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The Farmville community celebrated an annual LGBTQ Pride Picnic recently.  Sixty or more attended – grandparents, parents and children, friends and neighbors, supporters and visitors from other communities (Appomattox, Amelia, Danville, etc) – to enjoy wholesome food, lively music, and friendly fellowship, under a festively decorated picnic shelter, with excellent weather as if a smile from God. 

June is acknowledged as LGBTQ Pride month in many US states, cities and counties.  President Bill Clinton was the first President to issue a Pride month proclamation in 1999. The first Trump Administration declined to make a proclamation, and the second Trump Administration did something very different, indeed:  The Administration chose Pride month to belittle a Korean War veteran, and assassinated political and civil rights leader – Harvey Milk – by removing his name from a Navy ship because he was a gay man. Sounds petty doesn’t it: to belittle a dead veteran mostly to make a point?

But what was the point the Administration was making? After all, President Trump’s right hand at Treasury, Scott Bessent, is a gay married man raising children with his husband. Richard Grenell, a distinguished career diplomat from the first Trump Administration who continues to serve in various roles, is a proud out gay man.  Tammy Bruce, Trump’s appointee as spokesperson for the State Department, has been a news-making lesbian since age 17. When Trump was head of Miss Universe pageant he allowed a transgender contestant to compete, and said that transgender celebrity and Olympic champion, Caitlyn Jenner, could use any bathroom in Trump Tower she wanted

Donald Trump knows and respects many out and proud LGBTQ folks. So, why then would Trump so publicly and pointedly belittle and shame a regular enlisted man and veteran – because he was a gay man?  Political gain?  Yes, apparently. 

The Trump Campaign gained nearly 3 points after it stoked up anti-LGBTQ animus (fear & hatred) with the famous ‘Kamala is for they/them’ ad that aired over 55,000 times the month before Election Day.  

It was effective in part because Democrats had so little to say in response that made any practical common sense. A fascinating recent New York Times investigative report discusses how Progressive leadership mis-read and mis-handled public anxiety about practical concerns like which restroom/locker room to use, what team to play on, what pronoun to use.  And how LGBTQ advocacy elites (lead by ACLU) lost a big case at the Supreme Court this month  – Skrmetti – by picking the wrong case to argue for transgender rights, that they failed to argue with convincing clarity (using gender theories that are inherently difficult to clarify), after acknowledging that they had wrongly interpreted scientific evidence regarding so-called ‘gender affirming care’.  Christian Conservative groups, Project 2025 overlords, and others were delighted, and more militant MAGA announced more warfare to purge LGBTQ from America. Nevertheless, in an online meeting 

Virginia LGBTQ-rights and LGBTQ-health organizations agreed that they would support Virginia families and other families who may now move to Virginia to ensure respect for their parental rights.  Parents of LGBTQ children, and LGBTQ parents, are parents, with rights, too aren’t they?  Skrmetti is taking away their rights in many states.  But not in Virginia, said State Senator Danica Roem (who is transgender): Virginia law will protect LGBTQ individuals and families through the fights ahead, the Senator promised.

Promises are sometimes all we have.  LGBTQ Virginians have a promise of nondiscrimination in Virginia law (The Virginia Values Act, 2020). But there are aplenty people and groups with animus (anger & hatred) against LGBTQ Virginians, including religious conservative groups, who routinely defame all LGBTQ people as ‘groomers’ and’ predators’, while covering up or making apologies for their own church leaders who are actual groomers and predators: “Nearly 400 Southern Baptist leaders, from youth pastors to top ministers, have pleaded guilty or been convicted of sex crimes against more than 700 victims since 1998”. 

We’re in a big election year with at least one LGBTQ policy question on the ballot.  We will likely hear wicked things said, and vain promises made, from both or all sides. But might we – in our small place in the Commonwealth – keep simple promises of mutual respect and civility with one another?  In rural communities like ours there is sometimes a silent promise we make to one another: “let me live my life and I’ll let you live yours”, “let me have peace and quiet in my home and with my family and I’ll let you have the same”, etc. When things get hot, if we can remember those simple promises, following them together, should make us all very proud.

EDWARD STRICKLER (and husband James Schneider) retired to Farmville in 2020 but had visited Farmville many times over the years to enjoy local state parks. Edward is retired from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and is one of the most reliable advocates for rural health in the American Public Health Association. He volunteers locally with the Piedmont Health District and nationally with Braver Angels.