Gay Rights Become Centrist

Articles from Boomer Magazine in Richmond, VA

Gay Rights Become Centrist

Written by Ray McAllister

Thursday, 11 March 2010 16:23

Protecting gay employees from bias, formerly a “liberal” position in Virginia, took a move to the political center today – and maybe even to center-right.

Gov. Bob McDonnell, who earlier had pointedly left “sexual orientation” out of his executive order banning discrimination, yesterday issued an executive directive that covered it as well.

McDonnell, a conservative Republican, thus countered a position taken last week by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. The state’s top legal officer, another conservative Republican, had told state colleges and universities they had no legal basis for protecting gay students and employees from discrimination.

His advisory opinion led to a number of protests – and even ridicule of Virginia’s two leaders on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” (vodpod.com/watch/3207762-gaywatch-virginia-edition)

There’s nothing like being a national laughingstock to change your mind.

But probably more important was the business angle. Some had feared defense giant Northrop Grumman, which the state is trying to woo from California, and other businesses would stay away from a state perceived as being anti-gay.

Forget moral imperatives.

Dollars and cents, now that REALLY can be persuasive.

“It has caused too much fear and too much uncertainty in the business community and the higher-education establishment and among young people in the commonwealth – and I simply won't stand for that,” McDonnell told reporters, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Of course, Cuccinelli’s advisory opinion had echoed one by then-Attorney General McDonnell in 2006 that declared unconstitutional then-Governor Tim Kaine’s anti-bias order.

But that was then, and this is now.

McDonnell’s executive directive falls short of an executive order and is not backed by law. But it does give support to state employees who may feel they’ve been mistreated. While not specifying gays, it says: “ … discrimination against any class of persons without a rational basis is prohibited. … Civility, fair treatment, and mutual respect shall be the standard of conduct expected in state employment.”

University leaders quickly supported the directive. But so did others. The objections are steadily falling away. It's hard to justify discrimination on any basis.

McDonnell campaigned toward the middle in getting elected last fall.

His decision yesterday seem to show that, at least politically, support for gay rights is now a centrist position, as well.