Virginia
STATUS: Anti-relationship recognition constitutional amendment
TAKE ACTION: State advocacy groups are working toward fairness for all of Virginia's families by overturning a constitutional amendment that prohibits relationship recognition for same-sex couples in the state.
HISTORY: In 2006, anti-gay forces in Virginia pushed through the Marshall-Newman Amendment, a constitutional amendment that excludes same-sex couples from marriage and prohibits same-sex couples from attaining any other form of legal family status.
GROUPS ACTIVELY WORKING ON MARRIAGE:
- Equality Virginia is Virginia's central statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights and advocacy organization.
- Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage for same-sex couples nationwide.
- Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.
POLLING DATA: Support for marriage in Virginia has increased in the past six years. Now, 45% of Virginians say they support marriage for same-sex couples, while in 2006, 57% of residents voted in favor of restricting marriage to different-sex couples. (Times-Dispatch, March 2013)
NUMBER OF SAME-SEX COUPLES: According to The Williams Institute's analysis of the 2010 U.S. Census, 14,243 same-sex couples are living in Virginia, representing 4.7 same-sex couples per 1,000 households.
Blog Posts Related to Virginia
Military couple Stacey and Genevieve: Serving our country in the face of DOMA discrimination
For support in dealing with the harms of DOMA, Genevieve and Stacey, who promised their commitment to each other last year in Emery, California have turned to the American Military Partner Association, an organization dedicated to supporting LGBT military families and speaking out against DOMA.
New polls demonstrate majority support for marriage in Arizona, Michigan and Virginia
This week, new polls were released demonstrating majority support for the freedom to marry in three states where same-sex couples currently do not have the freedom to marry. Check out the inspiring results from Arizona, Michigan, and Virginia!
Virginia couple Frank and Jerry marry on their 20th anniversary in DC
This weekend, Frank Roberts and Jerry Cook celebrated their 20th anniversary with an extra special present: A wedding. After two decades together, the couple married on April 7, 2013 in Georgetown in the District of Columbia.
Resources Related to Virginia
Party Principles: Support for the Freedom to Marry by State and National Political Parties
A listing of both state and national political parties that have made strong statements in support of the freedom to marry.
Virginia Census Snapshot
Demographic and economic information about same-sex couples and same-sex couples raising children in Virginia.
Geographic Trends Among Same-Sex Couples in the U.S. Census and the American Community Survey
Groundbreaking research showing a huge increase in same-sex couples identifying themselves as "unmarried partners".