by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer

When you write the Gay news, it is common to research and report - however begrudgingly - about the antics of the GOP and their right-wing cohorts. Every now and then, however, something or someone comes out to show left-wing tendencies, which is usually cause for celebration. One of these unlikely events took place on January 20 when Cindy McCain, the wife of 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain, posed for an ad endorsing pro-Gay marriage forces in California.

The photos show the high-profile Republican with silver duct tape across her mouth and "NOH8" written on one cheek.

NOH8 is a photo project in which subjects are photographed wearing white, against a white background, with their mouths taped shut and "NOH8" painted on their faces. NOH8 is a Gay rights group challenging Proposition 8, a ballot measure passed by California voters in 2008 banning same-sex marriage in the state.

Truth be told, Cindy McCain was playing catch-up to her daughter, Meghan McCain - a vocal proponent of marriage equality - who posed for NOH8 last summer. Either way, we are happy to see Cindy showing solidarity with her daughter.

Still, John McCain isn't budging on his position against marriage equality. John McCain's office issued a statement saying the Arizona senator respects the views of members of his family, but remains opposed to Gay marriage. It says McCain believes "marriage is only defined as between one man and one woman."

On January 20, the NOH8 website posted the following note, along with Cindy McCain's photo, expressing the organization's surprise and appreciation that she decided to join the cause:

"In the year since we've started the NOH8 Campaign, we've been surprised at some of the different individuals who have approached us showing their support. Few, though, have surprised us more than Cindy McCain - the wife of Senator John McCain and mother to vocal marriage equality advocate Meghan McCain. The McCains are one of the most well-known Republican families in recent history, and for Mrs. McCain to have reached out to us to offer her support truly means a lot. Although we had worked with Meghan McCain before and we are aware of her own position, we'd never really thought the cause might be something her mother could get behind.

"Aligning yourself with the platform of Gay marriage as a Republican still tends to be very stigmatic, but Cindy McCain wanted to participate in the campaign to show people that party doesn't matter - marriage equality isn't a Republican issue any more than it is a Democratic issue. It's about human rights, and everybody being treated equally in the eyes of the law that runs and protects this country."

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