I wanted to take a moment to celebrate queer joy–this is what #LoveIsLove means to me. This session, pro-equality legislators in the Virginia Senate introduced and passed a bill with bipartisan support that would strip the ban on marriage equality from the Virginia constitution. But its forward progress has slowed at the hands of House Speaker Todd Gilbert who refused to give the House versions a fair shot at a hearing. This Valentine’s Day, it’s important to reflect on Virginia’s reputation as a state with a storied history in supporting love – from Loving v. Virginia to the iconic “Virginia is for Lovers” slogan – and how we can move equality forward in the commonwealth while correcting the mistakes of our past. There are multiple reasons this ban should be repealed, chief among them are the pursuit of fairness, to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Virginia and simply because it is the right thing to do. On a personal level, I’m getting married to my partner soon, and it is frightening to think that right could be threatened in the place that we are proud to call home. We have an opportunity to support fairness, protect LGBTQ+ rights and to live up to our values. But, the House of Delegates, as it stands, has shown that they have no interest in doing any of these things. For that reason, we have to think about the types of lawmakers we want. At Equality Virginia, our political arm is laser-focused on building pro-equality majorities in the general assembly, and this fall, we will be focusing on flipping the House of Delegates into the pro-equality column, along with preserving our pro-equality gains in the Senate. This won’t just help right the wrong of Virginia’s marriage ban, it will also allow us to better protect and advance the rights of LGBTQ+ Virginians, especially trans and nonbinary youth who were targeted by a harmful athlete ban and forced outing bill this year. Luckily, the Senate has been able to fight against the House’s attempt to pass these bills, but we have to make sure that our lawmakers reflect our values when they reconvene in Richmond next year so that we can push equality forward, not just protect against its backslide. For years, Virginia has been for lovers. We have to ensure that we really live up to that promise for years to come. Thank you for helping make that promise a reality. The fight for full equality continues and there are a myriad of ways you can support it. By becoming a monthly donor, you can make a commitment to ensuring our fight for marriage equality in Virginia extends beyond 2023. | 
