Subscribe to Breaking NewsVanasco: Obama artist makes gay marriage poster
The amazing Shepard Fairey – who designed the ubiquitous Barack Obama campain image with Obama’s profile in heroic colors – revealed today his Defend Equality poster, which is a protest against Proposition 8.
I like this image, a fist raised in solidarity – or anger – with sunbursts radiating from it.
It is similar in message to the No on H8 poster that’s been circulating – in that case, a rainbow fist.
Both images are interesting, I think, because they’re not about convincing others to join our cause, or portraying us as loving families who are devestated about having our rights taken away. Instead, they are visual calls to action for gays and lesbians to stand and fight for our rights.
Both images, also, are kind of – militant. I wonder if this is a new phase of the gay civil rights movement. Certainly we have seen a lot of anger directed at Mormons and African-Americans. I wonder if this anger, turned to (hopefully positive) action, is the beginning of some kind of Gay Power movement.
The image certainly captures the feeling of gays and lesbians at the moment.
What do you think? Is this image saying what we want it to? What should the slogan of the gay marriage movement be?
I like it! It it graphically powerful. The 1930s WPA style is just what you need for a good poster. It invokes the labor movements of that time as well as the later Civil Rights movement.
Its very kitschy, I like it. Finally something to evoke the emotion felt by the American GLBT community.
While I applaud the artist’s intent I’m inclined to agree with others reminded of Nazi propaganda art…almost begs for the hammer and sickle too.
I’ve always been turned off by “fuzzy” rainbows. They’re hard to take seriously. I do like the idea of the two raised hands.
I think the poster is GREAT! It’s a visceral image that brings up connotations of many of the militant/civil right groups in the 60s (like the Black Panthers). The raised fist is a rallying cry for all of us in the LGBT community to band together and be counted! We will not go quietly into the night…And there will be some in our community who will not join the fight. But that’s OK, because we will prevail and history is just repeating itself.
I don’t like it.
It’s appropriately aggressive and I think it [freakin] rocks! There’re a lot of gay “men” I have no time for, because they’re a bunch of useless clone faggots who do nothing but act like stereotypical fags. Mincing, wish-they-could-stay-22-forever, effeminate by acculturation (NOT the same as real sissies, who are VERY cool), spoiled-brat little boi-bitches who do everything they can to neuter themselves.
Part of me regrets being quite so venomous about this, but I just wanna note that it sounds SO FAGGY to say the poster resembles Leni Riefenstahl’s work. Jesus, I can hear the world-weary sigh with it! She made movies, this is a drawing, and kudos to the individual who noted that it was like classic agitprop. It is that, very much so, and it’s got a nicely badass edge to it. Who the fuck gets bent about a concern which is really pretty arcane and academic. Is this a class on art history, or is this about saving our own asses?
Fuck “inclusive.” The road to hell is paved by ten gays at a nonprofit, spending eternity setting up another committee for navel-gazing.
Go back to the Black Power model. While the NAACP spent decades playing by the rules (and rightly so), it took militants to seal the deal. Remember that the Civil Rights Act was passed before America burned; did it ever occur to any of you that Congress stayed true to its word because of fear of what else might be flammable, like some nice white suburbs? The militants were the ones who made the NAACP’s reasonable and sane demands look very appealing.
Or maybe you remember ACT-UP. They did a lot of heavy lifting. Yeah, it was a different time. They couldn’t stop HIV from becoming so entrenched in the US, but they damn sure did everything they could. Remember seeing people who had no meds, because the meds didn’t exist, protesting in front of the FDA? You think today’s meds came from the largesse of Big Pharma, or from Reagan’s “progressive” administration? Hell no.
Don’t like this poster? Draw yer friggin’ own. Maybe somebody should see if Derek Hess would do one, but be guaranteed that one would be even less “pretty.” Swear to Christ, it’s like some people want something they can find on a goddamn Hollister t-shirt (which they’re going to buy for their 43rd birthday party).
I’m doing better, my meds are starting to work, but I needed to vent. If anybody took/takes personal offense, I’m sorry, but my time is too valuable to indulge more of the status quo. There’s millions of gays (men more than women, IMHO) who need to GROW A SET and start demanding equal recognition as Americans. It’s more important than shopping and circuit parties and dreaming of brunch with Paris Hilton.
A stunningly powerful and unexpectedly beautiful artwork. Damn, I’m PROUD to be queer!
The immage is “ok”.But it falls flat on its face.As some stated.It doesn’t give the immage of reginition……ohh gez..where have we seen this before.It will make some confused, lost, or don’t know what the hell it is representing to, or make some mad because it relates to something negitive.
I like the feeling of power the poster conveys. But it also seems like a throwback to the “Workers Unite!” slogans and imagery of early 20th Century socialist movements. It seems likely to me that the artist is trying to echo that era, but I have mixed feelings about whether it works.
My 30th anniversary with my parter will be on December 2, 2008.
If opponents can boast that (considering half of all straight marriges end in divorce within 5 years) then maybe you should consider having a relationship with a same sex partner. They seem to last a lot longer.
If you can marry someone and divorce every week, why can’t I?? The difference is love and honesty which is a value taught to me very early as a child. Straight people younger and even near my age were never taught the value of love and respect. No wonder the straights want to protect the “sancity of marriage between one man and one woman”. They are free to marry one day and divorce the next. What am I missing here???
I love anything that supports GLBT community in a postive way. I believe this does represent a more aggresive stand for Equality.
drewski, The poster ROCKS and SO DO YOU.
I could not have said better.
It’s way past time “our brother sissy queens” start ripping the lace of their undies and start rapping it around the necks of those who have had their boots on our necks.
The poster symbolizes a sea change in the attitudes we should have taken years ago.
One of the reasons we have been taken for granted as weak ass sissies is because our parades are to represented by pastel draped drag queens, with their ass hanging out of a pair of silver loamy panties. ( I suppose there is a place for this….I guess) but the new poster symbolizes far more what we need as an image now more than ever.
There are many Gay Brothers black and white that would be more involved if our general
image was one of strength and unity and not weakness.
If a bit of good old fashion THUGGERY is what it take to make our point so be it.
It’s time for JACK BOOTS AND BAYONETS
This new symbol should be sold by the millions, profits be set aside to fund the next ballot initiative.
Signs with slogans certainly have their place but this new logo (says it all) and should represent who we are and how we feel and what we mean, no ifs ands or buts.
So tell us where they can be purchased. I’d love to start plastering those around.
African liberation movements have used this image for many decades
Love it – where can it be purchased?