Marriage Equality USA Co-Designs Dog Tag Pendant with Love and Pride to Support Same-Sex Marriage

LGBT e-commerce website loveandpride and nonprofit organization Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) have teamed up to unveil an exclusive jewelry item that is expected to be this election season’s must-have accessory for people supporting marriage equality – the Marriage Equality Pendant.

100% of net proceeds from sales of the pendant will be donated to MEUSA to help secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all Americans, without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity.

The pendant features MEUSA’s logo engraved on two military “dog tags.” It’s made of stainless steel, costs $39 – with an additional $10 for optional engraving – and is only available here.

Designing the item as a set of two matching tags gives people the option to engrave and share the pendant with their betrothed, fiancé or special someone – with each half of a couple wearing one of the two tags. It’s also meant to invoke the success of overturning the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.

The exclusive item was revealed midway through an event held at THE OUT NYC, New York City’s first straight-friendly urban resort, by loveandpride’s chief designer and co-founder, Udi Behr. During his remarks, Behr reminded the crowd that, “loveandpride has a passionate history advocating marriage equality. We’re thrilled to help supporters donate to Marriage Equality USA by wearing ‘activist jewelry’ that symbolizes how it takes two halves to make something whole.”

MEUSA co-president Cathy Marino-Thomas also made a speech after the pendant was unveiled.

“From recent endorsements by President Obama, Vice President Biden and General Colin Powell to North Carolina’s oppressive and undemocratic ban on all kinds of legal same-sex unions, full marriage equality rights for LGBT Americans has rocketed to become the dominant social issue of our time,” said Marino-Thomas. “Visually declaring your support for marriage equality to friends, family and strangers by wearing the Marriage Equality Pendant will spur conversation, change minds and accelerate momentum towards marriage equality for everyone. It’s both a fashion and a social statement, and it works.”

loveandpride has previously designed special jewelry pieces for nonprofit organizations it supports:

• 100% of proceeds from the Erase Hate pendant go to the Matthew Shepard Foundation    
• 100% of proceeds from the Love and Equality pendant are donated to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)

The company, which is not gay owned or operated, plans to celebrate its recent seventh anniversary by donating $2,500 June 24 – New York City’s Pride Parade – to openly gay candidates supporting marriage equality and running for office this fall. By donating a portion of every sale to pro-LGBT charities like MEUSA, the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and HRC, loveandpride’s customers have donated over $385,000 to help the LGBT community since 2005.

THE OUT NYC, New York City’s first straight-friendly urban resort, is located on 42nd Street between 10th and 11th Avenues. The complex encompasses a 105-room hotel, the 14,000 square foot XL Nightclub, Cabaret & Lounge, KTCHN Restaurant, three courtyards, a private dining room, function space, and a wellness center. Rates start at approximately $250. For more information, please visit  or call 212.947.2999.