Though Thorne-Begland had bipartisan support when nominated, a smear campaign led by [...]]]> Early this morning, Republicans in the Virginia House of Delegates voted against appointing Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Tracy Thorne-Begland as a judge on Richmond’s 13th District Court. Had Thorne-Begland been appointed, he would have been the first openly gay judge elected in Virginia.

Though Thorne-Begland had bipartisan support when nominated, a smear campaign led by Republican Delegate Marshall, based solely on Thorne-Begland’s sexual-orientation, resulted in the rejection of Thorne-Begland as a nominee.

“Tracy Thorne-Begland has spent his life in the service of his country, state and community,” said Brian Boyce, Caucus Chair of the LGBT Democrats of Virginia. He continued, “To disqualify him from being the first openly gay judge based solely upon his sexual-orientation is a disgrace to our Commonwealth.”

“We believe that Virginians deserve more from their leaders,” said Tiffany Joslyn, PAC President of the LGBT Democrats of Virginia. “We are dedicated to working to ensure that the day comes where public servants like Tracy Thorne-Begland are judged based on their qualifications, and not their sexual-orientation.” She continued, “With this vote, Republicans have clearly shown that that they are not able to govern without discriminating.”

Can you contribute $25, $50, $100, or $250 to help elect pro-equality Democrats who will govern without discriminating?

While the former Governor, [...]]]> Brian Boyce, Acting Caucus Chair and Tiffany M. Joslyn, PAC President, of LGBT Democrats of Virginia responded in a letter to Tim Kaine’s apparent reluctance to support full marriage equality in an interview published by the Washington Post blog on May 8, 2012.

While the former Governor, and current Senate candidate, affirmed his support for “relationship equality”, he stopped short of supporting calling the union of same-sex couples “marriage.”

“I believe in the legal equality of relationships,” Kaine said. “The debate about, you know, is it marriage? Is it civil union? Is it domestic partnership? I just kind of let that one go and say should committed couples be treated the same by law, and I think the answer is yes.”

The letter from the leaders of LGBT Democrats of Virginia reads:

On behalf of LGBT Democrats of Virginia, we are writing in response to your remarks on marriage equality as reported by The Washington Post on May 8th.

We applaud your support of relationship equality, adoption equality, and for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  And we have not forgotten your opposition to and work against the 2006 Marshall-Newman Amendment. We are sure that you would agree that as a Commonwealth, and as a nation, we have made progress toward equality for LGBT people and the elimination of discrimination from our laws.

Marriage equality is the next battle, and it is the position of LGBT Democrats of Virginia that a different name for what is in reality marriage for same-sex couples is not only disingenuous, but also opens the door for continued attempts to exempt these relationships from the benefits received by legally married couples as defined in a myriad of state and federal laws and policies. Equality in the naming of the relationship ensures the equality of the treatment of the relationship.

Marriage equality is also more than same-sex couples having the same rights as couples of the opposite sex. Marriage equality also means equality in the process to acquire those rights. There should be no difference in the forms used to apply for marriage licenses, no difference in the procedures followed to approve and issue marriage licenses, and no difference in the legal recognition of all married couples, gay or straight. Separate is not equal.

As a candidate for the United States Senate, we ask you to support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and open the path for legally married same-sex couples to receive the federal recognition, responsibilities, and benefits that all other married couples receive today. As a leader in Virginia, we ask you to support efforts to repeal the Marshall-Newman Amendment and bring full marriage equality to our Commonwealth so that all couples, regardless of gender, receive equal treatment under our laws. Finally, we ask you to assist with efforts to include marriage equality as part of the Virginia and national Democratic Party Platforms.

Governor Kaine, we ask you to join with us, and President Barack Obama, in calling for full marriage equality for Virginians and all citizens of the United States. The positive impact marriage equality would have on the overall self-worth and happiness of every LGBT person, couple and family is simply undeniable.

Kaine’s remarks were published one day before President Barack Obama endorsed marriage equality during an interview with ABC News.

LGBT Democrats of Virginia is currently organizing efforts to support the passage of resolutions at district Democratic conventions, and the state convention of the Democratic Party of Virginia, supporting the addition of marriage equality to the platform of the Democratic National Committee.

“I’ve stood on the side of broader equality for the LGBT community. I hestitated on gay marriage in part because I [...]]]>

“I’ve stood on the side of broader equality for the LGBT community. I hestitated on gay marriage in part because I thought civil unions would be sufficient,” Obama said. “I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people, the word ‘marriage’ evokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs…I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”

The President’s announcement comes on the heels of a similar statement made by Vice President Joe Biden, who announced that he was “comfortable” with gay marriage.

President Obama’s announcement also comes just in time for the launch of Obama Pride: LGBT Americans for Obama. Click here to join Obama Pride.

We want to thank [...]]]> During an interview on Meet the Press, Vice President Joe Biden said, “I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual men marrying women are entitled to the same exact rights. All the civil rights, all the civil liberties.”

“Most of the data that I’ve read that the best environment for a child to grow up to be fully capable of achieving the American dream and having the best start at life [...]]]> Recently, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell had this to say in response to a question regarding children raised by same-sex parents:

“Most of the data that I’ve read that the best environment for a child to grow up to be fully capable of achieving the American dream and having the best start at life in an intact two-parent family made up of a man and a woman. I would say that that’s what all the data would suggest.” – Governor Bob McDonnell

Guess the governor hasn’t seen this:

Many say that hindsight is 20/20, but in the world of politics much can be predicted. Only 3 years ago, I published a piece that ran in GayRVA on why everyone should care about politics. The state of our world is ever-changing, yet look how backward [...]]]> by Brian Boyce, Interim Chair of the LGBT Caucus

Many say that hindsight is 20/20, but in the world of politics much can be predicted. Only 3 years ago, I published a piece that ran in GayRVA on why everyone should care about politics. The state of our world is ever-changing, yet look how backward we are moving thanks to conservative GOP leaders who profess that government should not dictate or govern the lives of citizens. Always calling for less government, unless of course you are speaking about LGBT issues, gay marriage, abortion, and now even the right for a woman to choose birth control. This kind of rhetoric in 2012 must have come from some time machine, landing upon us from long ago when women were property, could not vote, and gay was a dirty word.

Please take time to read this piece from 2009 and ask yourself, “What have I done personally to try to make my district, my state, my country the kind of place where everyone really can live under universal freedoms and the pursuits of happiness.

We have some very conservative people in office, most of them clearly right wing Republicans who are taking over Virginia. They are pushing extremeist conservative agendas and yes, those laws will affect every one of us. It is time for us to stop being complacent. It is time for every individual to take a stand and believe in your individual rights as a person and demand they be heard. We need every one of you to start paying attention. The taxes taken out of your hard earned paycheck each week are being used against you personally. Your LGBT Caucus stands by your side and we are challenging anyone who would treat us with disrespect or disregard.

Please consider joining our Caucus so that we can show them just how many LGBT and allies do live in Virginia. (they think we are small in number- lets show them how wrong they are!)

We have a lot of work to get not only LGBT friendly candidates into office as real leaders, but also those who have real modern views on our state and our world. You have the power and right to vote. Use that power.

Why Should I Care About Politics?
Originally Published by GayRVA on September 17, 2009

I was never one to have any interest in politics myself. I can relate to people who find themselves uninterested or not care what happens in that world. Much like the world of religion, I think that many in the GLBTQ community feel unwelcomed or untrusting and choose to just look the other way.

All of that changed for me when the Marshal Newman act passed in Virginia in 2006. Now prior to that, I had heard some news here and there which was not very gay-friendly. I remember hearing that one of our past governors passed on accepting funding for HIV/AIDS because as he put it “Virginia doesn’t have a problem with HIV”. Boy that really kind of made me angry because I knew people who were HIV positive and I also knew from my career in healthcare that more and more people were being exposed. I also remember hearing about that same governor wanted to limit those who could share house deeds to only those who were married (because he had heard that many same sex couples were buying together). I kept thinking to myself how homophobic one must be to want to go to such lengths forgetting that elderly sisters (who also are same sex) might be affected by such an extreme measure.

Ever since I was just a kid in high school, all I ever wanted was to find a nice guy, settle down together and have a monogamous and loving relationship. (Of course wanting does not create anything and my photo album of memories is still empty.) I suppose that ideal is what stirred my passion in political issues. I certainly am no expert in this area, but I do know wrong when I see wrong. For those of you who still may not know, the Marshall Newman amendment was passed (by a very small margin—which shows why every single pro-gay vote is important) by popular vote. Now Virginia Law, it establishes the fact that Virginia will not recognize same sex marriages (which it never had anyway) but it also refuses to recognize any contracts which would purport any of the same benefits of marriage. Many gay couples left the state, especially those with children.

All you need to do is read the news (minus the right wing supporting Fox) to witness the many goings on related to our community. Gay marriage is only one issue. Hate crimes are still an issue, as well as work place discrimination, school education and bullying, HIV/AIDS resource needs, gay adoptive parents, and the famous “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy that came out when I was on active duty in the Air Force.

There are several organizations working for each of you here in Virginia. The Virginia Partisans http://vapartisans.org/ (part of the National Stonewall Democrats) are constantly interviewing candidates who run for all types of public office throughout the state and give contributions and endorsements for others to vote for those who support our community. There is also a new GLBTQ Caucus (the first ever in Virginia) that has formed over the summer that is working within the State Democratic Party.

Why should you care about politics? Because we have a candidate running for governor who is firmly not a friend to the GLBT community. I have a few Republican GLBTQ friends who insist on voting in their party affiliation, but let’s be real honest about politics. None of us can move forward on any state, local, economic, tax or financial issue until we are recognized as equals by all who make these decisions for the community at large. Like it or not, public office officials carry a great deal of power in what shapes our future not only as a state but also as individuals who live here.

On August 30th 2009, at 9 am, Pam’s House Blend (a very good national resource for actual news and issues) posted a blog about Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell. This man who wants to be YOUR governor:

“”submitted a master’s thesis to the evangelical school he was attending in Virginia Beach in which he described working women and feminists as “detrimental” to the family. He said government policy should favor married couples over “cohabitators, homosexuals or fornicators.” He described as “illogical” a 1972 Supreme Court decision legalizing the use of contraception by unmarried couples. Bob McDonnell believes marriage is the union between one man and one woman. As a legislator, Bob McDonnell was chief sponsor and author of a constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage (Chief Patron, HJ 187, 2004). As Attorney General, Bob supported Virginia’s marriage amendment and wrote an official opinion explaining that it would not affect the current legal rights of unmarried persons.””

“”The 93-page document, which is publicly available at the Regent University library, culminates with a 15-point action plan that McDonnell said the Republican Party should follow to protect American families — a vision that he started to put into action soon after he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates.

…McDonnell’s opponent, state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (Bath), and other Democrats have sought to highlight McDonnell’s conservative record, saying he is obscuring a large part of his background to get elected. Deeds recently spoke to women’s groups about McDonnell’s record on abortion, saying that voters needed to know about his stances.

“There is a just a massive effort underway to rebrand Bob McDonnell, and his whole legislative career speaks otherwise,” said former delegate Barnie K. Day (D-Patrick), who supports Deeds. “The voters have a right to know who these candidates really are.””

Some positions stated in his paper:

• Church state separation isn’t real. “Leaders must correct the conventional folklore about the separation of church and state. Historically, the religious liberty guarantees of the First Amendment were intended to prevent government encroachment upon the free church, not eliminate the impact of religion on society.”
• Thumbs up to covenant marriage. He wants to make it more difficult to obtain a divorce.
• Religion in schools A-OK (well, not all). “Traditional Judeo-Christian values” should be mandatory “character education.”
• Parenting, Bob’s way. Child abuse should be redefined to “exclude parental spanking.” I guess it depends on what the meaning of “spanking” is to Bob.
• Women, back to the kitchen and bedroom. “Further expenditures would be used to subsidize a dynamic new trend of working women and feminists that is ultimately detrimental to the family by entrenching status-quo of nonparental primary nurture of children. Feminism is among the “real enemies of the traditional family.””

Do you want this person representing you as governor of our state? I sure don’t. I can tell you that Creigh Deeds is much more open to talking with our community, as demonstrated by his request to meet with the Virginia Partisans for their endorsement. He admitted that he had made some mistakes or misjudged some areas and he is surely much more the candidate who will be a governor for all Virginians.

All of us must be able to speak out and secure GLBTQ –friendly representatives. We know that our vote is strong and powerful and we must take a stand by supporting those who are with us. Please vote wisely.

We will be attempting to offer [...]]]> The LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Virginia will be holding its quarterly meeting at 12:00 PM on Saturday, February 11, 2012, at the Downtown Richmond Marriott, 500 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. Click here for map and directions. The meeting will be held in Salon D.

We will be attempting to offer a live broadcast of the meeting, so anyone not able to make it to Richmond on Saturday can tune in and participate via chat. We’ve created an Event Broadcasts page on our website. If you can’t make it to the meeting, we would love to have you participate online.

Blocking Obama voters

In [...]]]> With the total Republican sweep of the Virginia General Assembly, came bills to turn Virginia hard right in terms of social policy, giving Virginia Republicans the opportunity to pass laws that have been highly controversial, and possibly unconstitutional. As usual, Republicans have decided to focus on God, guns, gays.

Blocking Obama voters

In addition, Republicans in Virginia are also following a national trend to make both registering to vote and the action of voting more difficult in the name of preventing voter fraud. However, the focus on additional barriers to voting is clearly a tactic being employed by Republicans nationally to reduce turnout of some segments of voters who would be more inclined to vote to re-elect President Obama this year.

Evidence of a problem?

Democrats are questioning whether additional barriers to voting, including the requirement of presenting a photo I.D. at the time of registration or at the polling place, are necessary. Democrats want to see evidence of voter fraud before legislation is passed to make voting more difficult. Republicans argue that evidence doesn’t exist because there aren’t any laws in place that would collect the data.

Haven’t we heard this before?

Earlier this session, a bill to prohibit discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation introduced by Senator Adam Ebbin died in committee in the Virginia Senate. Similar bills have passed the Senate in the past, only to die in the Republican controlled House. With Republicans now in control of the Senate, this bill didn’t even make it out of committee. What reason have Republicans given not to prohibit discrimination? They argue that there’s no evidence that discrimination based on sexual orientation is taking place.

Is it about people or power?

It’s sad that Virginia Republicans are more concerned about doing what they can to try to defeat President Obama this year by pushing legislation to make voting more difficult, even though they aren’t able to show that voter fraud is an issue. It’s perhaps even sadder that they continually turn a blind eye to the fact that it is possible for Virginians to be fired solely on the basis of their sexual discrimination.

We’re sharing [...]]]> Our Commonwealth, is the new members only e-newsletter for members of the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Virginia. This e-newsletter will include timely messages from Caucus leaders, and articles and information from around Virginia to better inform you on the state of LGBT people and issues in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

We’re sharing the first issue of Our Commonwealth with everyone. Click here or the image below to read the first issue.

Not a member of the LGBT Caucus? Click here to join today!