Richmond PrideFest 2023 (Photo by Michael Hostetler)
As the Democratic-controlled General Assembly convenes for the 2024 session this month, LGBTQ+ advocates see an opportunity to further bolster civil rights and protections.
“There has been a threat to LGBTQ equality in Virginia, and in some ways, Gov. [Glenn] Youngkin has really made attacking trans kids one of his signature issues, and what I think is really telling about the election we just had in Virginia is that that was really repudiated by voters,” says Cathryn Oakley, state legislative director and senior counsel for the Human Rights Campaign. “It is certainly my hope that the General Assembly will not be entertaining any of the discriminatory legislation that was filed and, in some cases, passed through committees and even the House [of Delegates] last year, just to then hit the Senate wall.”
Equality Virginia, another advocacy group, also sees an opportunity for growth and is planning five days dedicated to lobbying legislators. “We’re looking forward to educating new House and Senate members on LGBTQ+ issues and can’t wait to work with them in the upcoming session to secure and expand our rights and protect our lives and livelihoods,” Executive Director Narissa Rahaman says in an email.
A request for comment sent to Youngkin’s office was not returned.
With control of both houses, Democrats can also start the process of amending the Virginia Constitution without Youngkin’s input. This could mean, for example, that attempts to remove language in the document referring to marriage as “only a union between one man and one woman,” which have failed repeatedly since 2007 — a resolution failed on its second vote in 2022 under a GOP House — could finally be put before voters. The bill’s usual sponsor, Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, says legislation amending the constitution and the Code of Virginia will be put forth.
Such legislative advances would be built on top of an already strong foundation, according to the HRC. For the fourth year in a row, Richmond has received the highest score for laws, policies, services and leadership that benefit LGBTQ+ employees and residents in the LGBTQ+ advocacy group’s Municipal Equality Index. Seven out of the 12 localities reviewed in Virginia received a perfect score, and all benefited from the statewide protections afforded under 2020’s Virginia Values Act, which made the state the first in the South to enact comprehensive nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. UCLA’s Williams Institute estimated in 2020 that 3.9% of Virginia’s population, or 257,000 individuals, identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
“Virginia did outstandingly well,” Oakley says, “but only 30 of those points [comprising cities’ scores in the index] are coming from state law. So, the rest of it really comes down to whether or not the cities are going to then take the next step and continue to do the work. You don’t get to have a score of 95 or 100 without having really done some hard work.”
In an email, a city spokesperson highlighted several initiatives as supporting evidence of Richmond’s score in the index, such as its Equity Agenda, the naming of Mayor Levar Stoney’s chief of staff Maggie Anderson and Richmond Police Capt. Kimberly Mooney as LGBTQ+ community liaisons, and its support of PrideFest. “This recognition is a testament to our city’s commitment to making Richmond a welcoming and inclusive place for all Richmonders, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or socioeconomic status,” Stoney said in a separate statement. “The city will continue to work hard to uplift, support and protect all members of the LGBTQ+ community.”
“Our laws and policies only do so much to keep us safe and alive,” Rahaman says, “but our communities and our chosen families give all of us the space we need to be ourselves and the safety we need to thrive. Richmond’s queer community is so vibrant and beautiful and perfect. It’s the one reason why so many of us choose to move here and stay here. There are some cities in Virginia that did not score 100 on the [HRC index], but that does not mean there aren’t local queer leaders working to make change, create community or carve out space for authenticity. We exist everywhere, even when our local and state laws are trying to tell us we can’t.”
