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Gay physician challenges anti-LGBTQ incumbent in Va. House race

Dr. Doug Ward faces ‘very tough race’ in rural district

Published

4 years ago

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Dr. Doug Ward is challenging an anti-LGBTQ incumbent in a conservative district. (Photo courtesy Doug Ward campaign)

Doug Ward, a physician in private practice for 34 years with a specialty in HIV medicine, is running as a Democrat for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates in a rural district held by Republican incumbent Michael Webert, who has repeatedly voted against LGBTQ supportive legislation.

Ward, 71, states on his campaign website that he and his husband, Rev. Earl Johnson, have been married for 22 years. He acknowledges he is facing a “very tough race” in the November general election in the GOP leaning 18th District that includes large sections of Rappahannock and Fauquier Counties.

Ward notes that President Joe Biden and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam each lost in the 18th District by sizable margins while incumbent Webert has won in the rural district that includes parts of the Shenandoah National Park since first winning election to the district in 2011.

“It is a really conservative district,” he told the Washington Blade. “It will be a very tough race for me. But we need someone to run against him,” said Ward, who points out that Webert has voted against virtually all the progressive legislation passed in 2020 by the Democratic-controlled Virginia Legislature, including LGBTQ bills.

Among the bills approved by the legislature that Webert voted against were the Virginia Values Act, which expands the state’s nondiscrimination law to include LGBTQ people in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations. Webert also voted ‘no’ on a bill that bans use of the so-called LGBTQ “panic” defense in criminal trials and against a bill to ban the use of conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors.

He also voted against a bill approved by lawmakers to repeal a provision in the Virginia Constitution outlawing same-sex marriage in the state. Although the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide made the Virginia Constitution provision unenforceable, civil rights advocates called for its repeal on grounds that it was a symbol of anti-LGBTQ bias.

In its legislative scorecard, the statewide LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Virginia gave Webert a rating of 6 percent out of a possible perfect score of 100 percent for his voting record on LGBTQ-related bills in the 2020 legislative session.  

Ward said he would have voted for all of the dozen or more LGBTQ measures passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2020, which Equality Virginia called a historic development for Virginia. 

In addition to being a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights, Ward said that, if elected, he would support improving medical services to rural parts of the state such as his district, raising the minimum wage, and expanding broadband and cell phone service in parts of the state such as the 18th District, where service is lacking.

“Broadband and even cell coverage is a major problem in rural areas,” he said. “This is more than a problem of convenience, but impacts education, healthcare, and the economy. It’s embarrassing that our access to this is so poor.”

On his campaign website, Webert describes himself as a “family man, a farmer, and a business owner” with “strong ties to the environment and conservation.” His website says he has and would continue to be a strong advocate for 2nd Amendment gun owner’s rights, protecting the unborn, and reducing taxes.

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Virginia

Walkinshaw wins Democratic primary in Va. 11th Congressional District

Special election winner will succeed Gerry Connolly

Published

13 hours ago

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July 1, 2025

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James Walkinshaw(Photo public domain)

On Saturday, Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw won the Democratic primary for the special election that will determine who will represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.

The special election is being held following the death of the late Congressman Gerry Connolly, who represented the district from 2008 until 2024, when he announced his retirement, and subsequently passed away from cancer in May.

Walkinshaw is not unknown to Virginia’s 11th District — he has served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors since 2020 and had served as Connolly’s chief of staff from 2009 to 2019. Before he passed away, Connolly had endorsed Walkinshaw to take his place, claiming that choosing Walkinshaw to be his chief of staff was “one of the best decisions I ever made.”

The Democratic nominee has run his campaign on mitigating Trump’s “dangerous” agenda of dismantling the federal bureaucracy, which in the district is a major issue as many of the district’s residents are federal employees and contractors.

“I’m honored and humbled to have earned the Democratic nomination for the district I’ve spent my career serving,” Walkinshaw said on X. “This victory was powered by neighbors, volunteers, and supporters who believe in protecting our democracy, defending our freedoms, and delivering for working families.”

In addition to protecting federal workers, Walkinshaw has a long list of progressive priorities — some of which include creating affordable housing, reducing gun violence, expanding immigrant protections, and “advancing equality for all” by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Fair Housing Act.

Various democratic PACs contributed more than $2 million to Walkinshaw’s ad campaigns, much of which touted his connection to Connolly.

Walkinshaw will face Republican Stewart Whitson in the special election in September, where he is the likely favorite to win.

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Maryland

LGBTQ suicide prevention hotline option is going away. Here’s where else to go in Md.

Changes will take effect July 17

Published

18 hours ago

on

July 1, 2025

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(Bigstock photo by Mihailo K)

By ANNA RUBENSTEIN | The national suicide prevention hotline will no longer offer specialized support to LGBTQ people, starting July 17, the Trump administration announced last week.

Dialing the hotline at 988 will still be available for crisis support. But callers will no longer be able to reach specific LGBTQ services by pressing Option 3. The change worries advocates because their data shows the LGBTQ community has a disproportionally high suicide rate.

Even after the option ends, here’s how to receive tailored support if you’re in Maryland.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Maryland

Silver Spring holds annual Pride In The Plaza

‘Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience’

Published

2 days ago

on

June 30, 2025

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A scene from Pride in the Plaza in Silver Spring, Md. on Sunday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Silver Spring’s annual Pride in the Plaza event took place on Sunday to celebrate the LGBTQ community and emphasize inclusion and resilience.

“Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience, love,” Robyn Woods, program and outreach director for Live In Your Truth, which organized the event, said. “I mean, just being surrounded by the community and so many great entrepreneurs, business owners, and just being a part of this whole rainbow coalition that we call the LGBTQIA to be about.”

With the event being her first time organizing for Live In Your Truth, Woods said she felt emotional to see the support and love at the event.

“Some people (are) bringing out their children, their babies, their grandparents,” Woods said. “It’s a lot more allies here than anything else. That type of support to me means so much more than just support from my community; just outside support, inside support, so much support around it, so much love. Everyone’s smiling outside, helping each other.” 

Attendees of the event were able to head over to the Family Fun Zone, an air-conditioned Pride Cool Down Lounge, or watch live drag performances in the main stage area. 

Along with entertainment and a shaved-ice stand, rows of information tables stood along the plaza, including FreeState Justice, the Washington Spirit, Trans Maryland, Moco Pride Center, and the Heartwood Program, an organization that offers support, therapy, education, and resources to the LGBTQ community. 

“I want people to know about our services, and I love what we have to offer,” Jessica Simon, psychotherapist for Heartwood Program’s Gender Wellness Clinic, said. “I (also) want to be part of a celebration with the community, and so it feels good to be here with other people who have something they want to give to the community.”

She added that within today’s political climate, to which she called an “antidote to shame,” it’s important to be celebrating Pride. 

“There’s a lot of demonization of LGBTQI people,” Siena Iacuvazzi, facilitator for Maryland Trans Unity, said. “(Pride) is part of the healing process.” 

Iacuvazzi said she was taught to be ashamed of who she was growing up, but being a part of a community helped her flourish in the future. 

“I was taught how to hate myself. I was taught that I was an abomination to God,” she said. “But being a community is like understanding that there are people who have experienced the same thing, and they’re flourishing. They’re flourishing because they’re willing to stand up for themselves as human beings and discover themselves and understand what’s true for themselves.”

She added that Pride allows for a mutual understanding to take place. 

“It’s more of a sense of belonging … and just taking that home and understanding you’re not alone,” Iacuvazzi said. “We’re each taking our own journey — we’re not putting that on each other. It’s just walking away with a sense of belonging and humanity.”

Similar to Iacuvazzi, Woods said she hopes attendees’ biggest takeaways would be family, fun, resilience, and pride. 

“Being proud of yourself, being happy for who you are, and representation and how much it matters,” she continued. “And I think all these young people that are walking around here get to see versions of themselves, but older. They get to see so many different lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual people that are successful, that are showing love, that care, and it’s not how we’re portrayed in the media. It’s lovely to see it out here. (It’s) like we’re one big old, happy family.”

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