LGBTQ advocates demand passage of ‘protections’ bill in Virginia

Fresh off of a legislative takeover in November, Virginia Democrats are wasting no time imposing their “values” via misleadingly named legislation that rewrites the scientific fact of human genders and protects behavior found by many people to be objectionable.

Last week Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, introduced SB 868, the “Virginia Values Act” which would change existing nondiscrimination laws to extend protections for the state’s LGBTQ residents.

While protection from discrimination against race, religion, age and disability already exists under Virginia law, the proposed bill adds terms “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”

Less than half of U.S. states specifically bar discrimination against LGBTQ people, according to Freedom for All Americans, a nationwide group dedicated to normalizing homosexual behavior and transgenderism. Virginia is among the majority with no laws protecting the community from being fired or evicted for their public sexual behavior.

The proposed protections will directly target discrimination from public and private employers, housing, credit applications and public accommodations. The Virginia Fair Housing Law would include prohibiting eviction or denial of residence on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.

Employers with more than five employees will also be prohibited from firing or refusing to hire an individual on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. It will also be unlawful for employment agencies to refuse to refer an individual for a job on that basis.

Under the proposed changes, no individual could be legally denied service due to their gender identity or sexual orientation, including in restaurants, stores and public facilities, such as gyms and libraries. This section would not apply to any private club or facility owned by a religious corporation that is not open to the public.