Local
Roanoke auto shop fights anti-gay vandalism
‘Die fag’ scraped onto car owned by gay student
Jordan Addison, pictured with his parents Ronald and Rachel Fowler, found support from a Virginia auto body shop after his car was vandalized. (Photo courtesy of Addison)
Jordan Addison, 21, a second-year student at Virginia’s Radford University, said he became alarmed and discouraged when unidentified vandals defaced his car with an anti-gay slur, smashed the windshield, and slashed two tires in four separate incidents between March and May.
The first incident occurred late at night when his car was parked in front of his parents’ mountainside house in the rural town of Max Meadows, located about 60 miles southwest of Roanoke.
The other three incidents occurred while his car was in the parking lot outside his dorm on the Radford campus, which is located about 30 miles west of Roanoke.
“We have no idea who could have done it,” Addison told the Blade.
While the identity of the vandals remains a mystery, he said he’s certain he was targeted because he’s an out gay man.
Addison said he became even more discouraged when auto body shops near his parents’ home and near the college told him it would cost as much as $3,000 or more to remove the words “fag die” that one or more vandals scraped into the driver’s side door of his 1999 Volkswagen Passat.
“I actually called one place and I said I need to get my door repainted,” Addison told the Blade. “And he said, oh, that will be about $600. And then I showed up and his estimate went up to a little over $3,000.”
Addison said his parents, fellow students, and faculty members chipped in to help cover the costs of replacing the shattered front windshield and two slashed tires. But he said the high cost of having the “fag die” slur removed from the side of the car was more than he could afford. His insurance policy didn’t include a “comprehensive” provision needed to cover that type of damage.
“So I was in the middle of don’t go back to class and don’t drive your car or drive your car back,” with the slur visible for everyone to see, “and go to class and keep your grades up. And that’s what I chose.”
In a turn of events that Addison describes as astonishing and heartwarming, an auto body shop manager in Roanoke named Richard “J.R.” Henegar Jr., who learned about Addison’s plight from a friend who works at Radford University, took action on Addison’s behalf.
A Navy veteran who’s straight and married, Henegar summoned Addison to bring the car to Quality Auto Paint and Body Shop in Roanoke, which is owned by Henegar’s father. At his own expense, Henegar obtained a rental car for Addison’s use while he said he would arrange to remove the anti-gay slur from the side of the car.
“I saw his car and I said this is uncalled for and I’m going to take care of your car,” Henegar told the Blade.
Without telling Addison, Henegar contacted 10 other businesses, most auto body shops in the Roanoke area, and persuaded them to share the costs and provide parts needed to do a major overhaul of the car in addition to removing the slur etched into the paint.
Among other things, Henegar had the entire car repainted, installed new tires, tinted windows, a new security alarm system and a new stereo. He said the total cost came to more than $10,000 and involved at least 100 hours of labor, which he said he and the other businesses that helped him performed after regular business hours and on weekends.
When the work was finished Henegar arranged for a local vendor to screen print T-shirts with an anti-bullying message that he modeled after the logo of an anti-bullying organization he discovered online.
“I told him about the story and he didn’t charge me a dime,” Henegar said of the T-shirt vendor. “He had all the T-shirts printed. There was a big circle with a line through it that said bullies. On the back it said special thanks to all our vendors and it had a list of the vendors.”
Henegar then invited one of the local TV news stations to come to his shop to cover what he said would be Addison’s “homecoming”— his shop’s official presentation of the completed car to Addison, who knew nothing of what was about to happen.
“He just completely blew my mind,” said Addison in describing his emotions when he and his partner arrived at the shop and discovered the overhauled car.
“He breaks so many stereotypes because he’s a straight guy but he’s helping me out and I’m a gay male,” Addison said. “He has tattoos everywhere but he’s like a science nerd and he’s such a sweet person. It blows my mind that people like him live where I’m from.”
Addison added, “He’s just so kind and brave and put so much work into something for someone he’d never met.”
Henegar, who’s in line to take over the shop when his father retires, said his father and the shop’s 10 employees supported his efforts.
“We just wanted to bring some attention to bullying and make people aware that it’s uncalled for,” he said. “And we’re a small business in the South and we’re not going to stand for it.”
The Aug. 20 video coverage by WDBJ 7 TV News in Roanoke of Addison’s stunned expression when he saw his spruced up car at the Quality Auto Paint and Body shop quickly circulated nationally and internationally online.
Henegar said within days of news broadcast by the TV station, the video went viral, prompting hundreds of people to send emails and phone messages praising the shop for helping someone in need.
Virginia
McPike prevails in ‘firehouse’ Dem primary for Va. House of Delegates
Gay Alexandria Council member expected to win 5th District seat
Gay Alexandria City Council member Kirk McPike emerged as the clearcut winner in a hastily called Jan. 20 “firehouse” Democratic primary for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates representing Alexandria.
McPike, who was one of two gay candidates running in the four-candidate primary, received 1,279 votes or 60.5 percent, far ahead of gay public school teacher Gregory Darrall, a political newcomer who received 60 votes or 3 percent.
Former Alexandria City School Board member Eileen Cassidy Rivera came in second place with 508 votes or 24 percent and Northern Virginia criminal law defense attorney Chris Leibig finished in third place with 265 votes or 12.5 percent.
Each of the candidates expressed strong support for LGBTQ-related issues.
With less than a week’s notice, Democratic Party officials in Alexandria called the primary to select a Democratic nominee to run in the Feb. 10 special election to fill the 5th District House of Delegates seat being vacated by state Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-Alexandria).
Bennett-Parker won the Democratic nomination for the Virginia State Senate seat being vacated by gay state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), who is resigning from his seat to take a position in the administration of Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who took office on Jan. 17.
Bennett-Parker won the nomination for Ebbin’s state Senate seat in yet another firehouse primary on Jan. 13 in which she defeated three other candidates, including gay former state Del. Mark Levine.
McPike, a longtime LGBTQ rights advocate, first won election to the Alexandria City Council in 2021. He has served for 13 years as chief of staff for gay U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and has remained in that position during his tenure on the Alexandria Council. He told the Washington Blade he will continue as chief of staff until next month, when he will resign from that position before taking office in the House of Delegates.
He received the endorsement of Ebbin, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), and the LGBTQ Victory Fund in his race for the 5th District Va. House seat. Being an overwhelmingly Democratic district, virtually all political observers expect McPike to win the Feb. 10 special election.
He will be running against Republican nominee Mason Butler, a local business executive who emerged as the only GOP candidate running for the delegate seat.
“Thank you to the voters of Alexandria for choosing me as the Democratic nominee in the House of Delegates District 5,” McPike said in a statement released shortly after the vote count was completed. “It is an incredible honor to have the opportunity to fight for our community and its values in Richmond,” he said.
“I look forward to continuing to work to address our housing crisis, the challenge of climate change, and the damaging impacts of the Trump administration on the immigrant families, LGBTQ+ Virginians, and federal employees who call Alexandria home,” he stated.
He praised Ebbin for his longstanding support for the LGBTQ community in the Virginia Legislature and added, “If elected to the House of Delegates in the Feb. 10 general election, I will continue to fight to protect the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ Virginians from my new position in Richmond.”
Gay candidate Darrall’s campaign website said he is a “proud progressive, lifelong educator, and labor leader running to put people first.” It says he is a political newcomer “with more than 20 years in the classroom” as a teacher who played a key role in the successful unionization of Fairfax Public Schools.
“He is a proud member and staunch supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community,” his website statement said.
District of Columbia
Sold-out crowd turns out for 10th annual Caps Pride night
Gay Men’s Chorus soloist sings National Anthem, draws cheers
A sold-out crowd of 18,347 turned out on Jan. 17 for the 10th annual Pride Night at the Washington Capitals hockey game held at D.C.’s Capital One Arena.
Although LGBTQ Capitals fans were disappointed that the Capitals lost the game to the visiting Florida Panthers, they were treated to a night of celebration with Pride-related videos showing supportive Capitals players and fans projected on the arena’s giant video screen throughout the game.
The game began when Dana Nearing, a member of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, sang the National Anthem, drawing applause from all attendees.
The event also served as a fundraiser for the LGBTQ groups Wanda Alston Foundation, which provides housing services to homeless LGBTQ youth, and You Can Play, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing LGBTQ inclusion in sports.
“Amid the queer community’s growing love affair with hockey, I’m incredibly honored and proud to see our hometown Capitals continue to celebrate queer joy in such a visible and meaningful way,” said Alston Foundation Executive Director Cesar Toledo.
Capitals spokesperson Nick Grossman said a fundraising raffle held during the game raised $14,760 for You Can Play. He said a fundraising auction for the Alston Foundation organized by the Capitals and its related Monumental Sports and Entertainment Foundation would continue until Thursday, Jan. 22
A statement on the Capitals website says among the items being sold in the auction were autographed Capitals player hockey sticks with rainbow-colored Pride tape wrapped around them, which Capitals players used in their pre-game practice on the ice.
Although several hundred people turned out for a pre-game Pride “block party” at the District E restaurant and bar located next to the Capital One Arena, it couldn’t immediately be determined how many Pride night special tickets for the game were sold.
“While we don’t disclose specific figures related to special ticket offers, we were proud to host our 10th Pride night and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community,” Capitals spokesperson Grossman told the Washington Blade.
Virginia
Two gay candidates running in ‘firehouse’ Va. House of Delegates primary in Alexandria
Kirk McPike, Gregory Darrall hope to succeed delegate vying for Ebbin’s seat
Gay Alexandria City Council member Kirk McPike and gay public school teacher Gregory Darrall, who serves as vice president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, are among four candidates running in a Jan. 20 “firehouse” Democratic primary for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.
With less than a week’s notice, Democratic Party officials in Alexandria called the primary to select a Democratic nominee to run in a Feb. 10 special election to fill the 5th House District seat being vacated by state Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-Alexandria).
Bennett-Parker won the Democratic nomination for the Virginia Senate seat being vacated by gay state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), who is resigning from the seat to take a position in the administration of Democratic Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who took office on Jan. 17.
Bennett-Parker won the nomination for the state Senate seat in yet another firehouse primary on Jan. 13 in which she defeated three other candidates, including gay former state Del. Mark Levine.
The Jan. 20 primary in which McPike and Darrall are competing will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. in two polling places in Alexandria: the Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library at 5005 Duke St. and the Charles Houston Recreation Center at 901 Wythe St.
The other two candidates running are former Alexandria City School Board member Eileen Cassidy Rivera and criminal law defense attorney Chris Leibig.
McPike, who first won election to the Alexandria City Council in 2021, served for 13 years as chief of staff for gay U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) prior to winning election to the Alexandria City Council.
“Now, Kirk is ready to bring his experience to Richmond to keep improving the lives of all Virginians as our delegate for House District 5,” his campaign website says. His website writeup says he and his husband, Cantor Jason Kaufman, have lived in Alexandria’s Seminary Hill neighborhood for 15 years.
“As delegate, we can count on Kirk to keep delivering for us — helping Virginia maintain our commitments to our schools, our first responders, and our efforts to address climate change, housing affordability, and infrastructure,” the website statement says.
McPike, a longtime LGBTQ rights supporter and advocate, has been endorsed by Ebbin and U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.). Beyer said in a statement that McPike “has a proven track record of delivering results for Alexandrians.” The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which raises money for LGBTQ candidates running for public office, has also endorsed McPike.
Darrall’s campaign website says he is a “proud progressive, lifelong educator, and labor leader running to put people first.” It says he is a political newcomer “with more than 20 years in the classroom” as a teacher who played a key role in the successful unionization of Fairfax Public Schools.
“He is a proud member and staunch supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community,” his website statement says. It says he met his husband Jose while living in Miami and the two operated a small business in South Florida for a decade before moving to Alexandria in 2015. It adds that Darrall is “fluent in Spanish, loves walking Alexandria’s neighborhoods, and is driven by a deep belief in fairness, equality, and strengthening our democracy from the ground up.”
The Alexandria Republican City Committee nominated local business executive Mason Butler as the Republican nominee for the House of Delegates seat in the Feb. 10 special election after he emerged as the only GOP candidate running for the seat, according to the Alexandria Brief publication. He will face the Democratic winner in the Jan. 20 firehouse primary.
“As Delegate for House District 5, I will be a fierce advocate for LGBT equality in the Virginia General Assembly,” Rivera stated. She praised Spanberger for signing an LGBTQ-supportive executive order on her first day in office.
Rivera added, “I will fight alongside her to restore and enforce the Virginia Values Act, advance marriage equality, and ensure robust nondiscrimination protections in housing, employment, healthcare, and public accommodations.”
In his own statement, Leibig said, “I am as strong a supporter for LGBTQ rights as you can get.” Noting his role as a defense attorney specializing in criminal law, he added, “I regularly get calls from outside the commonwealth about defending trans people in situations where they are being treated terribly.”
He noted he was among the attorneys working on the first lawsuit against the Bureau of Prisons in support of “gender reaffirming surgery for an inmate.” He said he represented transgender former U.S. Army soldier Chelsea Manning in 2019 and was among those advocating for improved conditions for trans people in prisons.
“People of this community can count on me to support this community,” he said in referring to the LGBTQ community.
The Washington Blade couldn’t immediately reach GOP candidate Butler, who is running in the Feb. 10 special election but not in the Jan. 20 firehouse primary.
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