This isn’t your typical Renaissance faire. On Saturday, August 2nd, Warriors in Bloom takes over Agecroft Halll, not to rehash the old, but to reimagine it entirely. Organized by the nonprofit Virago Alley, this one-day festival puts the spotlight on the...
Equality Virginia and the Commonwealth's LGBTQ community continue to lobby state legislators for important LGBTQ protections. Now that Democrats control the General Assembly, they're having some success. The day after hundreds lobbied lawmakers on behalf of LGBTQ rights during Equality Virginia's Day of Action, two significant bills advanced in...
The General Assembly is currently considering bills that would create a statewide policy for the treatment of transgender students in Virginia's public schools. In this open letter, Side By Side and over a dozen other youth organizations explain how important it is to pass these bills. All students deserve an equal opportunity to thrive in our...
Virginia's as close as it's ever been to banning conversion therapy for minors. And it seems likely we'll get there before the end of the current General Assembly session. On January 24, Virginia Senator Scott Surovell's bill banning conversion therapy for minors passed the Senate. And on Monday, February 3, Delegate Patrick Hope's similar bill...
A small college in Ashland takes a big step forward by creating a haven for LGBTQ students, especially those who are transgender and non-binary. At Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, there is a relatively-small brick house shrouded from the world by trees. Outside on the front lawn, a sign says “Special Interest House,” but the house is formally...
The commercial was brought to us by Sabra Hummus and featured two RuPaul's Drag Race alums, Miz Cracker and Kim Chi. And it aired despite the objections of conservative pressure groups. If you're one of the many people who watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, you got yourself a bonanza last night. From Bill Murray returning to Groundhog Day...
We're used to it here in the US, but in other countries, Franklin Graham's hateful rhetoric does not fly at all. Franklin Graham‘s planned tour of the UK has run in to a snag: It appears few in the UK want him there. The far right evangelical Christian leader with strong ties to President Donald Trump had announced a UK tour starting in June, but...
The Star Wars actor didn't want to participate in a transphobic sketch during his SNL hosting gig, so he dragged out his monologue to make sure the sketch was cut for time -- and openly declared that he was doing so. Comedy Goliath Saturday Night Live has long danced on the line between progressive politics and being the bigot at the frat party....
A new exhibition from the Valentine helps bring stories from Richmond survivors of the HIV/AIDS epidemic into the public eye. The Valentine latest exhibition opened on Thursday, January 23. Entitled “Voices from Richmond’s Hidden Epidemic,” it displays black-and-white portraits of 30 different HIV/AIDS survivors in Richmond, paired with personal...
The Virginia Values Act represents a collaborative effort by a number of General Assembly legislators and LGBTQ advocacy groups to end discrimination against LGBTQ Virginians on many fronts, including housing, employment, and more. A General Assembly subcommittee advanced a bill Thursday that would prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual...
