Pete Moye’
News Button
In support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community against Proposition 8, the Queer Straight Alliance club had its own NOH8 (no hate) photo shoot on Thursday, that will be sent to the supreme court to protest against the inequalities of same sex marriage.
“Everyone has the right to marry, I don’t believe that religion is based on how you procreate someone, or if it’s the opposite sex’s right way to marry,” pharmacy technician major and Vice President of the QSA Club, Juan Pineda, said.
“Love is the basis of what marriage is and the foundation. That’s why the LGBT community fights the right to love and that right to share that equality with everyone else.”
The NOH8 Campaign is a form of silent protest that was created by photographers Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshely who started the act with a photo shoot of two individuals with duct tape over their mouths along with words “NOH8” drawn on one cheek.
Since the passing of Proposition 8 on Nov. 4, 2008, the law has prohibited gay marriage to residents of California. The law surged up a rally of those who are opposed, ranging from celebrities to activists campaigning through the silent protest to show where they stand.
English major Kassandra Sandoval, who has been in the QSA Club for two years, participated in the club’s campaign on the avocation of the LGBT community
“I’ve always been on this side of the argument. To me it seems like the human thing to do to accept and love people for who they are,” Sandoval said.
One member who is openly gay, Andrew Leon, cosmetology major, had his significance reasons as to why he showed up for the QSA’s silent protest, but mainly for the fundamental rights of fairness to all people.
“I just want equality for everyone and to be treated as the same as everyone. I think I have the right to be able to marry to the man I love or as it is the same to every woman to marry the woman she loves.”
Leon continued to talk about how since the law has passed it will have an impact to his future with the man that he wishes to marry.
“It affects me greatly because I do want to get married and I don’t think that marriage should be strictly between a man and a woman, it should be about love.”
A long time supporter of gay rights, President of the QSA club and administrative justice major, Yesenia Concepcion, has been a long time activist within the act against Proposition 8.
She has been involved with Human Rights, which stands as one of the biggest, nationally-known Gay and Lesbian civil rights groups.
“It should be known that there is a place for the LGBT community at our club. If we can provide a safe place for our queer students and environment of support, then our mission is complete.”
“It was the first time that the California constitution has been amended to take away rights from someone, which is a step backward. It’s really unfortunate with a lot of deception.”
Concepcion is used to building up protests as well being a growing supporter for the Proposition eight campaign.
As she campaigned against the proposition, she was shocked by some of the responses she would get when she would offer her services to help the Proposition eight to not get passed.
“While I was volunteering and calling people’s houses, urging them to vote “no” on Prop 8 we had gotten word that the “Yes on 8” campaign had been calling people saying that they were us, and urging people to vote “yes” for equality vote on Prop 8.
Concepcion’s belief on how to create attention on the NOH8 campaign and a way to pursue an awareness of the how the proposition is not about the fairness or equality toward humans, she said, “One way for people who are not necessarily LGBT or queer, but straight people who are support are called “allies.”
“And one way allies can help is to spread the word with family, bring it up at work. I think when things become taboo such as homosexuality, that’s when it’s not talked about is when we loose our right to marry.”
