US EditionVirginia gubernatorial candidates debate trans youth rights as LGBTQ+ voters weigh a fraught moment
The debate centers on transgender youth rights in schools with over half of Virginia voters believing support for these rights has gone too far, influencing the 2025 governor's race.
- With the governorship on the line, Earle-Sears said trans girls should be banned from bathrooms and sports, while Youngkin urged the Virginia Board of Health to protect women's and girls' health.
- At a Moms for Liberty town hall earlier this month, parents criticized local trans youth policies and Republican candidates pledged to act, while national anti-trans messaging and an AP VoteCast survey found about half of Virginia voters said support had "gone too far."
- Ads have surged in the Roanoke Valley, with Earle-Sears spending about $1 million and Spanberger's ad calling to `get politics out of our schools`.
- At the Roanoke Valley pride celebration in October, René Harvey and her wife said `We had a fear coming here today`, but the festival remained peaceful and celebratory, with friendly interactions noted by Dolly Davis and Jacey Clay.
- Both campaigns have made appearances west of Roanoke after Southwest Virginia Pride in a city where President Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris by more than 19 points and Fairfax city lies roughly 225 miles away.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Temple Daily Telegram
Virginia gubernatorial candidates debate trans youth rights as LGBTQ+ voters weigh a fraught moment
The rights of trans youth could be a factor Virginia’s 2025 gubernatorial election and legislative control in Richmond. Republican Winsome Earle-Sears opposes the rights of trans kids at school. Democrat Abigail Spanberger has largely avoided the subject. Each candidate is…
Virginia gubernatorial candidates debate trans youth rights as Virginians weigh a fraught moment
SALEM, Va. (AP) — René Harvey and her wife arrived at a Roanoke Valley pride celebration in October carrying deep-seated worries about all that could go wrong. The couple had been to the region’s annual pride festival before, but this year felt different. Harvey keeps up with the news, and the headlines describing political violence and LGBTQ+ hate linger with her. She’s been following Virginia’s statewide elections, including a race for governo…
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