Two state legislators responded Thursday to Republican lieutenant governor nominee John Reid’s oppositon to the repeal of Virginia’s defunct ban on same-sex marriage.
Virginia Scope recently asked Reid, the first openly gay statewide nominee in Virginia, why he opposes the repeal.
“It doesn’t provide protection for people who sincerely don’t agree with gay marriage,” he said. “I’m running to be the lieutenant governor, not to be somebody’s pastor, but I’ve got to protect everybody’s rights.”
He also pointed out that the United States Supreme Court ruled the ban unconstitutional, making it obsolete in Virginia.
Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, is sponsoring the amendment to repeal the ban. Ebbin was the first openly gay member of the House of Delegates and state Senate.
“There is no need to protect the people who disagree,” Ebbin said during a press call. “If people don’t like same sex marriage, then they shouldn’t marry someone of the same gender.”
“This is about following the law of the land,” Ebbin continued. “Following the Supreme Court ruling that we think was correct, and enshrining it in our Constitution to keep it there.”
Del. Rozia Henson, D-Prince William, the first openly gay Black member of the General Assembly, sponsored legislation last year that prohibited discrimination for sex, race and gender in the issuance of marriage licenses.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is the Republican gubernatorial nominee, wrote that she is “morally opposed” to the legislation when she was fulfilling her duty to sign bills that passed out of the Senate.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, also a Republican, signed the bill into law without any written objection.
“The bill that the lieutenant governor morally opposed, we also included language for religious exemptions for clergy to not have to perform marriages,” Henson said Thursday. “But like the senator stated, if you do not like gay marriage, you don’t have to marry a gay person. It is quite fine.”