We Are Still In Virginia

Yesterday was about celebrating our wins for equality. This morning, many of us wake up realizing we are still in Virginia where…

• [caption id="attachment_1583" align="alignright" width="220"] Governor McDonnell[/caption] Governor McDonnell allows the State Board of Social Services to discriminate against LGBT youth in the foster care system.
• Longtime partners can find themselves homeless because Governor McDonnell won’t extend Medicaid spousal impoverishment protections to gay and lesbian couples.
• Attorney General Cuccinelli bullies the Board of Juvenile Justice while it tries to protect LGBT youth in the juvenile justice system.
• It is still legal to fire and not hire someone because they are gay even though 87% of Virginians think gays and lesbians have the right to work for the government without discrimination.
• It is still legal to deny housing to people based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
• The leadership in the House of Delegates won’t let any pro-LGBT bill out of committee for a full and open vote.

Nationally, the tide has turned in favor of LGBT equality and we can’t let close-minded and mean-spirited leaders hold back the floodgates in Virginia. The next twelve months are crucial to set the course for a new type of leadership in Virginia.  Equality Virginia is set to start the hard work but we can’t do it alone. Please make a contribution for LGBT equality in Virginia today. We’ve taken the first step to accountability and change with EV Advocates’ Legislative Scorecard so you can see if your legislators are turning the tide or on the wrong side of history. And there are many more steps to take together, but it starts with you. It takes everyone and with 100% participation from the LGBT community and our allies the changes we see across the nation will happen here.