NEWS ROOM

The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld state laws restricting transgender girls and women from participating on girls’ and women’s school sports teams. Equality Virginia responded by reaffirming our commitment to transgender young people and calling on state leaders to protect transgender students.

Equality Virginia welcomed the inclusion of $13.2 million to partially restore Ryan White Part B services in Virginia’s final state budget, calling it an important step toward strengthening the Commonwealth’s HIV care safety net.

Equality Virginia and HIV service providers across the Commonwealth are urging members of the Virginia General Assembly to include restoration of Ryan White Part B funding in the final state budget and to move quickly to provide certainty for providers, patients, and communities affected by ongoing delays in the budget process.

Equality Virginia agrees with Governor Spanberger’s decision to veto HB 483 and SB 271. Lowering drug costs and protecting access to essential medications should not be treated as competing goals. Both are possible, but not under the version of the bill the General Assembly sent back to the Governor’s desk for her final consideration.

Paid family and medical leave recognizes the realities of modern families across the Commonwealth, including Virginia’s LGBTQ+ families who too often face barriers to economic security and caregiving support.

“While we are grateful for the meaningful updates to the Virginia Human Rights Act, the failure to include a sovereign immunity waiver is a punch in the gut to LGBTQ+ Virginians,” said Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman.