[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/love-and-pride-jewelry-for-weddings-and-beyond\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/love-and-pride-jewelry-for-weddings-and-beyond\/","headline":"Love and Pride Jewelry for Weddings and Beyond","name":"Love and Pride Jewelry for Weddings and Beyond","description":"Jewelry designer Udi Behr of loveandpride is a fierce advocate for the LGBT community. His pieces have been worn by the celebrities such as Elton...","datePublished":"2012-06-22","dateModified":"2021-07-08","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/kpalladino\/#Person","name":"Kirsten Palladino","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/kpalladino\/","identifier":2,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/76421eab241dc39d43a493849d7bc676e4b1c60c6b1167f727466599b6882eca?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/76421eab241dc39d43a493849d7bc676e4b1c60c6b1167f727466599b6882eca?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/love-pride-udi-behr-jewelry-designer.jpg","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/love-pride-udi-behr-jewelry-designer.jpg","height":640,"width":960},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/love-and-pride-jewelry-for-weddings-and-beyond\/","about":["Love Allies","Marriage Equality News","News","Style Watch"],"wordCount":1288,"keywords":[" marriage equality","allies","jewelry","love","Pride"],"articleBody":"Jewelry designer Udi Behr of loveandpride is a fierce advocate for the LGBT community. His pieces have been worn by the celebrities such as Elton John, Ringo Starr, Jay Leno, Gwen Stefani, Cyndi Lauper, Sharon Stone, Paula Abdul, Ludacris and Paris Hilton. Behr and his company were recipients of the Matthew Shepard Foundation\u2019s \u201cEssential Piece Award.\u201dBehr, who\u2019s the F (friends and family) in what he calls LGBTF, says he designs pieces that are both fashion and social statements, because, \u201cAs a jewelry designer, I know that not all diamonds are created equal.\u00a0 As a husband and a father, I know that all love is.\u201dBehr’s newest creation is the Marriage Equality pendant, a stainless steel double tag necklace featuring the Marriage Equality USA logo. One hundred of the net proceeds from sales of the $39 pendant necklace will be donated to MEUSA.\u00a0 Behr has traveled the world since serving in the Israeli army, and has enjoyed immense success in his 30 years working in the jewelry industry in New York. We caught up with the NYC-based artist and businessman to learn more about him, loveandpride and marriage equality.Q How did loveandpride come about?A\u00a0 In 2004, I saw Gavin Newsom interviewed by Larry King on his decision to legalize same-sex marriage in San Francisco.\u00a0 His combination of passion and rationality made a lasting impression on me.\u00a0 I knew I had to become a force to help bring about the acceptance and approval of legalized same-sex marriage across the U.S.\u00a0 But how was I going to contribute?\u00a0 I realized I could use my talent as a jewelry designer to create pieces that were as much social statements as they were fashion statements.\u00a0 I would make wearable art prominently displaying words like LOVE, PRIDE, EQUALITY and TOLERANCE.\u00a0 I would reach out to pro-LGBT organizations like the Matthew Shepard Foundation and Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and try and collaborate with them.\u00a0 My idea for loveandpride was born.What has been the reaction to your jewelry in the LGBT community?\u00a0I\u2019m so blessed.\u00a0 We were embraced by the community from the moment we started.\u00a0 For me, it feels like a love story.Have you had any backlash from the straight community for working with the LGBT community?I wouldn\u2019t call it a backlash, but in 2004 when I was looking to partner with a more established retailer or manufacturer, I was denied by everyone I approached, because they rejected my vision for jewelry aimed at the LGBT community.\u00a0 Since then, department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue have carried loveandpride collections, and apparel brands are flocking to loveandpride.com now that we\u2019ve expanded beyond jewelry, so I haven\u2019t really felt any backlash.\u00a0Live Love bracelet, stainless steel and rubber, from loveandpride’s Queer as Folk Collection, on sale for $35.10  What do the words love and pride mean to you?Great question!\u00a0 Love is my addiction, and pride is my center.What prompted the decision to donate to marriage equality candidates? Tell us more about that and how you chose the recipients. Are they located in different parts of the country and at different levels of government? Who are they?From the day we launched on April 7, 2005, I\u2019ve been involved in the fight for marriage equality \u2013 from personal donations and building an ethos of customer-donations through loveandpride.com, to walking and sometimes sponsoring the annual \u201cWedding March\u201d across the Brooklyn Bridge for marriage quality.\u00a0 Quite simply, marriage equality is in our company\u2019s DNA.\u00a0 I really believe that with the coming election, we can finally manifest the change so many people have been waiting for \u2013 to have marriage equality become the Federal law of the land.I believe as President Abraham Lincoln said: \u201cThose who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and under a just God, can not long retain it.\u201dThat\u2019s why we chose to celebrate loveandpride\u2019s seventh anniversary, including our expansion beyond jewelry and the launch of our redesigned website, by donating $2,500 in June to openly gay candidates running for office this fall who support marriage equality.\u00a0 We\u2019ll select these candidates according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund\u2019s endorsements and donate directly through the Victory Fund\u2019s site.\u00a0 I do not know the specific candidates we\u2019ll donate to yet, because we are timing our donation for New York City\u2019s pride week at the end of June, and I want to take the time to evaluate the candidates.\u00a0 I know the Victory Fund selects its candidates not only according to their positions on LGBT related issues or their sexual orientation, but also on how competitive their race is, how hostile to LGBTs their opponents are, and how healthy the state of their funding is.\u00a0 So, I know we can\u2019t make a bad choice.\u00a0 Corporations can donate to Federal candidates through the Victory Fund website, but each state has different rules about that.\u00a0 That may end up leading us to choose all Federal candidates, but I\u2019m not sure about that yet.It\u2019s time to change Federal law, and it\u2019s time to give everyone in the LGBT community the same 1,138 Federal benefit heterosexuals receive when they decide to marry.Is this a way for people who believe in marriage equality to get involved in politics and support candidates who are going to fight for their rights?Yes, there are many ways to support the marriage equality movement. Donations are always important, and we\u2019ve already talked about loveandpride and the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund in that regard.\u00a0 Our political system requires a lot of money, and the more money a candidate has, the further they can spread their message and get elected to affect real change.\u00a0 But there are also many other ways that don\u2019t involve money.\u00a0 One of the simplest \u2013 and most powerful \u2013 is just to let the people in your lives know what marriage means to you and what LGBTs are denied by not having marriage equality.\u00a0 I think most people have NO idea how many rights are denied \u2013 exactly 1,138 different benefits \u2013 including significant financial assistance involving social security and tax benefits and critical matters like visitation rights.In one of my Brooklyn Bridge marches, I met a couple together for 60 years!\u00a0 They were 87-years-old and 90-years-old at the time when I met them.\u00a0 Do they have the right to visit each other in the hospital during an emergency ? No!\u00a0 Do they have the right to share a tax return? No!\u00a0 Do they have the right to decide where they want to be put to rest when the time comes? No! That needs to STOP and be talked about.Lastly, vote! \u00a0In the 2010 midterm elections, we gave the Tea Party the opportunity to take over the house \u2013 because a lot of us did not vote!\u00a0 This time we must vote and get our friends to vote!18k white gold engagement ring, 12 channel-set diamonds and a tourmaline center celebrating the iconic pink triangle, on sale for $715.50 What are some of your most popular items?Our most popular items continue to come from our Love and Honor Collection \u2013 original wedding and commitment rings \u2013 and my Matthew Shepard Erase Hate Pendant, which raised more than $150,000 for the Matthew Shepard Foundation.\u00a0Matthew Shepard Erase Hate Pendant, titanium and suede, $59\u00a0  Do you make custom jewelry, too?Loveandpride just launched a Create Your Own Ring\u00a0service, where you can select the stone, setting and price of the ring you envision for yourself.\u00a0 Shop at loveandpride.com. Connect with loveandpride on Facebook. Follow our Editorial Director Kirsten Ott\u00a0on Twitter at\u00a0@kirstenop or catch up with her on\u00a0Facebook. "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Love and Pride Jewelry for Weddings and Beyond","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/love-and-pride-jewelry-for-weddings-and-beyond\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]