How Virginia Became The Most Pro-LGBTQ Southern State

     In 2019, Governor Northam signed a law codifying the legalization of commercial surrogacy for gay men in Virginia. It was technically already legal with the marriage and relationship equality ruling at the federal level in 2015 (Obergefell v. Hodges), but this law ensured it was implemented properly at the state level.

     In 2020, Governor Northam signed a law instituting anti-discrimination protections in employment, the provision of goods and services, and all other areas involving sexual orientation and sexual identity. The law, significantly, included protections in hate crime laws.

     On April 7th, 2020, Governor Northam signed two bills. The first allowed Virginians the right to change their legal gender without sex reassignment surgery, and the second allowed IDs to include a third gender, or "gender X," option.

     In 2020, Governor Northam signed a bill banning medical and religious "gay conversion therapy" from being performed on minors. This practice is ineffective and serves only to increase suicide, drug abuse, and homelessness rates for vulnerable LGBTQ youth.

     Also in 2020, Governor Northam signed the repeal of an old law criminalizing sex between two people who are not married.

     On March 31st, 2021, Governor Northam signed a law banning gay and trans panic defense, a rare but disgusting legal practice in which people attempt to justify severe crimes like homicide by stating that they felt victimized because of the victim's real or perceived sexual orientation or identity.

     These laws have made Virginia the most LGBTQ-friendly state in the South, and Human Rights Campaign ranks Virginia as a state in which they are "solidifying equality." However, there is more to do. If elected on November 2nd, 2021, Governor Terry McAuliffe will repeal the laws that criminalize HIV and allow discrimination in the foster care system while working to pass laws addressing LGBTQ bullying, youth homelessness, and discrimination in jury selection and insurance, among other areas that require improvement.