Brad Pitt Shells Out in Support of Gay Marriage

Actor gives $100,000 to fight against California ballot initiative that would overturn high court's ruling legalizing gay unions

By Natalie Finn Sep 18, 2008 2:20 AMTags
Brad Pittimage.net

Brad Pitt must have really burned after reading about Prop 8.

The actor-activist has donated $100,000 to fight an initiative to ban gay marriage that is headed for the November ballot in California.

If approved, Proposition 8 would overturn the California Supreme Court's landmark May ruling that it is unconstitutional to prevent gay couples from swapping vows.

And Pitt—who along with Angelina Jolie drew a few raised eyebrows after saying that they have no intention of tying the knot until everyone in the United States has the same right—wants to make sure that California, at least, remains a place where anyone can say "I do" and have it stick.

"Because no one has the right to deny another their life, even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn't harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8," the Burn After Reading star said in a statement.

According to the Los Angeles Times' L.A. Now blog, Pitt's contribution is the largest made to the cause so far by a major celebrity—a statistic that's proved surprising for some.

“The entertainment industry should view this contribution as a challenge," Chad Griffin, a political strategist for the No on 8 campaign, told Reuters.

As of today, the anti-Prop 8 side has raised more than $11.1 million, while supporters have forked over $16.6 million.

Pitt and Jolie, who just announced that their foundation was making a $2 million contribution to fight HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in Ethiopia, recently landed at No. 6 on the Giving Back Fund's list of the most charitable celebs in 2007 after signing off on $8.4 million in donations for the year.