WASHINGTON – Today the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, released a video ad featuring author John Ridley for its Americans for Marriage Equality campaign.  In the video Ridley says, “Gays and lesbians love just as hard, and care just as much as everybody else.  And isn’t that what marriage is all about?”  The videos can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/marriageequality.

“Gay and lesbian couples are told every day that their love isn’t good enough for marriage,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese.  “Love is love, and the government shouldn’t be in the business of standing between two people looking to spend their lives together.”

John Ridley is an American author and director, whose works include the films Red Tails, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Terrence Howard, U Turn, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, and Jennifer Lopez, and Undercover Brother.  He is the author of such novels as The Drift and Those Who Walk in Darkness and has produced a number of films and TV series, including The Wanda Sykes Show, Third Watch and Bobby, the story of Robert F. Kennedy starring Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore and Sharon Stone.

This is the twentieth video released by HRC for the Americans campaign.  Past videos feature Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, Cybill Shepherd, Kristen Bell, Jason Mraz, Rossana Rosado, The Rev. Al Sharpton, U.S. Sen. Al Franken, Michael K. Williams, Aisha Tyler, Scott Fujita, Josh Charles, John Leguizamo, Julian Bond, Mo’Nique, and Mayor Cory Booker.

About 53% of the American public supports marriage for same-sex couples, according to a number of nonpartisan polls, including Gallup, CNN, and Washington Post/ABC News.

Americans for Marriage Equality is a public engagement campaign featuring prominent Americans who support committed gay and lesbian couples getting married.  The campaign draws from a cadre of supportive professional athletes, film and music celebrities, and political and civic leaders. 

For more information on the campaign or to see the videos, visit www.hrc.org/marriageequality.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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