Virginia
Earle-Sears assails trans protections at Arlington School Board meeting
Board reaffirms commitment to trans students amid Department of Education rebuke
The Arlington School Board held its regularly scheduled public meeting on Aug. 22 at Syphax Education Center in Arlington.
The board celebrated the hiring of teachers and the start of the school year. However, the normal business of the local elected body was overshadowed by the presence of the Republican gubernatorial candidate and current lieutenant governor of Virginia, Winsome Earle-Sears. She came to the meeting to admonish the board for its affirming policies for trans and gender nonconforming students.
A rally in support of the Arlington School Board’s LGBTQ-inclusive policies was held outside of the building before the meeting and was attended by Arlington public officials and scores of community activists. The rally was organized by Equality Arlington and the Arlington Gender Identity Alliance.
The transgender-inclusive policies of Arlington County Schools are currently under fire by the U.S. Department of Education.
“The Department of Education made a demand on five Northern Virginia school systems — including Arlington County — to not only cease all current policies that protect the rights and dignity of transgender and nonbinary students, but to remove the concept of gender identity from policy entirely,” Equality Arlington Vice President Samantha Perez explained.
“Last week, all five of these school systems — Arlington included — told the Department of Education that they would not be complying with this order,” Perez continued. “We’re here to thank the Arlington Public School System for standing up to the bullies in the Trump administration and in the Department of Education.”
Other speakers at the rally included Arlington County Board members Maureen Coffey and Julius “JD” Spain, Sr., as well as Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County, Parisa Dehghani-Tafti. Approximately 100 people attended the rally in support of the school board. There was also a smaller group of supporters of Earle-Sears, holding “Parents for Winsome” signs, standing to the side.
Several speakers at the rally mentioned the anticipated appearance of Earle-Sears at the local school board meeting.
“Some have said that this is like a political stunt. And quite honestly, that is what it is,” Spain mused. “Our kids are preparing to go to school on Aug. 25 — next Monday — when they should be finalizing the joy of the summer … And guess what? We’ve got people coming into Arlington’s back yard, want to make a political stunt, want to make national news to gain some edge.”
“Well, let me tell you something, let me give you some late breaking news: It is not going to happen in Arlington. Wrong City, wrong county, try again.”
Dehghani-Tafti said, “I understand that the lieutenant governor is here. And my message to her is this: If you break the law in Arlington, you will be held accountable, no matter your identity, as we are doing in our current prosecution. But we in Arlington: what we do not do … what we will not do … is treat kids like criminals when all they want to do is just go to school.”
“The laws of the commonwealth of Virginia and of our federal government support Arlington Public Schools making this decision and making it for our kids here in Arlington,” said Coffey. “And so while our school board members are actually physically inside right now, meeting with their attorneys, figuring out how we are going to navigate this situation, they wish they could be preparing for the start of school on Monday, as they should be focused on today … instead, they are dealing with the media circus that has been created by people who are not from our community and who do not care about our kids.”
Following the speeches, activists from both sides of the debate entered the Arlington School Board meeting room, with some signing up to speak in the public comment period. Members of the community were allowed two minutes per person to speak on a topic relevant to the Arlington School Board. The majority of speakers at the meeting on Thursday were on the topic of Arlington County School’s trans-inclusive policies.
Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Francisco Durán issued a statement before the public comment period began.
“On Friday, APS and other local school divisions responded to a request from the U.S. Department of Education regarding our transgender student policy,” Durán said. “We strongly disagree with the department’s assertion that our policy violates Title IX.”
“To the contrary, our policy [complies] with both state and federal law, including the Virginia Values Act, and it is also supported by recent court decisions affirming protections for students,” Durán continued. “In response to our latest action, the department has placed APS under a ‘high risk’ designation. We are reviewing this with our attorneys. But based on these developments, I want to assure our community as we open school on Monday that our priority is and always will be to protect the wellbeing of our students and our staff and our families.”
Arlington School Board Chair Bethany Zecher Sutton then addressed the meeting.
“The U.S. Department of Education’s actions have raised questions around funding for schools,” Sutton said. “We are seeking to understand how the designation of ‘high risk’ status may effect our system. But we want to reassure the community: we will continue to advance and defend policies protecting the rights of every student and to promote public education as one of the cornerstones of our democracy. We strongly believe that the diversity of our Arlington school community is one of our greatest strengths. The school board recognizes and respects the diverse experiences of our LGBTQIA+ students, staff and families.”
While the majority of speakers during the public comment period spoke in favor of the trans-inclusive policies of the Arlington School Board, Earle-Sears was joined by a few others to speak against them.
“Here’s the truth, there are two sexes: boys and girls,” Earle-Sears said at the podium. “And for generations, we’ve understood this: that they deserve their own sports teams, their own locker rooms, their own bathrooms. That’s not discrimination, it is common sense.”
Earle-Sears continued, “You are one of the five NOVA school districts who have been found in violation of Title IX. Title IX was written to protect biological girls’ spaces and opportunities on the basis of biological sex, not gender identity. And by refusing to reverse your reckless policies, you are failing our daughters and risking losing millions of dollars in funding our children.”
Earle-Sears left the public meeting to hold a press conference outside following her two minute remarks.
Virginia
Va. lawmakers consider partial restoration of Ryan White funds
State Department of Health in 2025 cut $20 million from Part B program
The Virginia General Assembly is considering the partial restoration of HIV funding that the state’s Department of Health cut last year.
The Department of Health in 2025 cut $20 million — or 67 percent of total funding — from the Ryan White Part B program.
The funding cuts started with the Trump-Vance administration passing budget cuts to federal HIV screening and protection programs. Rebate issues between the Virginia Department of Health and the company that provides HIV medications began.
Advocates say the funding cuts have disproportionately impacted lower-income people.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, a federal program started in 1990, provides medical services, public education, and essential services. Part B offers 21 services, seven of which remained funded after the budget cuts.
Equality Virginia notes “in 2025, a 67 percent reduction severely destabilized HIV services across the commonwealth.”
Virginia lawmakers have approved two bills — House Bill 30 and Senate Bill 30 — that would partially restore the funding. The Ryan White cuts remain a concern among community members.
Both chambers of the General Assembly must review their proposed changes before lawmakers can adopt the bills.
“While these amendments aren’t a full restoration of what community-based organizations lost, this marks a critical step toward stabilizing care for thousands of Virginians living with HIV,” said Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman. “Equality Virginia plans to continue their contact with lawmakers and delegates through the conference and up until the passing of the budget.”
“We appreciate lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who recognized the urgency of this moment and will work to ensure funding remains in the final version signed by the governor,” added Rahaman.
Virginia
Arlington LGBTQ bar Freddie’s celebrates 25th anniversary
Owner asks public to support D.C.-area gay bars
An overflowing crowd turned out Sunday night, March 1, for the 25th anniversary celebration of Freddie’s Beach Bar, the LGBTQ bar and restaurant located in the Crystal City section of Arlington, Va.
The celebration began as longtime patrons sitting at tables and at the bar ordered drinks, snacks, and full meals as several of Freddie’s well-known drag queens performed on a decorated stage.
Roland Watkins, an official with Equality NoVa, an LGBTQ advocacy organization based in the Northern Virginia areas of Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax County, next told the gathering about the history of Freddie’s Beach Bar and the role he said that owner Freddie Lutz has played in broadening the bar’s role into a community gathering place.
“Twenty-five years ago, opening a gay bar in Arlington was not a given,” Watkins told the crowd from the stage. “It took courage, convincing, and a deep belief that our community belongs openly, visibly, and proudly,” he said. “And that belief came from Freddie.”
Watkins and others familiar with Freddie’s noted that under Lutz’s leadership and support from his staff, Freddie’s provided support and a gathering place for LGBTQ organizations and a place where Virginia elected officials, and candidates running for public office, came to express their support for the LGBTQ community.
“Over the past 25 years, Freddie’s has become more than a bar,” Watkins said. “It has become a community maker.”
Lutz, who spoke next, said he was moved by the outpouring of support from long-time customers. “Thank you all so much for coming tonight and thank you all so much for your support over the past 25 years,” he said. “I can’t tell you how much that means to me and how much it’s kept me going.”
But Lutz then said Freddie’s, like many other D.C. area gay bars, continues to face economic hard times that he said began during the COVID pandemic. He noted that fewer customers are coming to Freddie’s in recent years, with a significant drop in patronage for his once lucrative weekend buffet brunches.
“So, I don’t want to be the daddy downer on my 25-year anniversary,” he said. “But this was actually the worst year we’ve ever had,” he added. “And I guess what I’m asking is please help us out. Not just me, but all the gay bars in the area.” He added, “I’m reaching out and I’m appealing to you not to forget the gay bars.”
Lutz received loud, prolonged applause, with many customers hugging him as he walked off the stage.
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.
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