Levi's Supports Marriage Equality w/White Knots - Get Your Own FREE Knot

Starting this week, you'll find White Knots on mannequins in Levi's Stores in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The famous jean company, is adding the accessory to their mannequins to show solidarity for marriage equality. The message is simple and clear: "Everyone should have the right to tie the knot."

On the White Knot organization's website they explain: "The White Knot is the symbol for marriage equality. Wear it every day to show your support and to create conversation. Use it to tell someone today that equal rights are important to everyone. Share the White Knot and spread the word that all loving couples deserve the same legal rights, benefits, and respect that civil marriage bestows."

You can get your own FREE White Knot, by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

White Knot for Equality
PO Box 691517
West Hollywood, CA 90069

You can also donate to the organization, should you see fit, or buy a White Knot Making Kit:

Each kit has supplies for 300 White Knots and contains:

—50 yards of ribbon
—Safety pins
—Instruction sheets Kits are $25 - Free Priority Mail shipping

More information is available here.

They also provide these 14 reasons why marriage matters:

• Marriage offers 1,138 Federal benefits and responsibilities, not including hundreds more offered by every state.

• In times of crisis, spouses have hospital visitation rights and can make medical decisions in event of illness or disability of their spouse.

• The law provides certain automatic rights to a person's spouse regardless of whether or not a will exists.

• Married couples in elderly care facilities are generally not separated unless one spouse's health dictates hospitalization or special care.

• Married couples are permitted to give an unlimited amount of gifts to each other without being taxed.

• The law presumes that a married couple with both names on the title to their home owns the property as "tenants by the entirety."

• A married couple, by statute, has creditor protection of their marital home.

• Many married people are entitled to financial benefits relating to their spouses, such as disability, pension and social security benefits.

• With marriage, a couple has the right to be treated as an economic unit and to file joint tax returns (and pay the marriage penalty), and obtain joint health, home and auto insurance policies.

• When a spouse dies, there is no need to prove ownership of every item in the household for taxable purposes.

• A child who grows up with married parents benefits from the fact that his or her parents' relationship is recognized by law and receives legal protections.

• Spouses are generally entitled to joint child custody and visitation upon divorce (and bear an obligation to pay child support).

• The mark of a strong family and healthy children is having parents who are nurturing, caring, and loving. Parents should be judged on their ability to parent, not by their age, race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

• For adults, a stable, happy marriage is the best protector against illness and premature death. Decades of research have clearly established these links. (Burman & Margolin, 1992; Dawson, 1991; Verbrugge, 1979).