Virginia
Comings & Goings
Roem named executive director of Emerge Virginia
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Congratulations to Danica Roem on being named executive director of Emerge Virginia. Emerge Virginia is the commonwealth’s premier organization recruiting and training Democratic women to run for office. Emerge Virginia has a track record for getting Democratic women elected. Since the organization launched in 2014, the program has equipped 198 women with the skills needed to bring change to their communities; 26 alumnae currently serve in office in Virginia with 12 alumnae serving in the House of Delegates with Roem.
A’shanti F. Gholar, president of Emerge said, “I am incredibly excited to have Danica Roem join us as the next Executive Director of Emerge Virginia. Danica is a trailblazer with a proven track record. Her journey and leadership have inspired countless Emerge alumnae to step up to run and win, and we know she’s going to bring those skills to empower diverse communities across the commonwealth. Through her efforts, Emerge will reach thousands more women of the New American Majority — women of color, Black, Brown and Indigenous women, young, LGBTQ+ and unmarried women. They will repower political structures, as we reach for our future together. We are proud to add her to our amazing team.” Upon accepting the position Danica said, “I’m excited to serve as the next executive director of Emerge Virginia while continuing my work representing the people of the 13th District of the Virginia House of Delegates. Most delegates have a second job and this will be mine. I’m staying in office and plan to be on the ballot again in 2023. As executive director, I’ll be able to recruit, train and empower the next generation of women leaders in Virginia who will work alongside my Emerge sisters and me in elected office. Emerge is essential to the future of Virginia and I’m eager to begin the transformative work we will accomplish together.”
Before taking this role, Roem was closely involved with Emerge as an alum using what she learned to run and win in her very first campaign. She became the first out-and-seated transgender state legislator in American history, unseating a 13-term anti-LGBTQ incumbent.
Roem is a lifelong Virginian from Manassas. She worked as a community newspaper reporter authoring more than 2,500 news stories about her home community of Prince William County as the lead reporter of the Gainesville Times/Prince William Times. She has worked as the news editor of the Montgomery County Sentinel and also covered state and federal campaigns for The Hotline. Away from journalism and politics, Roem spent 12 years fronting heavy metal bands and ran her own mobile yoga studio set to a heavy metal soundtrack. She is also the author of her memoir, “Burn the Page.”
Virginia
DOJ seeks to join lawsuit against Loudoun County over trans student in locker room
Three male high school students suspended after complaining about classmate
The Justice Department has asked to join a federal lawsuit against Loudoun County Public Schools over the way it handled the case of three male high school students who complained about a transgender student in a boys’ locker room.
The Washington Blade earlier this year reported Loudoun County public schools suspended the three boys and launched a Title IX investigation into whether they sexually harassed the student after they said they felt uncomfortable with their classmate in the locker room at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn.
The parents of two of the boys filed a lawsuit against Loudoun County public schools in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria. The Richmond-based Founding Freedoms Law Center and America First Legal, which White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller co-founded, represent them.
The Justice Department in a Dec. 8 press release announced that “it filed legal action against the Loudoun County (Va.) School Board (Loudoun County) for its denial of equal protection based on religion.”
“The suit alleges that Loudoun County applied Policy 8040, which requires students and faculty to accept and promote gender ideology, to two Christian, male students in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” reads the press release.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in the press release said “students do not shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate.”
“Loudoun County’s decision to advance and promote gender ideology tramples on the rights of religious students who cannot embrace ideas that deny biological reality,” said Dhillon.
Outgoing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and outgoing Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares in May announced an investigation into the case.
The Virginia Department of Education in 2023 announced the new guidelines for trans and nonbinary students for which Youngkin asked. Equality Virginia and other advocacy groups claim they, among other things, forcibly out trans and nonbinary students.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in February launched an investigation into whether Loudoun County and four other Northern Virginia school districts’ policies in support of trans and nonbinary students violate Title IX and President Donald Trump’s executive order that prohibits federally funded educational institutions from promoting “gender ideology.”
Virginia
Repealing marriage amendment among Va. House Democrats’ 2026 legislative priorities
Voters approved Marshall-Newman Amendment in 2006
Democrats in the Virginia House of Delegates on Monday announced passage of a resolution that seeks to repeal a state constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman is among their 2026 legislative priorities.
State Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax County) has introduced the resolution in the chamber. State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) is the sponsor of an identical proposal in the state Senate.
Both men are gay.
Voters approved the Marshall-Newman Amendment in 2006.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in Virginia since 2014. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin last year signed a bill that codified marriage equality in state law.
A resolution that seeks to repeal the Marshall-Newman Amendment passed in the General Assembly in 2021. The resolution passed again this year.
Two successive legislatures must approve the resolution before it can go to the ballot.
Democrats on Election Day increased their majority in the House of Delegates. Their three statewide candidates — Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger, Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi, and Attorney General-elect Jay Jones — will take office in January.
“Virginians elected the largest House Democratic Majority in nearly four decades because they trust us to fight for them and deliver real results,” said House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) on Monday in a press release that announced his party’s legislative priorities. “These first bills honor that trust. Our agenda is focused on lowering costs, lifting wages, expanding opportunity, protecting Virginians rights, and ensuring fair representation as Donald Trump pushes Republican legislatures across the country to manipulate congressional maps for partisan gain. House Democrats are ready to meet this moment and deliver the progress Virginians expect.”
Virginia
Ghazala Hashmi names Equality Virginia executive director to transition team
Narissa Rahaman will join Adam Ebbin, Mark Sickles on LG-elect’s committee.
Virginia Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi has named Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman to her transition team.
State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) and state Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax County) are among those who Hashmi also named to her Transition Committee.
“I am honored to have this diverse group of leaders join our transition,” said Hashmi in a statement. “Their experience, perspective, and commitment to public service will help build an Office of the Lieutenant Governor that is responsive, innovative, and relentlessly focused on improving the lives of every Virginia resident.”
“Together, we will develop a thoughtful roadmap for the work ahead — one that ensures we are engaging communities, strengthening partnerships across the state, and preparing this office to serve with purpose and conviction from Day One,” she added. “I am grateful to each member for bringing time, expertise, and passion to this effort.”
Hashmi, a Democrat, defeated Republican John Reid, who is openly gay, on Nov. 4.
Hashmi will succeed outgoing Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on Jan. 17.
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