Virginia Republican Leaders Embrace Anti-LGBTQ Agenda Ahead of Legislative Elections

by HRC Staff

Post submitted by Lucas Acosta (he/him), former Deputy Director of Communications, Politics

With days left ahead of the tightly contested Virginia Elections, one thing is clear: Republican leaders have no problem showing off their anti-LGBTQ agenda.

With 7 days left ahead of the tightly contested Virginia Elections, one thing is clear: Republican leaders have no problem showing off their anti-LGBTQ agenda. In recent days, the Virginia GOP has attacked Danica Roem for her identity and used the incorrect word “transgendered” in a mailer to attack pro-Equality candidates. 

Next week, Virginia voters will choose equality and reject the anti-LGBTQ extremism of the Virginia GOP. 

Here are some of the lowlights of Virginia Republican’s anti-LGBTQ candidates and campaign:

  • Prince William County GOP launched a transphobic attack on Danica Roem

Danica Roem, transphobic atttack

  • Additionally, Roem’s opponent Kelly McGinn signed onto a letter that compared support for marriage equality and reproductive rights as “morally repugnant” practices like slavery.
    • Daily Beast: Danica Roem, Trans History Maker, Fights Another Anti-LGBT Candidate—and Their Donors—in Virginia
       
  • Minority Leader Tim Hugo accused children of lying about their gender identity to gain access to bathrooms and locker rooms. 
    • He said, “it’s not the potential, it happens--that somebody will say, ‘I now identify as a girl or I identify as a boy, I want to use the boys locker room but I'm biologically a girl and vice versa.’” [WMAL, 5/11/15]
       
  • State Sen. Amanda Chase called homosexuality “sexual dysphoria”

  • Chase also supports conversion therapy and said “Some parents believe along with their kids that homosexuality is a sin and, you know, they need options.”
    • VA Dogwood: Read Sen. Amanda Chase’s most provocative comments against LGBTQ people, equal rights, and Toni Morrison
       
  • Anti-LGBTQ funder, and Roy Moore donor, Dick Uihlein gave Del. Nick Freitas $500,000 for his write-in bid
  • GOP Del. Todd Gilbert said prohibiting anti-LGBTQ discrimination “may not be in the best interest of society.” [Washington Post, 1/1/11]
     
  • Gilbert also said an anti-LGBTQ non-discrimination bill would lead to “situations where you have cross-dressing cops, where you have your child's kindergarten teacher who is this semester a male and next semester a female.” [Washington Post, 1/1/11] 
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