Does the equal sign (=) have any symbolic relevance outside of mathematics?

I ask because I have come across 3 separate people wearing or sporting this sign within the last month, and I'm curious to know if it has any other meaning that I'm not aware of..

The first man I saw had this patch sewn onto the left side of his shirt.... a solid black circle, with yellow equal sign within..

The second was a man who obviously had made this shirt himself, this time was a large black square with yellow equal sign in the middle.

And the third, was a bumper sticker on a car that I was driving behind this evening... again, a black square with bright yellow equal sign ( = ) in the middle of the block.

(There are also a couple of members on ATS who have this sign as an avatar, I've noticed...)

Is there a deeper meaning behind this symbol?
Are they only mathematicians, simply someone interested in the sciences, or something more?

Does anyone know if what this could be about? (if anything)

All I can tell you is that in the Mayan counting system the equal sign(=)represents the number 10....Other wise I just don't know....good question

This person had the same (or a very similar) question:
Equals sign

And this seems to be the answer:
answer

It is a symbol created by the HRC, (Human Rights Campaign), an organization working to advance civil equality and personal liberty for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community. The equal sign (=), symbolizes human rights and is often cited as a token for the ongoing struggle and persecution the LGBTQ community still face.

reply to post by OuttaHere

It's as above, so below to some.