“While anti-equality politicians are introducing legislation targeting LGBTQ people, Governor McAuliffe is standing up against discrimination and sending a clear message that Virginia is open for business and welcoming to all,” said JoDee Winterhof, HRC Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs. “This executive order will help to ensure contractors doing business with the state are not using taxpayer funds to discriminate against LGBTQ people. Governor McAuliffe is a champion for equality and continues to lead the way forward in the fight to ensure all Virginians are treated equally with dignity and respect, regardless of who they are or whom they love.”

“In addition to keeping Virginia a place with a commonsense, pro-business government, today’s Executive Order is a huge leap forward in our goal toward becoming a state that is a safe, welcoming, and equal place for all Virginians. We are grateful for the continued leadership demonstrated by Governor McAuliffe on gay and transgender issues,” said Equality Virginia’s executive director James Parrish. “This policy is simply good business practice—taxpayers should expect that their money will not be used to support organizations that discriminate; it goes a long way towards keeping Virginia competitive to businesses and aligns the Commonwealth’s practices with those of most Fortune 500 companies.”

The full text of Executive Order 61 can be found here.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Founded in 1989 as Virginians for Justice, Equality Virginia is a statewide, non-partisan education, outreach, and advocacy organization seeking equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Virginians.

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