Senator Danica Roem Encourages Transgender Visibility

Photo of Danica Roem speaking with listeners in the background.

Democratic Virginia Senate Senator Danica Roem spoke at the Festival of the Book held in Charlottesville on Saturday, March 23, 2024 about her book, Burn the Page, published in 2022 and her experience as a transgender candidate and member of the Virginia General Assembly. She encouraged transgender political hopefuls to “be vulnerable enough to be visible.”

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Remembering Cragg Hines, a “Democrat’s Democrat”

Cragg Hines with Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.

Virginia Democrats lost a fixture in the Party with the passing of Cragg Hines on December 16th, 2023. Hines was a longtime supporter of LGBT+ Democrats of Virginia as an early caucus member. He was also a member of Virginia Partisans, the predecessor to the caucus, helping to raise funds to support LGBT+ and pro-LGBT+ candidates for elected office in Virginia. In addition to his Democratic activism, Cragg Hines had a storied and award-winning career as a journalist. He was a correspondent, bureau chief, and columnist for the Houston Chronicle.

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Thoughts and an Ask as We Close 2023

It’s been quite the year as we battled for the soul of the Commonwealth. Maintaining Democratic leadership over the Virginia Senate was critical in continuing to thwart the efforts of Glenn Youngkin to delegitimize, demonize, and restrict freedoms of individuals who don’t share his right-wing ideology. We did more than maintain control of the Virginia Senate. We won control of the Virginia House of Delegates as well.

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Why We’re Leaving Twitter

man using smartphone white sitting

We cannot tacitly endorse the ideology at the helm of Twitter/X as the platform becomes less safe for the LGBT+ community. After over 12 years and over 800 posts, it’s time for us to leave. Fortunately, many other ways exist to stay connected with LGBT+ Democrats of Virginia.

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LGBT+ Democrats of Virginia Launch New Endorsement Questionnaire

Photo of laptop screen with new endorsement questionnaire displayed.

The endorsement questionnaire for LGBT+ Democrats of Virginia now includes questions about ensuring equal access to public services, preserving free speech and expression, prohibiting bans on LGBT+ military service, protecting transgender students in public schools, ensuring access to gender-affirming health care, and more issues important to the LGBT+ community that have been subjects of recent legislation. The last update to the questionnaire was in 2021.

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What Pride Includes

Pride includes family, faith, patriotism.

With the increase in political rhetoric and legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, Joel McDonald, chair of LGBT+ Democrats of Virginia, shares how Pride includes families, faith, and patriotism.

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New Chairperson and Executive Board Elected for LGBT Democrats of Virginia

Of note, Maggie Sacra, the caucus chairperson for over a decade, opted not to run for re-election to this office. Instead, she will remain on the board as the Immediate Past Chairperson and also serve as Assistant Treasurer. Longtime board member Joel McDonald, who has served as Vice Chair for Technology and Communications and the Vice Chair for Technology, will serve as Chairperson.

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Passing the Baton, but Still Keep’n On

For the last fifteen years I have served on the Board of the LGBT+ Democrats of Virginia as an elected member, first as a Treasurer (2009-2011), part of the time acting as Chair, and then as the Chairperson (2012-2023). We have grown a great deal during this time, and we’ve weathered lots of changes. Ones that probably would have resulted in the demise of a less resilient and strong organization, COVID being a recent example. I could not be prouder of the amazing group of Board members that I’ve shared this ride with for the past fifteen plus years.

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An Almost Return to Normal in 2022, the Work for Equal Rights and Protection Continues

When I sat down a few days ago to write this letter, I looked at letters from the past. I read through them thinking how different our 2022 was from our 2019, 2020, and 2021. So many things have changed in our lives over the past few years. Now that things are getting back to ‘normal’, we have almost completely gotten back to our previous activities. Hopefully, by next year we will be back to pre-pandemic schedules and events!

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Happy Pride!

While Pride is celebrated with parades and festivals, we have to remember that it didn’t start this way. It was a protest; a roar demanding our rights.

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History was made last night

Democrats ran in a number of races unprecedented in recent history, challenging incumbent Republicans in 56 House races and winning 16 of those races without any incumbent Democrat losing their seat. Virginia Democrats also swept statewide races.

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Equality, Pride, and Unity on Display at 2017 Equality Breakfast

Equality Breakfast FBS

The breakfast was an opportunity for Virginia Democrats to come together to celebrate and advance equality, pride, and unity following a passionate primary season. The breakfast was the first event of the day for Virginia Democrats which included their quarterly Central Committee meeting and their annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, a major fundraising event for the Party.

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Tickets and Sponsorships Now Available for 2017 Equality Breakfast

We’re excited to let you know that we’ll be hosting our almost-annual Equality Breakfast on June 17, 2017! The breakfast will take place before the Democratic Party of Virginia’s Central Committee meeting. As you probably know, this is the same weekend as the DPVA’s Jefferson Jackson Dinner, so we expect tickets to the breakfast to go fast! Our last breakfast sold out quickly. Don’t miss out, get your tickets today.

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Volunteers Needed for DPVA Booth at State Fair

We’re using SignUp.com to organize our upcoming shifts for volunteering at the DPVA booth at the State Fair of Virginia. Don’t forget everyone that volunteers gets a free ticket to enter the fair. Plan your day so that you will have time to take in the sounds, food, and events at the State Fair either before or after your shift.

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Video: 2015 LGBT Democrats of Virginia Equality Breakfast

The LGBT Democrats of Virginia hosted their annual Equality Breakfast on December 5th, 2015 in Richmond, VA. The guest speaker for the event was Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. Master of Ceremonies was Virginia State Senator Donald McEachin. Special guests included Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth Levar Stoney and Gavin Grimm.

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