Director of the Miss California USA pageant appears in ad supporting gay marriage!

Weeks after Miss California Carrie Prejean denounced gay marriage, Shanna Moakler -- the director of the Miss California USA pageant -- is appearing in a new ad supporting gay rights.

Moakler (a former Miss USA) shot a print ad Tuesday slamming Proposition 8, the initiative that bans gay marriage in California.

Joining her were two former Miss California contestants, Raquel Beezley and Tamiko Nash.

"I believe Prop 8 lead a campaign of confusion and never made clear what was being asked of the people," Moakler said in an exclusive statement to Usmagazine.com Tuesday. "I find most people have a problem with the word marriage. What I hope for is helping others understand 'civil union' and then one day helping people learn 'marriage' is something not God, not the state or country can solidify, but between two people who love each other."

Although Prejean has said she lost the Miss USA crown because of her anti-gay marriage answer, Moakler said it was because Prejean "wasn't able to convey compassion for ALL the people that, as MISS USA, she would be representing."