Virginia’s attorney general has encouraged institutions of higher education to remove written policies they may have that enforce anti-discrimination policies on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Ken Cuccinelli’s reasoning for this is that the standards of anti-discrimination policies for state institutions can only be set by the General Assembly and, since the Assembly has repeatedly voted against including such language in state policies, then universities should not be doing so.

This idea is just terrible. The one scary part of Cuccinelli’s letter is the fact that he is right. The General Assembly is responsible for setting these standards, and time and time again they have either voted against or killed efforts to expand the commonwealth’s anti-discrimination laws. Cuccinelli is technically executing the job of the attorney general by suggesting these institutions obey the law of the land.

However, just because something is law, does not make it right. It is because of this that I am urging the leadership of Northern Virginia Community College not to comply with the wishes of Cuccinelli. What Cuccinelli is doing may be horrendous, but it presents a unique opportunity for our commonwealth’s institutions of higher learning to stand up for what is right.

Our public institutions of academics are supposed to be grounded in the ideas of fairness, truth, equality and knowledge. These schools have taken it upon themselves to make sure that those who are different are not denied any opportunities just because of who they are.

Cuccinelli wants to take action on this right now, after less than two months serving in this position. I’m guessing he has wanted to do this for a while, especially since his four Republican predecessors –Jim Gilmore, Mark Earley, Jerry Kilgore and Bob McDonnell – did not actively work to have universities lift these policies.

I’m also guessing that Cuccinelli has not taken into consideration that for most people the idea of attending a public university that actively promotes and safeguards diversity for all is a positive one.

I can be fairly certain that Cuccinelli, based on his voting record in the General Assembly, does not care about a student or an employee at a college being denied an opportunity or even a place at the college. Even if this is simply because the person providing it disapproves of something in the applicant’s private life that does not affect the way they perform.

Unfortunately, that is the truth in Virginia. Sometimes it’s easy to forget in the gay-friendly areas of Alexandria, Arlington and Falls Church, but our commonwealth is not very receptive to people of different sexual orientations and gender identities. Our commonwealth is on the same level as Oklahoma, the most anti-gay state in the nation, when it comes to the anti-gay policies that are the laws of the land. That two people of the same gender who love each other cannot receive any government protections as a couple is unjustified. That several companies are apprehensive to bring jobs to Virginia because of anti-gay policies is a horrid one, especially in this economic climate.

It’s up to every college student in Virginia to stand up for what is right. The House of Delegates has made it abundantly clear where they stand on discrimination (the state Senate has passed a state non-discrimination bill) and, with an all-GOP executive branch, we cannot count on Gov. McDonnell to help us.

We all must stand up to Cuccinelli’s personal crusade against queer people. It shouldn’t matter what your own personal labels are. Whether you are black, white, Latino, Asian, Middle-Eastern, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Mormon, Buddhist, agnostic, atheist, young, old, liberal, conservative, gay, bi, trans or straight, we need to show our solidarity and commitment to fairness.

Let’s call Cuccinelli’s bluff. What does he plan to do to institutions that do not comply with these wishes? He could cut the school’s funding, but would the state Republicans really cut funding to organizations that are employing people inside the state? Could you imagine the attacks Cuccinelli and all the General Assembly members against fairness would receive because of this? Let’s take Cuccinelli on. Write and call his office. Make your voices heard on this. And no matter what the outcome may be, never let your voice be silent on injustice again.

Charles Bright is a student at NOVA and president of the Alexandria campus Gay-Straight Alliance.

By Charles Bright

By: Contributing Author

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