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Facebook goes red for same-sex marriage — even for Senator Warner

Countless people changed their Facebook profile picture to a red equals sign in a show of support for the same-sex marriage cases before the Supreme Court today and tomorrow.

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Screenshot from Sen. Mark Warner's Facebook profile
Senator Warner joined Facebook users across the country in adopting the pink and red adaptation of the Human Rights Commission's iconic equality symbol as his profile picture today in a statement of support for same-sex marriage, currently being debated by the Supreme Court.
  • By Associated Press

| RICHMOND, Va.

Like millions of others, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner changed his Facebook profile picture to a red equals sign today, announcing his support for the same-sex marriage cases being argued before the Supreme Court today and tomorrow. Senator Warner, a Virginia Democrat who describes himself as a centrist, announced yesterday on Facebook that he now supports same-sex marriage.

On Facebook, Warner wrote that he supports marriage equality "because it is the fair and right thing to do."

Same-sex marriage is a top priority for the Human Rights Campaign, the nonprofit organization whose iconic symbol of a yellow equals sign against a blue background turned red and pink today to emphasize the love behind every same-sex (or opposite-sex) marriage.

Warner's disclosure marks an evolution of his opinion on same-sex marriage. He had previously supported civil unions for same-sex couples, and was the first governor to ban discrimination in hiring and workplace protection for gay state employees.

In 2010, he backed ending the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gays in the military.

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