Leadership & Legislation

In the City of Virginia Beach, we believe that it should not be legal to deny someone the opportunity to work, rent a home, to be served in a place of public accommodation because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Because of that, our legislative package includes items addressed to our state legislature to add protections for the LGBT Community.

We also understand that transgender individuals face high levels of prejudice and discrimination in everyday life and that those individuals deserve the same dignity and respect as everyone else, in every area of life.

This includes being afforded equal access to public facilities in accordance with the gender they live every day. To assist in providing a safe space for transgender employees and residents, each of our municipal facilities that have single stall restroom facilities are being changed to all-gender facilities.

​​Both our Mayor and the City Manager are committed to our efforts for the LGBT community, and their support and insistence of fair treatment for the community is essential to the efforts of our LGBT liaison to the City Manager's Office, appointed by the city manager.

When both elected and appointed city leaders speak out on equality, our citizens and employees do hear them, and they understand that their stance does help citizen perception of safety, inclusion, and belonging to the overall Virginia Beach community. We are also proud of our openly LGBTQ municipal leaders.