Voice for Equality: Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris is an American actor. Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold & Kumar series, and the title role in Joss Whedon's Emmy Award-winning musical web series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. He also hosted the 63rd Tony Awards on June 7, 2009, and the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20, 2009. Learn more here.

In November 2006, after a report about Harris' romantic relationship with actor David Burtka surfaced online, Harris came out publicly in People magazine. He had been openly gay in his personal life and in the theater community, but stated, "The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships. So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love."

In early December 2008, shortly after the passage of Prop 8 in California, Mr. Harris appeared with a group of other celebrities in Marc Shaiman's (another Voice for Equality) "Prop 8 - The Musical," which humorously picked apart many of the anti-gay lobby's talking points. [Link] See video below:

"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more... from Jack Black

Neil Patrick Harris also participated in Broadway Impact's 25 bus caravan to the Washington DC March for Marriage Equality and LGBT Rights in October 2009 by sponsoring a bus himself. Broadway Impact is a community of actors, directors, stage managers, fans, producers - pretty much anyone who has ever seen, been in, or worked on a Broadway show - united by the simple belief that anyone who wants to should be able to get married. [Link]

Mr. Harris is also currently engaged in a mock Twitter showdown with John Barrowman to be AfterElton's "Gay/Bisexual Man of the Decade." [Link]

Freedom to Marry salutes Neil Patrick Harris as a peripatetic Voice for Equality! See other Voices for Equality here.

If Mr. Harris' support inspires you - get involved!

**Make your NOMINATION for a Voice for Equality today!