Firing someone simply for being gay and opposing marriage equality is “not discrimination”, a candidate for the governor’s job in Virginia has said.
Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, who has served as lieutenant governor since 2022, is facing Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger in this year’s race for the governor’s mansion. Incumbent Glenn Youngkin cannot run again.
During a debate at Norfolk State University on Thursday (9 October), the only time voters would see the two candidates face-to-face, former US representative Spanberger called out Earle-Sears’ history of anti-LGBTQ+ comments.
In 2004, when Earle-Sears unsuccessfully ran for congress, she completed a now-archived candidate questionnaire in which she indicated she would vote against same-sex couples adopting children, and employee discrimination laws, would not hire “homosexual activists”, and backed the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. She also ticked a box asking if homosexuality was an “immoral lifestyle choice”.
Earlier this year, she wrote a note detailing her personal objection to an anti-discrimination bill that prevents officials denying marriage licences based on sex, gender or race – she was constitutionally required to sign the legislation.
@pinknews At the Virginia gubernatorial debate at Norfolk State University, Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears caused controversy by claiming that allowing employers to fire individuals for being gay “is not discrimination.” Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger cited Earle-Sears’s long record opposing LGBTQ+ rights, including her resistance to marriage equality and workplace protections. Before Spanberger could finish, Earle-Sears interjected, prompting immediate backlash. Earle-Sears has previously opposed bipartisan marriage equality legislation, even leaving a handwritten note expressing she was “morally opposed.”The Democratic National Committee called her comments “disqualifying” and reaffirmed support for Spanberger, emphasizing that Virginia deserves a leader who ensures equality for all. #Virginia #Republicans #Trumpadministration #Winsome #lgbtqia
– PinkNews Spanberger said Earle-Sears “has previously said that she does not think gay couples should be allowed to marry”, to which her rival responded: “That’s not discrimination.”
Earle-Sears’ comments were criticised by LGBTQ+ groups as well as pundits across the political spectrum.
Virginia house of delegates speaker Don Scott described Earle-Sears’ interruption as “unhinged”, “unprofessional” and “uncalled for”.
Democrat Scott went on to say: “It was not the Virginia way. It was not what Virginians have come to expect from their leaders. She said it’s OK, not discrimination, if you fire somebody because they’re gay. I thought I would never hear that in my life, and she repeated it.
“She said: ‘That’s not discrimination’. If I fire somebody because they’re gay, that’s [the] textbook definition of discrimination.”
Former governor Tim Kaine described Earle-Sears’ comments as “a real head scratcher”.
Now a US senator, Kaine added: “To say that being against people marrying who they love is not discrimination, or it’s OK to fire somebody because they’re LGBTQ, is not discrimination, that was a shocker. It’s shocking to me that that thought would cross your mind and it’s even more shocking to people when you say it. That is something that’s not going to sit well with a majority of Virginians.
“Virginians overwhelmingly accept that you ought to be able to marry who you love and Virginians overwhelmingly accept that at work, you ought to be measured on your work, your work ethic, your productivity.
“Firing somebody because they’re LGBTQ, to say that’s not discrimination… I don’t think anybody saw that coming in the debate.”
Following the debate, Spanberger’s campaign dropped a new political ad targeting Earle-Sears’ views and labelling her “so far right, she’s wrong for Virginia”.
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