LUSH Cosmetics holds protest to support same-sex marriage

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LUSH Cosmetics is encouraging the public to head to stores
this Saturday and pucker up for a cause.

LUSH will be partnering with Freedom to Marry, an
organization dedicated to marriage equality, to host a “Kiss and Tell” protest
at the chain’s various locations across the country this Saturday, June 18.

“LUSH is really a kind of ethically minded company,” LUSH
Sales Associate Key Holder Allison Leidy of LUSH’s 1312 Pearl St. location
says. “In the past we’ve had mainly animal rights and environmental causes.
This is our first human rights cause that we’re supporting, and everyone in the
store is really excited about it.”

The protest will occur at 11:38 a.m. across the country,
with couples — both same-sex and heterosexual couples kissing — to signify the
1,138 rights denied to same-sex couples under the Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA), according to a LUSH news release.

Along with the smooching outside of each store, LUSH
locations will act as a campaign centers for the next two weeks where members
of the public can learn more about working to overturn DOMA.

“We have postcards set up that talk about our stance on gay
rights, you can sign it, give your information, and we’re actually mailing them
directly to the Senate, and we have tons of pamphlets,” Leidy says.

Stores will also be selling their “Freedom Foamer” bubble
bar, a vegan, dark green-colored bubble bar, for $5.95, and all proceeds go to
Freedom to Marry and its “Why Marriage Matters” campaign.

Leidy says she and her associates at the Pearl Street LUSH
location are expecting a good turnout from the Boulder community.

“We have a Facebook page where we’ve had a lot of RSVPs [to
the event] and a lot of people interested in the store,” she says. “I have yet
to hear one negative response.”

All couples are invited to the protest this Saturday, but
Leidy says the Pearl Street LUSH location is encouraging people to stop by and
learn about the cause whenever they can.

“[We] encourage people to really come into the store, not on
Saturday, but whenever they want because there’s a lot of information here and
we all really support the cause,” Leidy says.

For more information, visit www.lushusa.com
or http://bit.ly/iphAZt.