Virginia
An inclusive romance bookstore blossoms in Old Town after fire
Friends to Lovers celebrates diverse storytelling
Last fall, something revolutionary started in Old Town Alexandria.
It has nothing to do with the cobblestone streets that date to the 1790s, nor the tavern where George Washington raised a birthday pint.
Instead, this revolution arrived with sapphic love stories, Black historical magic fiction, and a declaration founded on providing a space for all things romance novels. Friends to Lovers bookstore (301 Cameron St., Alexandria, Va.) the first bookstore of its kind in the DMV area, opened its doors less than a year ago. But based on the number of people flocking to the store—combined with its more than 30,000 social media followers—it is clear founding fathers are not the only noteworthy thing to come from Old Town.
Jamie Fortin, the store’s owner and founder, sat down with the Washington Blade just in time for National Book Lovers Day (Aug. 9) to discuss how an idea for her “niche” interest and passion for more diverse storytelling became a social media sensation and a newly welcome fixture in Alexandria’s sapphic and literary scenes.
“I realized if I wanted to open a business in this area—there are so many beautiful and unique businesses around here—that I wanted something that I was really invested in personally, and also something that I didn’t really see anywhere else,” Fortin said. “And once I thought of a romance bookstore, I was like, ‘OK, this is it.’”
Once she decided on a romance bookstore, Fortin said that she could hear the judgment from folks who ‘didn’t get’ the importance of creating such a space.
“We could have 100 sports bars in D.C. and no one bats an eye—but not everyone likes sports… Yet the second you create a space for women or queer people, suddenly it’s ‘too niche.’ Why is that? A lot of people had no idea that they would never actually be the intended customers, and it’s been interesting to watch those same people be like, ‘Oh, wow, what a good idea,’ now that it’s actually successful.”
And so Fortin and her team got to work. They found the perfect spot to open her dream bookstore—on the second story of a building surrounded by other small local businesses in the heart of Old Town. She consulted with a branding company to make sure the theme and feeling of the store were cohesive. She researched what romance books were doing online and started to stock her shelves.
“I think a lot of romance bookstores in the U.S. that have been popping up are really focused on uplifting marginalized communities,” Fortin explained, describing some of the inspiration to open the genre-specific bookstore. “I’m a woman, I’m also a queer person—these are the kinds of spaces that I’m really looking to create for folks. Not really seeing something like this, that is specifically intended to celebrate women’s joy and queer joy, is something I wanted to create.”
And create that space she did. After months of planning, strategic social media posts, and collaborating with other LGBTQ and women artists, it was finally time to open the bookstore’s doors in November of 2024.
Three days after its grand opening, a fire broke out, damaging the store and its books.
So Fortin utilized the same social media sites she had days and months earlier used to find which books she would sell in her store—Instagram and TikTok—but this time to post pictures of the damage the fire had caused and to ask for any financial help anyone could spare.
Her posts about the store made their way onto “#BookTok,” a subcommunity on TikTok with more than 100 billion videos about books, literature, and all things bibliophile.
“We posted on TikTok, and got 300,000 views,” she said. “And then raised $46,000 in a week just from the reach [of the social media videos]. A lot of it was local, but most of it was people who had never been in the store, or heard of it, but they just loved the concept and thought that this was something that our community needed.”
With such a clear sign from people all over the country—and the world—supporting her store’s mission to foster a safe, joyful space to discover romance novels, Fortin forged ahead.
“It really gave me a lot of hope that people are just nice and kind as part of it, but also made me feel a lot more connected to our mission—because people didn’t know me; they’re not giving money to Jamie, the girl who lives in Alexandria. They’re giving money to Jamie the girl, creating this safe space for these communities and creating a real community zone to celebrate these things.”
She got back to work, finding the perfect location one block away from the famous King Street in Old Town (complete with tremendous foot traffic). Fortin emphasized that the kindness from other LGBTQ people and women when recovering from the fire was a source of inspiration for her while finding her footing. She met with local women-owned businesses to select perfect pieces of furniture for the new space and hired a local artist to paint a new sign to hang outside the store.
With the new space decorated with pink walls, Pride flags, and art by women and LGBTQ artists, Friends to Lovers reopened once again.
This August, Fortin and her team are gearing up for a weekend-long celebration in honor of National Book Lovers Day and the broader Romance Bookstore Weekend — just in time for Alexandria’s annual Sidewalk Sale.
“We have Jenna Voris coming in on the ninth,” said Fortin. “We’re kind of celebrating it through the whole weekend… We’ll also have three or four authors in on Saturday and Sunday—different authors both days—to sign their books and talk about what they’re selling. A few vendors are coming in too, some of our favorites we’ve worked with before—selling cute little goodies, maybe ceramics… I honestly don’t know which ones yet, but lots of vendors.”
“I think we have always stayed true to our mission, but I think it makes us feel a lot more empowered to act out that mission, because we know that there are so many people that want it,” she said. “I really learned from that whole experience. The business community is beautiful here, and it really intends to uplift and support each other.”
That appreciation for social media’s role in keeping the bookstore alive at a time when nearly everything can be accessed online was not lost on her.
“I feel really grateful that through TikTok and Instagram, we have found our audience,” Fortin said. “So the people who come in 90% of the time know what they’re looking for, know what to expect. And they’re like, ‘Yeah, we’re coming here for this.’”
When asked what’s something about romance novels that some people might not understand, Fortin was ready with an answer: that there are diverse voices if you look.
“Even now, the default you’re going to be fed—books, media, everything—is straight and white,” she said. “You have to go out of your way to find diverse stories, but they’re out there. Desi women write incredible romance. Queer white readers can read outside their experience—it’s not that hard, I promise.”
Recently, one of Friends to Lovers’ staff witnessed firsthand what these dedicated “niche” spaces can do.
“One of our booksellers tells this story of a group of Midwestern kids that came in. And it makes all of us cry every time we share this, because they came in and they were like, ‘I’ve never seen a space like this!’ They could see it was Pride month—we have all the flags up—and they’re like, ‘We’ve never had a space where we can feel welcome and seen.’ And ‘if we talk to the staff here, I can say I want to read ‘XYZ book’ and they won’t judge me. Or I can show that I’m attracted to this person!’ It was such a powerful space for them. And I think, having them be able to leave their homes and now know these places exist, and that people who support them are around.”
“I think it’s really powerful finding people who are going to be safe for you and that are going to love and support you no matter what,” Fortin said.
Virginia
Va. activists preparing campaign in support of repealing marriage amendment
Referendum about ‘dignity and equal protection under the law’
Virginia voters in November will vote on whether to repeal their state’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Feb. 6 signed House Bill 612 into law. It facilitates a referendum for voters to approve the repeal of the 2006 Marshall-Newman Amendment. Although the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling extended marriage rights to same-sex couples across the country in 2014, codifying marriage equality in Virginia’s constitution would protect it in the state in case the decision is overturned.
Maryland voters in 2012 approved Question 6, which upheld the state’s marriage equality law, by a 52-48 percent margin. Same-sex marriage became legal in Maryland on Jan. 1, 2013.
LGBTQ advocacy groups and organizations that oppose marriage equality mounted political campaigns ahead of the referendum.
Equality Virginia has been involved in advancing LGBTQ rights in Virginia since 1989.
Equality Virginia is working under its 501c3 designation in conjunction with Equality Virginia Advocates, which operates under a 501c4 designation, to plan campaigns in support of repealing the Marshall-Newman Amendment.
The two main campaigns on which Equality Virginia will be focused are education and voter mobilization. Reed Williams, the group’s director of digital engagement and narrative, spoke with the Washington Blade about Equality Virginia’s plans ahead of the referendum.
Williams said an organization for a “statewide public education campaign” is currently underway. Williams told the Blade its goal will be “to ensure voters understand what this amendment does and why updating Virginia’s constitution matters for families across the commonwealth.”
The organization is also working on a “robust media and voter mobilization campaign to identify and turn out voters” to repeal Marshall-Newman Amendment. Equality Virginia plans to work with the community members to guarantee voters are getting clear and accurate information regarding the meaning of this vote and its effect on the Virginia LGBTQ community.
“We believe Virginia voters are ready to bring our constitution in line with both the law and the values of fairness and freedom that define our commonwealth,” said Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman. “This referendum is about ensuring loving, committed couples and their families are treated with dignity and equal protection under the law.”
The Human Rights Campaign has also worked closely with Equality Virginia.
“It’s time to get rid of outdated, unconstitutional language and ensure that same sex couples are protected in Virginia,” HRC President Kelley Robinson told the Blade in a statement.
Virginia
Fellow lawmakers praise Adam Ebbin after Va. Senate farewell address
Gay state senator to take job in Spanberger administration
Gay Virginia state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) delivered his farewell address on Feb. 16 in the Senate chamber in Richmond following his decision to resign from his role as a lawmaker to take a position as senior advisor to Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
Ebbin, whose resignation was to take effect Feb. 18, received a standing ovation from his fellow senators. Several of them spoke after Ebbin’s address to praise him for his service in the Virginia Senate from 2012 to 2026.
Ebbin first won election to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2003 as the first openly gay member of the General Assembly. He served in the House of Delegates from 2004 to 2012 before winning election to the Senate in 2011.
His Senate district includes Alexandria and parts of Arlington and Fairfax Counties.
“Serving in this body has been the greatest honor of my life,” Ebbin said in his farewell address. “Representing Northern Virginia in the General Assembly — my adopted home since 1989 — has been a responsibility I never took lightly,” he said.
“We are a 406-year-old institution,” he told his fellow lawmakers. “But, when I arrived, I had the distinct honor of being a ‘first’ in the General Assembly,” he said. “Being an openly gay elected official 22 years ago didn’t earn you book deals or talk show appearances — just a seat in a deep minority across the hall.”
Ebbin added, “Still, being out was a fact that felt both deeply personal and unavoidably public. I was proud, but I was also very aware that simply being here carried a responsibility larger than myself.”
Ebbin has been credited with playing a lead role in advocating for LGBTQ rights in the General Assembly as well as speaking out against anti-LGBTQ proposals that have surfaced during his tenure in the legislature.
In his speech he also pointed to other issues he has championed as a lawmaker; including strengthening education programs, expanding access to healthcare, safeguarding the environment, and legislation to help “stand up for working people.”
Among the LGBTQ rights legislation he pushed and mentioned in his speech was the Virginia Values Act of 2020, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, among other categories.
“I’m particularly proud of our work ensuring Virginia modernized state law to protect LGBT people from discrimination in their daily lives, including in employment, housing, and public accommodations,” he said in his speech. “The Virginia Values Act of 2020 — my proudest achievement — established new protections for all Virginians,” he said.
“This law, the first of its kind in the South, passed with strong bipartisan support,” he stated. “And now — this November — after 20 years, Virginians will finally be able to vote on the Marriage Equality Amendment, which will protect the ability to marry who you love. It’s time for our state constitution to accurately reflect the law of the land.”
He was referring to a proposed state constitutional amendment approved by the General Assembly, but which must now go before voters in a referendum, to repeal a constitutional amendment approved by the legislators and voters in 2006 that bans same-sex marriage.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide voided the Virginia same-sex marriage ban. But Ebbin and LGBTQ rights advocates have called on the General Assembly to take action to repeal the amendment in case the Supreme Court changes its ruling on the issue.
In his new job in the Spanberger administration Ebbin will become a senior advisor at the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, which regulates policies regarding marijuana possession and distribution.
Ebbin was among the lead sponsors of legislation in 2020 to decriminalize possession of marijuana and of current pending legislation calling for legalizing possession.
“When I first entered the General Assembly, I saw too many lives upended by a simple marijuana charge — jobs lost, futures delayed, families hurt,” he said in his speech. “And for far too long, that harm was baked into our laws. That is no longer the case. The times have changed and so have our laws.”
Ebbin said he was also proud to have played some role in the changes in Virginia that now enable LGBTQ Virginians to serve in all levels of the state government “openly, authentically, and unapologetically.”
“I swore to myself that I wouldn’t leave until there was at least one more lesbian or gay General Assembly member,” Ebbin said in his speech. “But when I leave, I’m proud to say we will have an 8-member LGBTQ caucus.”
And he added, “And if anyone on the other side of the aisle wants to come out, you will be more than welcome — we’re still waiting on that first openly gay Republican.”
Virginia
McPike wins special election for Va. House of Delegates
Gay Alexandria City Council member becomes 8th LGBTQ member of legislature
Gay Alexandria City Council member Kirk McPike emerged as the decisive winner in a Feb. 10 special election for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates representing Alexandria.
McPike, a Democrat, received 81.5 percent of the vote in his race against Republican Mason Butler, according to the local publication ALX Now.
He first won election to the Alexandria Council in 2021. He will be filling the House of Delegates seat being vacated by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-Alexandria), who won in another Feb. 10 special election for the Virginia State Senate seat being vacated by gay Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria).
Ebbin is resigning from his Senate next week to take a position with Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration.
Upon taking his 5th District seat in the House of Delegate, McPike will become the eighth out LGBTQ member of the Virginia General Assembly. Among those he will be joining is Sen. Danica Roem (D-Manassas), who became the Virginia Legislature’s first transgender member when she won election to the House of Delegates in 2017 before being elected to the Senate in 2023.
“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,” McPike said in a statement after winning the Democratic nomination for the seat in a special primary held on Jan. 20.
McPike, a longtime LGBTQ rights advocate, has served for the past 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 said he will resign from that position before taking office in the House of Delegates.
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