Red Equal Sign Memes Flood the Internet
Barely a week into its Internet debut, Human Rights Campaign's pink-and-red equal sign has become viral in the cyber world, indicating how the same-sex marriage debate, now being tackled by the U.S. Supreme Court, has become a very hot topic.
In support of the push for equality for gay rights, many Facebook members adopted the sign as their profile photo while the issue is being tackled by the court.
At the same time, meme makers like those from meme-generators KnowYouMeme and WeKnowMemes were busy churning out different versions of the now famous sign.
This is the original sign.
Among the early memes that came out include replacement of the pink boxes with Bud Light beer cans, bones and the inclusion of popular characters such as Ernie and Bert of Sesame Street and Yoda from Star Wars.
Here are a dozen more variations of the now popular signs.
Notably, one of the variations included an image of the cross, a symbol of Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church, one of the major Christian religions with 1.2 billion members, is one of those opposed to same-sex marriages.
However, despite its opposition, U.S. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who recently attended the March conclave that elected a new pope, said in two interviews with ABC and CBS that the Church could become more welcoming of gay men and lesbians.
He still stuck to the official church teaching that marriage is a permanent union between one man and one woman with the aim of brining new life. But he acknowledged that the church has got to do better in seeing to it that while it defends the institution of traditional marriage, it is not reduced to an attack on gay people.
"And I admit, we haven't been too good at that ... We try our darnedest to make sure we're not an anti-anybody," he said.
The cardinal did not budge of the traditional definition of marriage when he stressed, "We also know that God has told us that the way to happiness, that - especially when it comes to sexual love - that is intended only for a man and a woman in marriage, where children can come about naturally."
Although he also insisted, "God loves you. And you are made in God's image and likeness. And - and we - we want your happiness. But - and you're entitled to friendship."