OUTstanding Virginian Nominations

OUTstanding Virginians are LGBTQ and allied individuals or organizations taking the lead in moving equality forward across the Commonwealth. Each year we recognize leaders who have represented the community with distinction. If you know someone who has done OUTstanding work to enhance the lives of LGBTQ Virginians, nominate them today. Deadline for nominations is November 16.

LGBTQ History Month Spotlight:
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy 

We were honored to welcome Miss Major Griffin-Gracy at this year’s TIES! As LGBTQ History Month comes to a close, we're featuring this iconic living legend and sharing the wisdom from her keynote presentation.

Nicknamed the “grandmother of the trans revolution” by her trans daughter Janet Mock, Miss Major is a Black trans elder who has been at the forefront of advocating for trans rights for over 40 years.  

"Attica [State Prison] really started me going. I got to meet many Black [people] and other guys who had started the trans revolution in there. From then on, it became a mission of mine to make sure that the girls in there and the fellas in there got what they deserved."

Her time in Attica and her experience at Stonewall would lead her to a life of advocacy. She also curated safe havens like the House of GG, which is centered around the well-being of Black trans women and provides a welcoming space for fellowship and restoration.

"Self-care is important, that's why the House [of GG] got started. I noticed that a lot of girls in Arkansas were really suffering. The House is for girls that are really tired of doing the work and who need a rest place."

Miss Major left us with many gems as she reflected on her life's experiences since Stonewall. Her message of perseverance continues to ring loud and clear as we envision a promising future of Black, Southern, trans, and queer liberation:

"You have to believe in yourself. Don't let go. Despite what you have happen to you, it's important that you continue on and be yourself. Always." 

"Sometimes it's hard keep focus, but we have to band together and fight for it. Don't let go. It's hard to see that you are not alone but you have to rally around the people who are in it with you and then fight for it, together."

To learn more about this year's TIES and to watch the full recording of Miss Major's keynote, click here.

TIES 2020 Recap

Thank you everyone who joined us for the 7th Annual TIES! With nearly 700 participants, we successfully transitioned from a one-day, in-person conference, to a four-day digital conference without skipping a beat.

The EV team, plus dozens of volunteers, partner organizations, and community leaders worked hard to make the conference more racially just and language accessible. Spanish language interpretation and closed captioning was available for most workshops and social sessions, as well as in the Legal Clinic and Wellness Center.

Participants had a lot of fun engaging with each other on the conference app, Whova, and attending the social events like trivia night, a music room, and the talent show. 

To learn more about what made this year's TIES special, check out our full recap page, for attendee quotes, program summary, keynote recordings, photos, and more.

Fulton v. City of Philadelphia 

On November 4th, SCOTUS will begin hearing oral arguments on Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. In this case, Catholic Social Services (CSS) is seeking a rule that would allow it and other taxpayer-funded agencies the ability to discriminate against LGBTQ people. 

A ruling in favor of CSS could also give religious agencies a broad license to discriminate. The impact of this case could go far beyond foster care and also apply to food banks, homeless shelters, hospitals, and disaster relief agencies.

It wouldn't just allow agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ people—it could also be used to deny essential government services to people of minority faiths, unmarried couples, and others.

This summer we joined 27 other LGBTQ advocacy organizations from across the country to file a friend-of-the-court brief, and we will continue to monitor this closely.