Virginia
Fairfax school shuts down anti-LGBTQ Instagram account
Student group says platform ‘outed, attacked’ students
The principal at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Va., announced on Tuesday that the school’s cybersecurity team shut down an Instagram account created by one of the school’s students who used it to “harass and bully” LGBTQ students at the school.
The announcement by Principal Daniel W. Smith came hours after the Pride Liberation Project, an LGBTQ group operated by students in the Fairfax County Public Schools, issued a press release reporting that the Instagram site appeared one day earlier on March 7.
“On Monday, an Instagram account emerged that outed, attacked, and used slurs against LGBTQIA+ students at Lake Braddock Secondary School,” according to Pride Liberation Project’s press release. “Although the account has since been removed, it has – and continues to – foster an unsafe school environment for LGBTQIA+ students,” the group said.
“We were able to work with our cybersecurity team to have the account shut down and we have identified the student responsible,” said Smith said in a letter to the Lake Braddock Middle School community. “Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with the Fairfax Public Schools Students Rights and Responsibilities,” he wrote.
“I am deeply troubled that any student at Lake Braddock feels that this is acceptable behavior,” Smith said in his letter. “This is not the kind of school community we seek to cultivate. Our shared vision at Lake Braddock emphasizes our commitment to developing students’ understanding of self and community with a focus on responsibility, service, empathy, social-emotional learning, equity, and inclusion,” Smith stated.
The school’s website says it enrolls students from grades 7 through 12.
The Pride Liberation Project released several screenshots taken by its members of the Instagram account. One of the screenshots appears to show the site’s home page, which identifies itself as “lbsshomos” and “Comedian.”
“The official Instagram page for homos at lbss [Lake Braddock Secondary School],” a message on the site says. “Owned and operated by the Lake Braddock Gimmick Association,” the message continues. “Pronouns: Attack/Helicopter,” it says.
Another screenshot released by Pride Liberation Project includes photos of three young people that the group says are Lake Braddock students appearing to be walking inside the school. The group blacked out the students’ faces, saying it did so to protect their anonymity.
“Given that this harassment coincided with a rise in anti-Queer policies across the country, it is imperative that FCPS leadership take strong action immediately,” the group says in its press release.
Principal Smith did not disclose the name of the student identified as the one who created the Instagram account or what specific action the school will take against the student.
“Every student at Lake Braddock has the right to feel safe and respected,” he said in his letter. “I am meeting with members of our LGBTQIA+ student groups this week to listen, learn, and continue the dialogue around their experiences in our school community.”
Virginia
Winsome Earle-Sears ‘Life and Marriage Tour’ to include Northern Va. stops
Voters to consider marriage equality, reproductive rights referenda in November
Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears has announced her campaign against efforts to enshrine marriage equality and reproductive rights in the state constitution will make several stops in Northern Virginia.
Her “Life and Marriage Tour” will include stops in Manassas, Winchester, and Harrisonburg. Earle-Sears said the “Life and Marriage Tour” will also travel to Virginia Beach, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Charlottesville, and other cities across Virginia “throughout September and October.”
The announcement did not include specific dates.
“Virginia, you’ve been asking where the Life and Marriage Tour is headed — here’s a look at our current tour locations,” she said on X on Tuesday. “We’ll be traveling across the commonwealth throughout September and October, and we’re still building the journey.”
Current Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, last November defeated Earle-Sears, a Republican, in the race to succeed Republican Glenn Youngkin.
Voters in 2006 approved the Marshall-Newman Amendment, which defined marriage in Virginia as between a man and a woman.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in Virginia since 2014. Youngkin a decade later signed a bill that codified marriage equality in state law.
Two successive legislatures must approve a proposed constitutional amendment before it can go to the ballot.
Spanberger signed bills that finalized the marriage equality and reproductive rights referenda’s language.
The referenda will take place on Nov. 3.
Virginia
Doug Ollivant to face Eugene Vindman in Va. 7th Congressional District
Republican defeated challengers in Tuesday’s primary
Republican Doug Ollivant will face off against incumbent U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
Ollivant defeated his Republican opponents in Tuesday’s primary. Vindman ran unopposed.
Vindman in 2024 ran to succeed then-Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger in the U.S. House of Representatives after she ran for governor. Spanberger succeeded Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2025.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Tuesday easily won his primary. All other Democratic incumbent members of Congress from Northern Virginia also won their respective primaries.
Virginia
Winsome Earle-Sears launches campaign against Va. marriage equality amendment
Former LG lost to Abigail Spanberger in 2025 gubernatorial race
Less than a year after losing Virginia’s gubernatorial race, former Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is campaigning across the state against constitutional amendments that would protect marriage equality and reproductive freedom.
She is launching a statewide “Life and Marriage Tour” ahead of November’s election.
Although same-sex couples can legally marry under the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, Virginia’s constitution still contains language that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Supporters say removing the language would protect marriage equality should federal precedent change.
The original ban was written into the state constitution in 2006.
It has been hinted at in the past by Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas that he would consider revisiting Obergefell v. Hodges regarding contraception and marriage rights for same-sex couples. He stated this in his concurring opinion regarding the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, which allows for state-level abortion bans.
Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman said removing the ban would bring the state’s constitution in line with existing law.
“20 years after banning marriage equality, it’s time for our commonwealth to fully complete our evolution — and finish the job on protecting marriage equality for all,” Rahaman said.
In an email to supporters, Earle-Sears said these amendments “raise serious concerns” and could alter principles about which Virginians care.
“That is why our efforts are focused not only on informing voters, but also encouraging them to carefully consider these proposals and vote NO on both amendments,” Earle-Sears said.
Virginia voters will consider three constitutional amendments this November.
Earle-Sears is campaigning for voters to reject two of them: the Virginia Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment and the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment.
A “Yes” vote on the Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment would include removing a provision that states marriage is between one man and one woman and prohibitng the state from denying a marriage license to two adults based on their sex, gender, or race, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
In 2025, during debates against now Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Earle-Sears argued it is not discrimination to think that gay people should not be allowed to marry. She claims it conflicts with her faith.
According to ABC 8, in 2024 she wrote that she had a “moral opposition” to marriage equality, after former Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, signed a marriage equality bill that barred denying marriage licenses based on sex, gender, or race.
According to the Virginia Department of Elections, a “Yes” vote on the Reproductive Freedom amendment supports adding a section to the state constitution that would give Virginians the right to make and carry out decisions regarding reproductive healthcare, except in specific exemptions.
The Virginia Department of Elections wrote that if accepted, the amendment would allow the state government to pass laws to regulate abortion care in the third trimester of pregnancy, but require abortion care when it is medically needed to protect the life and health of the pregnant person or because the fetus is not viable.
During the 2025 election cycle, Earle-Sears was clear on her anti-abortion stance.
According to the Virginia Independent, she utilized campaign funds to donate to the Family Foundation of Virginia. The group is a faith-based, anti-abortion, and anti-in vitro fertilization non-profit.
The “Life and Marriage Tour” will include traveling throughout Virginia to speak with citizens, churches, community organizations, and local leaders. The exact locations have yet to be announced.
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