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 Melissa Harris-Perry for its Americans for Marriage Equality campaign.  In the video, Harris-Perry says, “Intentionally disenfranchising a particular group of people – like gay and lesbian couples – violates the core values of our constitution.”  The videos can be viewed online at www.hrc.org/marriageequality.

“Melissa Harris-Perry recognizes that discrimination of any kind should not be tolerated in this country,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese.  “Committed and loving gay and lesbian couples deserve the right to legally get married in America, and shouldn’t be subjected to second-class citizenship under the law.”

Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry is an accomplished author, scholar, and current host of “The Melissa Harris-Perry Show” on MSNBC.  Harris-Perry is also a professor of political science at Tulane University, where she is founding director of the Anna Julia Cooper Project on Gender, Race, and Politics in the South. She previously served on the faculties of the University of Chicago and Princeton University.  Her show airs on MSNBC on Saturdays and Sundays from 10AM to noon ET.

This is the twenty fourth release by HRC for the Americans campaign.  Past videos feature fun.’s Jack Antonoff, Krysten Ritter, Dreama Walker, Stanley Tucci, 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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