when neither of us were looking for commitment and certainly not for love . What was supposed to be something casual ended up turning into a beautiful and unexpected love story , a story we’re still happily writing. As Rita Ghatourey

I did this for so many reasons, but above all else I stand for #NOH 8 . I stand for love , light , togetherness , equality , perseverance and the power of our collective humanity . I stand for living in a world where people aren’t discriminated against for their gender, who they love, how they love, the color of their skin, the spiritual/religious practice they engage