US model Shanna Moakler stands up for gay marriage

WASHINGTON - American model Shanna Moakler has decided to make it very clear that she was “hurt and upset” by first runner up in Miss USA 2009 pageant Carrie Prejean’s comment about gay and lesbian marriage.

Moakler, 34, was upset by Prejean saying that a “marriage should be between a man and a woman”, and she has decided to make a stand for what she believed in - the right for gay and lesbian couples to marry.

The model was in North Hollywood on April 28 with co-executive state pageant director Keith Lewis as they prepared Miss USA 2006 first runner-up Tamiko Nash and last year’s Miss California Raquel Beezley to shoot a NO H8 Campaign.

The campaign hopes to raise awareness and eventually have Proposition 8 over-turned in California.

“It’s important for us right now to participate in this, especially given the conversation surrounding Miss California. We’re here showing we’re a family, we agree to disagree and support our beliefs,” Fox News quoted Lewis as saying, as Moakler nodded in agreement.

“It’s been a difficult time but we want to show that there are a lot of different families, I was raised by a single mom, and I am dad to two children that are being raised by two moms. Can’t we all just love each other and get along and celebrate the fact that people are able to find true love?

“We are working through it; we’re a family in resolution. We really want to give Carrie an opportunity to express her beliefs, the Miss California system is about empowering women to be strong and independent and stand up for whatever they believe in.

“So as soon as Carrie is done explaining her beliefs we really look forward to her coming back to our platform. I’m proud that she was able to stand there and utter whatever it was that came out of her mouth. I’m a 45-year-old man and I don’t think I could explain myself to millions of people,” he added. (ANI)