Virginia
Va. Department of Education releases updated guidelines for transgender, nonbinary students
Equality Virginia accuses Republican governor of targeting LGBTQ youth
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2023/03/Glenn_Youngkin_screen_capture_insert_via_CNN.jpg)
The Virginia Department of Education on Tuesday released its updated guidelines for transgender and nonbinary students in the state.
One section of the new guidelines states “schools shall defer to parents to make the best decisions with respect to their children.”
“Parents are in the best position to work with their children and, where appropriate, their childrenās health care providers to determine (a) what names, nicknames and/or pronouns, if any, shall be used for their child by teachers and school staff while their child is at school, (b) whether their child engages in any counseling or social transition at school that encourages a gender that differs from their childās sex, or (c) whether their child expresses a gender that differs with their childās sex while at school,” they read.
Another section states “schools shall keep parents informed about their children’s well-being.”
“To ensure parents are able to make the best decisions with respect to their child, school personnel shall keep parents fully informed about all matters that may be reasonably expected to be important to a parent, including, and without limitation, matters related to their childās health, and social and psychological development,” reads the guidelines. “Parentsā rights are affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court that characterized a parentās right to raise his or her child as ‘perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this court.’ Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57, 65 (2000). This requirement is, of course, subject to laws that prohibit disclosure of information to parents in certain circumstances including, for example, Code of Virginia Ā§ 22.1-272.1(B) (prohibiting parental contact where student is at imminent risk of suicide related to parental abuse or neglect.)”
The guidelines further state “schools shall serve the needs of all students” and the Virginia Department of Education “is committed to working with school divisions to ensure a positive, safe and nurturing learning environment for all students.”
“Each studentās individual needs should be taken into consideration by his or her school, and divisions should develop policies that encourage schools to account for these individual needs, with due sensitivity to the needs of other students and the practical requirements of the teaching and learning environment,” reads the guidelines. “Schools should attempt to accommodate students with distinctive needs, including transgender students. A team of appropriate school staff and other caregivers should collaborate with the studentās parents or with an eligible student to identify and implement such reasonable accommodations or modifications (if any), considering the resources and staff available in the school and school divisions, as well as the rights and needs of other students and of school staff.”
The guidelines further state “single-user bathrooms and facilities should be made available in accessible areas and provided with appropriate signage, indicating accessibility for all students.”
“To ensure that all students have access to a learning environment in which they feel comfortable and safe, where state or federal law requires schools to permit transgender students to share otherwise sex-segregated facilities (such as bathrooms or locker rooms) with students of the opposite sex, parents should be given the right to opt their child out of using such facilities, and the child should be given access to alternative facilities that promote the childās privacy and safety,” reads the guidelines. “Eligible students should be given the same right to opt out.”
Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin last September announced plans to revise the guidelines that his predecessor, Democrat Ralph Northam, signed into law in 2020. The Virginia Joint Commission on Administrative Rules late last year formally objected to Youngkin’s proposed revisions.
āAll children in Virginia deserve to have a parent engaged in their life and to be treated with dignity and respect. The VDOE updated model policies reaffirm my administrationās continued commitment to ensure that every parent is involved in conversations regarding their childās education, upbringing and care,” said Youngkin in a statement. “Public comment, input and concerns were carefully evaluated and assessed to formulate the updated model policies. The Department of Education has delivered policies that empower parents, prohibit discrimination, create a safe and vibrant learning environment by addressing bullying incidents immediately, and protect the privacy and dignity of all students through bathroom policies, athletic procedures and student identification measures.ā
Equality Virginia, the state’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group, on Tuesday sharply criticized the new guidelines.
āToday, Gov. Youngkin and the VDOE made a dangerous, politically motivated decision to ignore the thousands of Virginians who submitted public comments in opposition to his proposed model policies ā policies which single out transgender and nonbinary youth in our schools,ā said Narissa Rahaman, the group’s executive director. āYoungkin did all of this with no input from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups nor subject matter experts. Throughout the comment process, though, Virginians made it clear that LGBTQ+ youth deserve safety, respect and the opportunity to thrive.”
The new guidelines can be found here.
Virginia
Parades, community events held to mark Pride Month in Va.
Upwards of 30,000 people attended PrideFest in Norfolk on June 22
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/06/20240629_Shi-Queeta_Lee_at_Arlington_Pride_insert_c_Washington_Blade_by_Michael_Key.jpg)
Activists across Virginia last month held a series of events to mark Pride Month.
Hampton Roads Pride, a volunteer-run organization founded in 1997, held 37 different Pride events throughout the region in June.
Their biggest event, PrideFest, which is part of their larger three day event, Pride Weekend, celebrated its 36th anniversary on June 22. Pride Weekend took place from June 21-23 and began with a block party at NorVa in Norfolk.
PrideFest took place at Town Point Park, and an estimated 30,000 people attended. More than 70 venders participated, while Todrick Hall and Mariah Counts are among those who performed.
Another PrideFest event with a DJ in the afternoon and live music at night took place in Virginia Beach on June 23. Congressman Bobby Scott and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) are among those who attended Pride events in Suffolk on June 30.
Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander, along with members of the Norfolk and Virginia Beach City Councils, also attended the Pride events in their respective cities. Jamar Walker, the first openly gay federal judge in Virginia, also took part.
āYou know people all throughout Pride Month, at all of our various events, tell me all kinds of stories about their own experiences and the past of this community … and some of our older folks especially, remember when we couldn’t have this,ā Hampton Roads Pride President Jeff Ryder told the Washington Blade on Monday during a telephone interview.
āIt was a great year,ā he added. “It was a big achievement for us to have unique celebrations in each of our seven communities. Each of these cities is so different from one another, but to be able to create a Pride celebration that’s unique in each of those places was really great, and I think really well received by folks who may not have felt represented previously. We’re always trying to do better, to embrace every aspect of our community, and take a big step forward there this year.ā
State Dels. Adele McClure (D-Arlington County) and Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington County) are among those who spoke at Arlington Pride that took place at Long Bridge Park on June 29. The Fredericksburg Pride march and festival took place the same day at Riverfront Park in Fredericksburg.
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on June 10 hosted a Pride Month reception in Richmond.
Youngkin in previous years has hosted Pride Month receptions, even though Equality Virginia and other advocacy groups have criticized him for supporting anti-LGBTQ bills.
The Republican governor in March signed a bill that codified marriage equality in Virginia. Youngkin last month vetoed a measure that would have expanded the definition of bullying in the state.
Virginia
Rainbow crosswalks, street murals installed in Alexandria, Arlington
Street painting received support from government officials
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/06/20240621_Crystal_City_rainbow_crosswalk_at_South_23rd_Street_insert_1_c_Washington_Blade_by_Lou_Chibbaro_Jr.jpg)
With approval by local government officials, rainbow-colored crosswalks were installed this month on a street in Virginiaās Old Town Alexandria and what officials are calling rainbow street murals were painted on a street in the Crystal City section of nearby Arlington, Va., in time for this yearās Pride celebrations.
Kirk McPike, a gay member of the Alexandria City Council, said the Council gave unanimous approval for the installation of two bright rainbow-colored crosswalks at the intersection of King and Royal streets at Old Townās Market Square āright there in front of City Hall.ā
McPike said he first proposed the rainbow crossings in June 2023, and with support from the Council, the cityās Human Rights Commission brought the proposal to him as the gay member of the Council, and he introduced it. He said the Council approved it last November. According to McPike, the crosswalks were officially dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 1 during Alexandriaās annual Pride festival in Old Town.
āAnd this year, we had one of our Pride wrapped Dash buses drive through the ribbon to snap the ribbon and officially open the new Pride crosswalks,ā he told the Washington Blade.
In Arlingtonās Crystal City neighborhood, rainbow stripes were painted on June 12 and 13 on South 23rd Street at the intersections of Eads Street and Fern Street. The Fern Street intersection is located steps away from Freddieās Beach Bar and Restaurant, which is Arlingtonās only gay bar. Freddie Lutz, owner of Freddieās, was among the community leaders who advocated for the rainbow crosswalks.
Kellen MacBeth, president of the LGBTQ group Equality Arlington, said the Arlington Department of Environmental Services, which oversees street and roadway issues, gave approval of the installation of the two rainbow stripes as āstreet muralsā rather than crosswalks, even though they are located next to or parallel to the crosswalks. He said for reasons he is unsure of, the Environmental Services Department didnāt want the crosswalks themselves to be painted with rainbow stripes.
āIf you compare what Alexandria did and what Arlington did, Alexandria has the full crosswalk painted in rainbow,ā he said. āWhereas Arlington did the rainbow stripes on either side of the crosswalk,ā MacBeth told the Washington Blade. āFor whatever reason, the county said they werenāt able to do the full rainbow crosswalk this year. And weāre hoping to have the full rainbow crosswalks for next year.ā
Kathryn OāBrien, a spokesperson for the Environmental Services Department, told the Blade that painting crosswalks in rainbow strips āis not allowableā under the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD), which she said defines national standards for traffic signs, road markings, and other road related issues that Arlington adheres to.
MacBeth praised the National Landing Business Improvement District, an organization that promotes community-based businesses in the area known as National Landing, which includes the Pentagon City, Crystal City and Potomac Yard neighborhoods, with playing a lead role in advocating for the rainbow street mural project, among other things, by paying for the street installations.
āLocated at key intersections along S. Fern Street and S. Eads Street, these installations are the first of their kind in Arlington, designed to show solidarity and support for the LGBTQIA+ community,ā the organization, known as National Landing BID, said in a statement. āBeyond their aesthetic appeal, they foster a sense of community pride and inclusivity, transforming National Landing into a vibrant and welcoming neighborhood,ā the statement says. āTheir presence encourages dialogue, celebration, and reflection, making them integral to the cultural fabric of our community.ā
The installation of the rainbow crosswalks in Alexandria and the rainbow street murals in Arlington came about seven years after D.C. first installed two full rainbow-colored crosswalks on 17th Street, N.W. near Dupont Circle in 2017 near the gay bar JR.ās and the LGBTQ supportive restaurant Annieās Paramount Steakhouse. Additional rainbow crosswalks were installed in that section of 17th Street in subsequent years.
Virginia
Suspect in 1996 murder of lesbian couple in Shenandoah National Park identified
Convicted serial rapist died in prison in 2018
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/06/Laura_Lollie_Winans_and_Julianne_Julie_Williams_insert_courtesy_FBI.jpg)
The FBI has identified a then-48-year-old man from Ohio who it describes as a convicted serial rapist as the person it believes committed the May 1996 murder of a lesbian couple at their campsite in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.
In a statement released on June 20, the FBI says newly analyzed DNA evidence and an extensive review of other evidence surrounding the 28-year-old murder case has enabled it to identify Walter Leo Jackson, Sr., as the prime suspect in the murders of Laura āLollieā Winans, 26, and Julianne āJulieā Williams, 24.
The FBI statement says the two womenās bodies were found on June 1, 1996, after an extensive search by rangers with the National Park Service after family members reported them missing.
āIn 2021, a new FBI Richmond investigative team was assigned to conduct a methodic review of the case,ā the statement says. āFBI special agents, intelligence analysts, and other FBI Richmond employees reassessed hundreds of leads and interviews,ā according to the statement. āThey spent countless hours to identify and prioritize evidence from the crime scene to retest and submit the items to an accredited private lab.ā
It says the lab successfully extracted DNA from several items of evidence and, with help from Virginia State Police, and through the FBIās Combined DNA Index System a positive DNA match to Jackson was obtained.
āThose results confirmed we had the right man and finally could tell the victimās families we know who is responsible for this heinous crime,ā Stanley M. Meador, the FBI Richmond special agent in charge, said in the statement.
āAfter 28 years, we are now able to say who committed the brutal murders of Lollie Winans and Julie Williams in Shenandoah National Park,ā U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said in the statement. āI want to again extend my condolences to the Winans and Williams families and hope todayās announcement provides some small measure of solace,ā he said.
The FBI statement says Jackson, who died in prison in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in March 2018, had a lengthy criminal record that included kidnapping, rapes, and assaults. It says Jackson worked as a residential painter and āwas an avid hiker and was known to visit Shenandoah National Park.ā
![](https://www.washingtonblade.com/content/files/2024/06/Walter_Leo_Jackson_Sr_insert_courtesy_FBI.jpg)
The FBI has stated in past statements regarding the two womenās murders that it did not have evidence to classify the murders as a hate crime in which Jackson targeted the women because of their sexual orientation.
Media reports at the time of the murders identified Williams as a native of Minnesota who moved to Vermont, where she helped form a group supportive of LGBTQ people with a Presbyterian church ministry. Winans was a wilderness guide in Michigan and met Williams through an outdoor program in Minnesota called āWoodswomen,ā media reports said.
A report in the Advocate published before the FBIās identification of Jackson as the man responsible for the womenās murders, said the two women had been dating for about two years before their murders. It reported they had planned to move in together that summer to a home in Huntington, Vt., and that Williams had recently accepted a new job as a geologist at a location near Lake Champlain in Vermont.
āThe FBI will continue to work with law enforcement partners to determine if Jackson is responsible for other unsolved crimes,ā the FBIās June 20 statement says. āAnyone with information on Jackson should call 1-800-CALL FBI or submit it online at tips.fbi.gov,ā the statement concludes.
-
Canada1 day ago
Toronto Pride parade cancelled after pro-Palestinian protesters disrupt it
-
Theater4 days ago
Stephen Mark Lukas makes sublime turn in āFunny Girlā
-
Baltimore3 days ago
Despite record crowds, Baltimore Prideās LGBTQ critics say organizers dropped the ball
-
Sports4 days ago
Haters troll official Olympics Instagram for celebrating gay athlete and boyfriend