While not yet as recognisable as the red ribbon, the White Knot - a symbol for marriage equality - has been given a boost by several celebrities at the 51st annual Grammy Awards held on Sunday night in Los Angeles.

Organisers of the "White Knots" campaign say the White Knot combines two traditional symbols of marriage - white and tying the knot - to show support for the right of gays and lesbians to marry.

As of Jan 1, 2009, 30 states have constitutional bans on same-sex marriage and more than 40 states explicitly restrict marriage to two persons of the opposite sex.

"White Knot for Equality strives to educate people on the importance of Marriage Equality, provoke dialogue, and show the wide-spread support Marriage Equality truly has," says whiteknot.org.

According to The New York Times, the knots were created in November last year by Frank Voci in response to Proposition 8, which repealed the right for gay men and lesbians to marry in California. Voci, who runs a consultancy for interactive media companies, said he got the idea after protests died down as he wanted "to keep the conversation going."

"Whether you are gay or straight, please show your support by wearing the Knot and telling people why you are wearing it. Wear your White Knot to work, to school, to your place of worship. Together, we will keep the topic at the top of people's minds and keep the conversation going," say campaigners.

Keep a lookout for "White Knots" on the Oscar Red Carpet on Feb 22, 2009. More details will be posted on www.whiteknot.org.