Supporters of marriage equality are flipping off the state of Alabama, wedding band style, after it halted same-sex marriages.
After a federal court's ruling overturning a voter-approved ban, which allowed couples to tie the knot, the Alabama Supreme Court disagreed and upheld the state's ban on same-sex marriage.
Actor George Takei wasn't having any of it. The former Star Trek star began the wedding finger flip-off by posting a photo of himself with husband Brad Altman, who tied the knot in 2008, holding up their ring fingers in defiance. Alongside the photo, Takei explained the move, asking couples to give Alabama the wedding finger and share the snap with the hashtag #LuvUAlabama.
Alabama just gave SCOTUS the finger by halting marriage equality there despite federal orders. Couples, let's respond! Whether gay or straight, post a photo on FB or Twitter giving AL the "wedding finger" and tagging #LuvUAlabama. Tag your state (e.g. #NY) to join our nationwide map! A photo posted by George Takei (@georgehtakei) on Mar 4, 2015 at 12:52pm PST
Since Takei's widely shared Instagram post, #LuvUAlabama has taken on a life of its own, with Twitter and Instagram users sharing their own solidarity photos.
Married: June 28, 2014 & flipping #LuvUAlabama the wedding bird #marriageequality pic.twitter.com/XBNCXRSUR7— Larry Benjamin (@WriterLarry) March 4, 2015
#LuvUAlabama #Tx pic.twitter.com/WcbRVPiNlq— Lisa De Osio (@ladeosio) March 4, 2015
If you think everyone has a right to get married, raise your finger. #LuvUAlabama pic.twitter.com/MI582Q6q92— Tom Lawson (@tojolaw) March 4, 2015
Unmarried social media users were getting in on the action too, flashing their ring fingers for marriage equality.
I'm single and I believe Alabama should put a ring on it. #LuvUAlabama #FL @freedom2marry @benpatrick90069 pic.twitter.com/VZgQdghPb4— Randy Thomas (@rthomasart) March 4, 2015
On Tuesday night, the Alabama Supreme Court ordered the state's probate judges to stop issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.
The court argued a previous ruling by the federal court that gay-marriage bans violate the U.S. Constitution does not override state law in Alabama, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
The second-most populous county in Alabama, Mobile County, has responded with its own act of defiance, by refusing to issue marriage licenses in the county altogether, to gay or straight couples.