Despite Cuccinelli's Objection, State Agency Votes to Ban Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation

Ken Cuccinelli has been known for promoting a right-wing social agenda while in the Attorney General’s office, but it looks like some agencies of the state government are no longer willing to put his political agenda ahead of the basic civil rights of the general public. That’s because the Board of Juvenile Justice has voted by a 5-1 margin to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.

This decision could potentially have a large impact on the lives of kids who are in a potentially vulnerable position and need to be shown the respect they deserve. Of the 800 people living in juvenile detention centers in Virginia, 8 percent of boys and 23 percent of girls identify as a member of the LGBT community. In other words, this isn't just one or two people who Cuccinelli doesn’t want to protect while they're in state custody. The situation just gets worse when you consider that the main purpose of the juvenile justice system is to create an environment where troubled kids can receive an education and the skills necessary to be productive members of society.

I guess this shouldn’t be too surprising though because it isn’t the first time that either Ken Cuccinelli or Bob McDonnell have advocated against allowing basic rights for LGBT residents of Virginia. In two of the three major issues that have come before state agencies prior to this ruling, however, the Washington Post highlighted how the agencies have realized that the ultra conservatives were advocating for something that was absolutely the wrong policy for the Commonwealth.

Last year, the State Board of Social Services accepted the advice of Cuccinelli and the McDonnell administration and overwhelmingly voted to continue a practice that some argue allows faith-based organizations in Virginia to discriminate in adoptions.

But earlier, the state’s public colleges appeared to reject Cuccinelli’s counsel that they rescind policies that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

In 2010, the Board of Corrections reaffirmed a policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, overruling concerns expressed by a representative from Cuccinelli’s office.

What this all means is that while we’ve seen some victories for basic civil rights in Virginia, there’s still a lot of work to do. Two consenting adults who are in a committed loving relationship, for instance, should be allowed to adopt a child. This would not only enrich the parent’s life, but it would provide stability and a number of other benefits to the child being adopted. With Republicans controlling all three statewide offices and potentially both Chambers of the General Assembly (depending on how the dispute over Bolling’s ability to break ties is settled), however, I imagine the struggle for basic civil rights in Virginia will continue for quite some time.