Equality for Virginia Archives

Virginia’s School to Prison Pipeline II – Inside Scoop

ByCatherine Read September 13, 2016August 16, 2022

(Sept. 12, 2016) In the second show in a series on Virginia’s School to Prison Pipeline, Catherine Read explores the constitutional rights of children in school. Her guests include Juliet Hiznay, an attorney who has represented families with special needs children for many years; Melinda VanLowe, a trial attorney based in Fairfax who represents children engaged…

Supporting LGBTQ Students – Back to School 2016

ByCatherine Read August 22, 2016September 1, 2016

(Aug. 22, 2016) Catherine Read examines the challenges facing LGBTQ students as they prepare to return to school in September. Recent cases regarding transgender bathroom policies in Fairfax County, Gloucester County, Stafford County and Grayson County have left Virginia students and families with a great deal of anxiety. In the first segment, Pat Hynes of…

Virginia Coalition for Racial Diversity in the Justice System

ByCatherine Read February 29, 2016October 30, 2017

(Feb 29, 2016) Virginia is one of only a few states where legislators select judges. Across the Commonwealth there is a startling lack of diversity in judges. Those who sit on the bench do not represent the make-up of the communities where they preside. Joining Catherine Read to talk about the selection of judges in…

Transgender Non-Discrimination Policy – Inside Scoop

ByCatherine Read July 20, 2015March 19, 2016

Catherine Read discusses the issues affecting the transgender community here in Virginia with guests James Parrish, Executive Director of Equality Virginia; Rev. Emma Chattin of Metropolitan Community Church; Roxanne Edwards, Co-Founder of Second Fridays and Fourth Fridays; Sara Simone of Fairfax; and Laura Curtis and her transgender teen Nathan. Topics range from business leadership on…

Equality for Virginia | Good Books | New Ideas

Raising My Rainbow: Adventures in Raising a Fabulous, Gender Creative Son

ByCatherine Read July 1, 2014August 4, 2014

(July 1, 2014) “Children are desperate to know that they are loved and accepted by their parents. You need to make the decision that your child’s happiness and safety is totally unrelated to his sexual orientation. The one place that kids cannot be afraid is in their homes.” – Judy Shepard, co-founder of the Matthew Shepard…

Equality for Virginia | Good Books | Women

Gaga Feminism: Sex, Gender and the End of Normal

ByCatherine Read October 22, 2012August 4, 2014

(Oct. 22, 2012) This is a GREAT book! The author is a well respected academic who has also published as Judith Halberstam. A must read on so many levels because it is more than just about feminism. It’s about gender politics and why we need to rethink some of the institutions and ideas that really aren’t working…

Blogging | Equality for Virginia | Political

A Straight Ally: Traveling the Road toward Equality

ByCatherine Read September 22, 2012March 19, 2016

(Sept. 22, 2012) On Monday evening at Oakton High School, I’m sitting on a panel: Being a Straight Ally for Equality to talk about what it means to advocate for LGBT issues as an openly heterosexual person. The event moderator, Christopher Schaffer, asked me to send him a bio that he could read to introduce me to…

Equality for Virginia | Political | TV Shows | Virginia | Women

Marriage Equality – Standing on the Side of Love

ByCatherine Read February 14, 2012March 19, 2016

(Feb. 14, 2012) Fairfax, VA. Valentine’s Day 2012 was a special one for Kären Rasmussen and Barb Brehm. They went to the Fairfax County Courthouse seeking a marriage license knowing full well they would be turned away. It was an opportunity to raise awareness about the fight for marriage equality in the Commonwealth of Virginia….