Virginia
Anti-LGBTQ activists protest Fairfax City Pride event
Stacy Langton organized demonstration
The Fairfax City Council declared June as LGBTQ Pride Month, with a celebration planned at Old Town Hall on Saturday to include a drag queen performance. Outside of the event in front of the building roughly two dozen people gathered in protest of the city’s Pride event.
According to the local conservative right publication the Washington Examiner, the protest was coordinated by Stacy Langton, a Fairfax County resident who gained notoriety for leading a group of parents protesting two controversial LGBTQ-themed books available in high school libraries in September 2021 that Langton falsely claimed promoted pedophilia.
The Fairfax County School Board, and officials with Fairfax County Public Schools announced they had removed the books from the school libraries to reassess their suitability for high school students.
At the time the Washington Blade reported: “I’m not one of those activist moms or disgruntled moms,” Langton stated in an interview with Fox News. “This is not about being anti-gay, anti-trans or whatever. I would have been there and said every single word I said if this had been the depiction of a heterosexual couple with heterosexual acts — pornography is pornography and I don’t care what the gender is.”
Langton also appeared in several ads for now Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin during his 2021 gubernatorial election.
Also appearing at the protest were members of the Southern Poverty Law Center-listed hate group, Public Advocate of the United States, and its leader, Eugene Delgaudio.
The Examiner reported that Fairfax Mayor Catherine Read, who was attending the event, told the tabloid that the city is paying for the event. Other sponsors of the event include George Mason University and Fairfax Ace Hardware.
The announcement from the city published online stated:
FAIRFAX PRIDE
Saturday, June 3rd
5PM – 10PM
Old Town Hall
3999 University Drive, Fairfax
The city of Fairfax and Mason are thrilled to host its inaugural “Fairfax Pride” event on June 3rd, 2023!
While Pride is celebrated 365 days of the year, it’s most recognized during the month of June. Pride Month evolved out of the 1969 Stonewall Riots and has since become a time to reflect and celebrate both the progress and the people of the LGBTQIA+ community.
This collaborative event will kick off In Old Town Hall with informational vendors from both Mason campus and the NOVA area, as well as children’s activities, such as face-painting, Fairy Hair, crafts and more! Later in the evening, a warm welcome will be given by representatives from both the city of Fairfax and Mason, to commemorate this exciting new event. The event will conclude with a dance party featuring several drag queen performances throughout the evening.
All are invited and welcome to attend!
Virginia
Glenn Youngkin signs bill that codifies marriage equality in Va. law
Same-sex couples have been able to marry in state since 2014
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday signed a bill that codifies marriage rights for same-sex couples in state law.
House Bill 174, which state Del. Rozia Henson (D-Prince William County) introduced, is among the dozens of measures that Youngkin signed.
“Two years into his term, Gov. Youngkin has shown leadership and inclusivity, and has finally listened to his constituents with his signing of HB 174,” said Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman in a statement. “The bill passed through the General Assembly with support from both parties, at a time when more than 70 percent of Virginians support marriage equality.”
Voters in 2006 approved an amendment to Virginia’s constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in the state since 2014.
The General Assembly in 2021 approved a resolution that seeks to repeal the marriage amendment. It must pass in two successive legislatures before it can go to the ballot.
Democrats control both houses of the General Assembly.
A Virginia Senate committee in January delayed consideration of state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria)’s resolution that would repeal the marriage amendment.
Virginia
Va. lieutenant governor misgenders Danica Roem
Manassas Democrat is first trans person elected to state Senate
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on Monday misgendered state Sen. Danica Roem (D-Manassas) on the Virginia Senate floor.
WVTF Richmond Bureau Chief Brad Kutner in an X post said Earle-Sears, who is a Republican, referred to Roem, who is a transgender woman, as “sir” during a debate on House Bill 964, which would allow attorneys to serve as the executive director of the Virginia Board of Medicine.
Kutner said the Senate went “recess twice after reportedly ‘Sears refused to apologize.'”
“I’m not here to upset anyone, I’m here to do the job the people of Virginia have called me to do,” Earle-Sears later said, according to Kutner.
NEW: hearing @WinsomeSears referred to @pwcdanica on the @VASenate floor as "sir."
Chamber has gone into recess twice after reportedly "Sears refused to apologize."
"I'm not here to upset anyone, I'm here to do the job the ppl of VA have called me to do." #VALeg pic.twitter.com/IyO8JaAQIG
— BK (@BradKutner) February 26, 2024
Roem in 2018 became the first trans person seated in a state legislature in the country when she assumed her seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Voters in the 30th Senate District last November elected her to the Senate. Roem is the first trans person seated in the chamber.
The Washington Blade on Monday reached out to Roem, but she declined comment.
Virginia
Va. marriage equality affirmation bills receive final approval
Measures now go to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s desk
Virginia lawmakers this week approved two bills that would affirm marriage equality in the state.
The Virginia House of Delegates approved state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria)’s Senate Bill 101 by a 58-42 vote margin. The Virginia Senate passed state Del. Rozia Henson (D-Prince William County)’s House Bill 174 by a 22-17 vote margin.
Both bills now go to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
“Virginians across the political spectrum have taken heart to see these bills receive bipartisan support in the General Assembly,” said Ebbin, a gay Democrat, in a press release. “I hope Gov. Youngkin will sign this critical legislation to create state-level protections for all Virginians regardless of who they love.”
Voters in 2006 approved an amendment to Virginia’s constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in the state since 2014.
The General Assembly in 2021 approved a resolution that seeks to repeal the marriage amendment. It must pass in two successive legislatures before it can go to the ballot.
“Senator Ebbin and I introduced this legislation to codify marriage equality in Virginia’s Code so that all marriages are protected under Virginia law beginning July 1, 2024,” said Henson, who is also gay. “Codifying marriage equality will assuage concerns from the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) reversal on abortion rights by the Supreme Court and Justice Thomas’ comments in his concurrence.”
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