In anticipation of House Bill 751, an amendment to Virginia's 1997 Affirmation of Marriage Act sponsored by Sen. Bob Marshall, R-Prince William, becoming law today, demonstrators from over 120 groups across the Commonwealth joined in various displays of opposition yesterday for Virginians Stand Up for Equality.
The Charlottesville rally, which drew gay, lesbian, transgender and other members of the Charlottesville and University communities opposed to the bill, as well as their families and friends, took place yesterday evening in front of the Albemarle County Office Building.
According to opponents, the law -- which reads, "A civil union, partnership contract or other arrangement between persons of the same sex purporting to bestow the privileges or obligations of marriages is prohibited" -- goes further than any other of its kind in the country to limit the rights of same-sex couples.
"Virginia enjoys that recognition," Prof. Dan Ortiz of the University Law School said.
"It's a particularly mean bill," U.Va. Pride Member Dr. Claire Kaplan added. "It is very clearly targeted at a specific group of people. No other state has something like it."
The law will prevent same-sex partners from making necessary medical decisions for one another and from entering into contracts involving property and the custody of children, Ortiz told those gathered for the rally.
Although the bill becomes law today, speakers at the rally encouraged those in attendance to organize, petition and vote in order to influence state lawmakers.
"Your organization is letting us know," Rep. Mitchell Van Yahres, D-Charlottesville, told the crowd. "Keep putting the pressure on the legislators that voted for this monstrosity."
Many of the speakers emphasized the importance of voting in affecting change in the law.
"You don't have to love someone who is gay or be gay to know this law is hurtful," said Mary Rodriquez of Charlottesville Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. "Some lawmakers think that their constituents want this law because Virginia is a conservative state. We need to let them know that conservatives have feelings, too."
Other speakers warned that failure to voice opposition to the new law would put civil rights in further danger.
"I haven't seen anything this scary for a long time," said Charlottesville Vice-mayor Meredith Richards. "We lose our freedom in small steps. We need to keep this in the forefront of our political awareness."
In addition, Richards assured the crowd that the local government has and will continue to support the rights of its community members.
"The City of Charlottesville has always regarded itself as a sanctuary of civil rights," she said. "We are going to help beat this."
The rally closed with a symbolic shredding of contracts affected by the new law.
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