Virginia couples who have suffered from discrimination and are interested in sharing how marriage discrimination harms their families or being a part of a campaign for the freedom to marry are encouraged to fill out a survey.
A new normal is emerging in courts in some states across the country as openly gay judges continue to be nominated to serve at the highest levels of the judiciary. There is no better example of this rapid progress than the recent change of hearts and minds in Virginia.
Virginia’s first and only openly gay judge, whose nomination was originally rejected by the legislature and who was later appointed by the Circuit Court, is now facing confirmation interviews in order to keep his job.
Tracy Thorne-Begland, Navy-veteran, and former prosecutor will serve as the Commonwealth of Virginia’s first-openly gay member of the judiciary following a decision by the Richmond Circuit Court.
The Virginia House of Delegates voted yesterday to block an openly gay Richmond prosecutor from becoming a general district court judge. This is what discrimination based on sexual orientation often looks like.