Virginia Democrats Block 12 Anti-LGBTQ Bills

metroweekly.com:

transgender athletes from competing in sports that match their gender identity; and ban gender-affirming care, not only for minors, but some legally recognized adults in their twenties.Narissa Rahaman, the executive director of Equality Virginia, told Metro Weekly that some of the “forced outing” bills were especially pernicious.One measure would have required school administrators to out students to their parents, regardless of whether trans-identifying students have discussed their identities with their parents or whether they may be living in a home with parents who are not supportive of LGBTQ identity.“There was one forced outing bill that would require a court order for a student to be able to update their name in their school record,” Rahaman said.  “And not just their official school record, like a roster, but just any sort of school document, like a library card reflecting their correct gender, would have required a court order.”Rahaman said the organization’s priority this year was primarily aimed at defeating such bills, although Equality Virginia was monitoring other pro-LGBTQ measures that were introduced, including three bills — one introduced by Sen.

Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), one introduced by Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler (D-Virginia Beach), and another introduced by Del. Tim Anderson (R-Virginia Beach) — that sought to remove the Marshall-Newman Amendment, which prohibits marriages or marriage-like unions for same-sex couples, from the state constitution.The Marshall-Newman Amendment is currently invalid due to the U.S.

Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex nuptials nationwide.But advocates have argued that the amendment stands as a hateful reminder of how many.