WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign's NOM Exposed project today submitted a video on marriage equality to the National Organization for Marriage's Ruth Institute. The Institute put out a "Reel Love" video challenge calling for submissions explaining "what makes lifelong love possible." One of the judging criteria the Ruth Institute specifies is that videos must "convey how lifelong love between one man and one woman is possible."

In spite of the fact that HRC's video was posted on the Institute's website, it was removed an hour later. A screenshot of the video displayed on the Ruth Institute site is available here.

The NOM Exposed video seeks to show that all love is equal. In the video, one woman and one man each speak about what love means to them: "Love is when you care about somebody else's happiness more than your own. It brings out our compassion, our kindness and our sense of commitment," says the woman. "No matter what life throws our way, we know we'll have each other. That's what love means to us," adds the man, as the camera reveals a female couple and male couple. View the full video NOM Exposed submitted.

"The truth is that LGBT Americans form loving and committed relationships," said Kevin Nix, HRC's NOM project director. "The Ruth Institute's discriminatory guidelines reflect NOM's agenda to stigmatize and minimize loving same-sex relationships."

The Ruth Institute has a history of promoting discrimination against LGBT Americans. In the run-up to the 2010 elections, its president, Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse, actively campaigned for California Senate candidate Carly Fiorina in potential violation of the Ruth Institute's tax-exempt status. The Ruth Institute and NOM actively supported Fiorina, who supported Proposition 8, the discriminatory ban on same-sex marriages. To learn more about the ongoing activities of the National Organization for Marriage and its allies, check www.nomexposed.org.

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.