This story was reported and written by our media partner Capital News Service.
Pridefest was a day of love and celebration but attendees also looked ahead to the November election and future of same-sex marriage.
There were many smiles at the event despite the heavy rain. People danced, cheered and hugged one another. It “felt like a family,” said Noel Oakes, treasurer of Henrico County Democratic Committee, which had a tent at the event.
“I’m not scared today, but I am scared that if our elections don’t go the way that we hope they go, then some serious challenges are going to be ahead,” Oakes said.
Oakes worries about future federal action and whether state lawmakers will protect their constituents.
“Virginia is in peril for marriage equality to be struck down if we don’t get this amendment,” Oakes said.
The first official call to overturn same-sex marriage followed the 10th anniversary of the case that legalized it. Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk, petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court in July to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges.
The state constitution only recognizes marriage between “one man and one woman,” although it is void as long as Obergefell v. Hodges is not overturned.
Lawmakers passed a resolution earlier this year to amend the state constitution and enshrine same-sex marriage rights, but it has to pass one more time before it would go to the ballot box for public vote. All 100 House of Delegate seats are up this election, in addition to the gubernatorial election. A shift in balance of power could impact passage of the amendment again.
Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, has voiced support for the constitutional amendment.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican nominee for governor, does not support same-sex marriage. She signed a bill last year that made it lawful to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples but with a handwritten note that she was “morally opposed.”
Earle-Sears said recently at the only debate between the two candidates that her past comments against same-sex marriage were not discriminatory.
“The biggest issue is that Winsome Sears is extremely anti-LGBTQ,” said Holly Dieter, a volunteer with Henrico County Democratic Committee. “She won’t do campaign events with her running mate, who is a gay man.”
That is a nonstarter for Dieter, who said there should not be “a bigot in the governor’s mansion.”
The number of same-sex couples living in Virginia increased over an 18 year period, according to Census data. There were 19,763 same-sex couples living together in 2005. That number grew to 30,949 by 2023.
Richmond was in the top 10 for percentage of same-sex households in the country, according to 2020 Census data.
“They’re rushing to get married just cause they don’t know how long it will be around,” said A’mahri Rousseau, a Pridefest attendee.
President Donald Trump has made contradictory statements that leave his stance on same-sex marriage unclear, although some of his judicial appointees have anti-marriage equality records. He has also taken actions against the LGBTQ+ community.
From day one of his presidency, Trump moved to revoke transgender rights established under the Biden Administration. Trump signed an executive order to recognize only the male and female sexes. He also blocked transgender women from playing in women’s sports and using locker rooms and bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
Pridefest attendees expressed concern about the current atmosphere. Many said they were registered and plan to vote.
“A lot of people are afraid about their privacy, their rights, their ability to work and have medical care,” said Millicent McFadden.
Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Communication. Students in the program provide state government coverage for a variety of media outlets in Virginia.