What began as an isolated attack on Newt Gingrich’s anti-gay politics has become a vigilante movement in defense of LGBT and reproductive rights – this time in pink.
Nancy Mancias and Chelsea Byers, members of the anti-war activist group CODEPINK, took a page out of activist Nick Espinosa’s playbook yesterday when they showered Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty with copious amounts of pink glitter and confetti during a book signing in San Francisco.
ABC News reports that the women challenged Pawlenty during the festive deluge, asking, “where is your courage to stand?” and demanding that the conservative candidate stand up for reproductive and gay rights.
In response to the attack, CODEPINK founder Medea Benjamin said that the glittering was designed to draw attention to the equal rights movement – and specifically, to Pawlenty’s anti-gay political views.
Benjamin noted that, in a city celebrated nationwide for tolerance, equality and diversity, Pawlenty’s presence and promotion of “homophobic attitudes and non inclusive policies” was “an affront” – not just to San Franciscans, but to anyone in the Bay Area and throughout the country who supports unanimous equal rights.
Pawlenty’s San Francisco visit was due to a paid speaking engagement for health insurers.
Watch the video of the activists’ attack here:
