Post submitted by Lucas Acosta (he/him), former Deputy Director of Communications, Politics

With days left ahead of the tightly contested Virginia Elections, one thing is clear: Republican leaders have no problem showing off their anti-LGBTQ agenda.

With 7 days left ahead of the tightly contested Virginia Elections, one thing is clear: Republican leaders have no problem showing off their anti-LGBTQ agenda. In recent days, the Virginia GOP has attacked Danica Roem for her identity and used the incorrect word “transgendered” in a mailer to attack pro-Equality candidates.

Next week, Virginia voters will choose equality and reject the anti-LGBTQ extremism of the Virginia GOP.

Here are some of the lowlights of Virginia Republican’s anti-LGBTQ candidates and campaign:

Prince William County GOP launched a transphobic attack on Danica Roem

Danica Roem, transphobic atttack

Additionally, Roem’s opponent Kelly McGinn signed onto a letter that compared support for marriage equality and reproductive rights as “morally repugnant” practices like slavery.
- Daily Beast: Danica Roem, Trans History Maker, Fights Another Anti-LGBT Candidate—and Their Donors—in Virginia
Minority Leader Tim Hugo accused children of lying about their gender identity to gain access to bathrooms and locker rooms.
- He said, “it’s not the potential, it happens--that somebody will say, ‘I now identify as a girl or I identify as a boy, I want to use the boys locker room but I'm biologically a girl and vice versa.’” [WMAL, 5/11/15]
State Sen. Amanda Chase called homosexuality “sexual dysphoria”

Chase also supports conversion therapy and said “Some parents believe along with their kids that homosexuality is a sin and, you know, they need options.”
- VA Dogwood: Read Sen. Amanda Chase’s most provocative comments against LGBTQ people, equal rights, and Toni Morrison
Anti-LGBTQ funder, and Roy Moore donor, Dick Uihlein gave Del. Nick Freitas $500,000 for his write-in bid
- Richmond Times Dispatch: Freitas will report getting $500K from GOP megadonor, campaign says
GOP Del. Todd Gilbert said prohibiting anti-LGBTQ discrimination “may not be in the best interest of society.” [Washington Post, 1/1/11]
Gilbert also said an anti-LGBTQ non-discrimination bill would lead to “situations where you have cross-dressing cops, where you have your child's kindergarten teacher who is this semester a male and next semester a female.” [Washington Post, 1/1/11]