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LGBTQ Groups Celebrate Passage of ‘Historic’ Virginia Values Act

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After years of struggling, advocates for Virginia’s LGBTQ community have received a clear victory, as the Virginia Values Act passes both houses of the General Assembly.

Legislators wore rainbow, heart-shaped stickers Thursday as the House and Senate passed the Virginia Values Act. LGBTQ advocacy groups and lawmakers held a press conference in anticipation of what they called, “a historic moment after a years-long battle.”

Senate Bill 868, patroned by Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, and House Bill 1663, patroned by Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, will amend existing nondiscrimination laws to extend protection to LGBTQ residents in housing, employment and places of public accommodation. 

“Today we took another giant step along the path towards a more equal and just Virginia,” Sickles said in a statement.

Speakers at the event included the chief patrons of the bills and chief co-patron Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, as well as representatives from LGBTQ organizations such as the Virginia Values Coalition, Equality Virginia, the Human Rights Campaign, and the National Center for Transgender Equality and Freedom for All Americans.

“Today, history was made in Virginia, and LGBTQ Virginians are one step closer to being protected from discrimination simply because of who they are or whom they love,” said HRC President Alphonso David.

James Parrish, director at Virginia Values Coalition, speaks at a press conference ahead of the Virginia Values Act passage. (Photo: Screengrab from press conference, via VCU-CNS)

Virginia will be the first Southern state to pass nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ residents, as well as the first state in over a decade to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to existing laws of nondiscrimination protections, according to a HRC media release.

“This isn’t a theoretical issue, discrimination is happening today,” Ebbin said in a press release. “Until we shine a light on this issue, until we drive it out of our state, Virginians will continue to suffer the psychological, physical and economic vandalism simply because of who they are or who they love.”

Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw, D-Fairfax, House of Delegates Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, and Gov. Ralph Northam have pledged their support for the legislation. 

“We are going to officially end discrimination in the commonwealth of Virginia this year,” Northam said during an Equality Virginia reception Tuesday.

Written by Emma Gauthier, Capital News Service. Top Photo: A rainbow flag was raised on Sept. 23 along with a trans flag and the Philly Pride Flag for Richmond Pride. (Photo from City of Richmond Flickr account)

New Regulation Would Strip Federal Protections for LGBTQ People from All HHS Programs in Favor of ‘Religious Freedom’

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The rule is specifically designed to focus on adoption and foster care, but will affect all federally-funded programs under Department of Health and Human Services control, including those dealing with HIV prevention and youth homelessness.

A proposed new regulation would strip all protections for LGBTQ people from all programs administered by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, and give special rights to entities or programs that are religious or “faith-based.” HHS, under the direction of Secretary Alex Azar, has a budget of $1.2 trillion affecting the health and well-being, directly or indirectly, of nearly every person in the country.

Lambda Legal says the proposed rule “would invite HHS grantees receiving taxpayer funds to discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion.”

While reportedly drafted to focus on adoption and foster care organizations, the Human Rights Campaign also says the proposed rule would extend far beyond those entities to all programs that receive funding from HHS.

“The Trump-Pence White House has proposed a horrific federal regulation that would permit discrimination across the entire spectrum of HHS programs receiving federal funding,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “This would permit discrimination against LGBTQ people, religious minorities, and women in programs related to foster care, adoption, HIV and STI prevention, youth homelessness, refugee resettlement, elder care programs and more. It is unconscionable that the Trump-Pence administration would prioritize advancing discrimination over the wellbeing of vulnerable people and expect taxpayers to foot the bill for their discriminatory policies. The Trump-Pence White House is relying on the same flawed legal reasoning they’ve used in the past to justify discrimination against LGBTQ people and other communities.”

The Washington Blade, noting the  proposed regulation “will have far-reaching implications,” reports the proposal would “undo an Obama-era policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation among federal grantees.”

According to  the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) the Blade says “the rule will allow anti-trans discrimination in HIV and STI prevention programs, opioid programs, youth homelessness services, health professional training, substance-use recovery programs and other life-saving services.”

“The proposal seeks to gut an Obama-era rule that barred entities receiving money under federal contracts, including adoption agencies, from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation.”

HHS is reportedly granting only 30 days for public comment and review.

Written by David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement. Image via NCRM