DAYTON -- Checked your Facebood news-feed lately? The last couple days, it's been a megaphone for gay rights supporters like Jean Berry who changed her profile picture...
"...Immediately when I found out the marriage equality subject was going to the Supreme Court," said Berry. "I'm a supporter of love whoever you want and I don't believe in making people stand out there alone so it's a solidarity effort."
"I first noticed my buddies changed his profile as I scrolled down I further noticed more people changing the pictures," said Zachary Smith who on the other hand believes a marriage is a spiritual act between a man and a woman. He believes the megaphone goes both ways.
"If someone wants to change their profile picture to show equal rights for gay marriage then another person should have the freedom to change it to a cross," said Smith. "I saw just a few crosses definitely more gay equal rights symbols."
"It's also increasing awareness even with people in your own family. Oh I didn't know you felt that way," Wright State professor Melissa Spirek said.
She says using Facebook to express your beliefs is significant for two reasons.
- It gives the advertisers more information about you
- It lets the Supreme court know people are paying attention
"People dismiss the American public that they are not interested in that," she said. "This is a tangible form of data that across generations that says people are interested."
But even though people are paying attention not everyone is changing their picture.
"It's cowardly, like a drive by just flashing a symbol in front of your friends faces," WSU student Kevin Ponder said. "You're not really reaching anybody different you're not standing out there with the sign."
"I'm against it," said WSU freshman Gabrielle Souters. "I understand a lot of people are for it and I'm not going to call them out and say that it's wrong because everyone has their own views. It's not my place to say there is a right or wrong."
Spirek says many people choose not to identify with the issue because they fear confrontation whether from friends or even their workplace.
Connect with ABC 22/FOX 45 Reporter Wale Aliyu on Facebook and Twitter.
"...Immediately when I found out the marriage equality subject was going to the Supreme Court," said Berry. "I'm a supporter of love whoever you want and I don't believe in making people stand out there alone so it's a solidarity effort."
"I first noticed my buddies changed his profile as I scrolled down I further noticed more people changing the pictures," said Zachary Smith who on the other hand believes a marriage is a spiritual act between a man and a woman. He believes the megaphone goes both ways.
"If someone wants to change their profile picture to show equal rights for gay marriage then another person should have the freedom to change it to a cross," said Smith. "I saw just a few crosses definitely more gay equal rights symbols."
"It's also increasing awareness even with people in your own family. Oh I didn't know you felt that way," Wright State professor Melissa Spirek said.
She says using Facebook to express your beliefs is significant for two reasons.
- It gives the advertisers more information about you
- It lets the Supreme court know people are paying attention
"People dismiss the American public that they are not interested in that," she said. "This is a tangible form of data that across generations that says people are interested."
But even though people are paying attention not everyone is changing their picture.
"It's cowardly, like a drive by just flashing a symbol in front of your friends faces," WSU student Kevin Ponder said. "You're not really reaching anybody different you're not standing out there with the sign."
"I'm against it," said WSU freshman Gabrielle Souters. "I understand a lot of people are for it and I'm not going to call them out and say that it's wrong because everyone has their own views. It's not my place to say there is a right or wrong."
Spirek says many people choose not to identify with the issue because they fear confrontation whether from friends or even their workplace.
Connect with ABC 22/FOX 45 Reporter Wale Aliyu on Facebook and Twitter.
