Democrats make huge victories in US elections
Lithuania votes down bid to repeal 'LGBT propaganda' law
I have a story up on the Los Angeles Blade looking into the New Hampshire town where a lunatic city councilor is looking to ban all public art because she believes a diversity mural is trying to empower ancient demons. It would be funny, except the craziness is having a real impact on peoples’ lives, including the local theatre company that’s basically being blackmailed over it’s current production of La Cage Aux Folles.
But that’s not the big news in the US today.
Yesterday was election night in several states and Democrats came away with some huge victories.
First, Democrats recaptured the Virginia House of Delegates, giving them complete control of the legislature once again. That will effectively stop Republican Governor Youngkin’s legislative agenda, which had included an abortion ban and a deeper clampdown on LGBT issues in schools.
Democrats will now also get a chance to restart the process of repealing the state’s defunct constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, which was derailed when Republicans blocked it this year. An amendment has to be passed by two consecutive sessions of the legislature, so the earliest this could go before voters is in 2026, assuming Democrats hold the legislature after the 2025 elections.
The race also saw openly trans legislator Danica Roem (pictured above) succeed in her bid to move from the state house to the state senate. Democrat Susanna Gibson, who caught controversy when it was discovered that she had sold pornographic videos on OnlyFans, was in a house race that was still too close to call this morning.
Democrats also scored important victories on school boards, which had formed an important part of Youngkin’s anti-LGBT agenda.
In Ohio, voters passed a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion, and legalized marijuana in separate ballot questions.
In Pennsylvania, Democrats expanded their state Supreme Court majority to 5-2. This ought to help protect LGBT rights and voting rights in the state for the next two years – three of the court’s Democrats are up for election in 2025. Somewhat less flashily, Democrats picked up two seats on the Superior Court and one on the Commonwealth Court – those are both intermediate appellate courts.
Also, Philadelphia elected its first openly LGBT city councilor, the last major city in America to do so. Democrats also flipped a bunch of down-ballot races for city councils, district attorneys and school boards, although book-banners won a majority on at least one council in suburban Pittsburgh.
In Kentucky, incumbent Democrat Governor Andy Beshear won reelection. Beshear has been a bulwark against some of the worst Republican excesses in this red state, but his veto power is extremely limited.
In New Jersey, Democrats expanded their control of the state Assembly and Senate, electing the state’s first openly LGBTQ woman legislator in the process. In nearby Connecticut, Democrats flipped 10% of city councils from Republican to Democratic Party control.
The Democrat made the Mississippi Governor race closer than expected, but lost to the incumbent Republican. Democrats had already lost the Louisiana Governor race earlier in the election cycle. Republicans also maintained control of both states’ legislatures.
All in all, it was a very good night for progressive Democrats and for queer people.
Meanwhile, in the rest of the world
Lithuania: In a 50-56 vote with 19 abstentions, lawmakers rejected a bill that would have scrapped the country’s law that bans presenting information about LGBTQ people to minors. The President called the repeal bill a “green light to denigrate the family.” The ‘LGBTQ propaganda’ law has been found in violation of the European Convention by the European Court of Human Rights – it mirrors similar bills in Hungary and Russia.
Northern Ireland: In the wake of the UK government abandoning its pledge to introduce a conversion therapy ban, the Alliance Party has said it would introduce a ban in the province’s legislature. But don’t hold your breath – the legislature hasn’t met since May 2022, because of a boycott by the (anti-LGBT) Democratic Unionist Party, which is upset about the way Brexit (which they campaigned for) is being implemented. Fresh elections are possible in the spring.
Hong Kong: The city government has announced it will appeal the recent decision granting equal housing rights to same-sex couples to the Court of Final Appeal. Given the court has already ruled that the city has to offer same-sex couples an alternative to marriage within two years, I’m not sure how the government thinks it can win this.
Bermuda: A challenge to the country’s ban on same-sex marriage is being heard at the European Court of Human Rights, and LGBT rights group Colors Cayman was able to submit an intervention last month. The hope is that ECHR determines that the UK Privy Council erred in overruling local courts on same-sex marriage last year – if it did, it would be the first time the ECHR rules for marriage equality. It has previously limited its rulings to requiring same-sex civil unions.
Mexico: The Guanajuato state congress is working on bills to ban conversion therapy and sanction anti-LGBT hate crimes in the state and is planning to hold consultations soon. A federal conversion therapy ban is still pending a final vote in Congress.
India: A panel vetting a new draft criminal justice laws to replace colonial-era laws has concluded its work. The recommended draft penal code does not attempt to reintroduce the criminal ban on sodomy that was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2018, but it does contain a provision that ensures that nonconsensual sex between same-sex partners remains illegal, assuaging some fears after no such provision was included in the first draft.
The European Union: The European Commission dropped a report on enlargement prospects this morning, recommending negotiations begin for Ukraine and Moldova, and that Georgia be given candidate status. At the very least, eventual EU membership (which is going to be years away) will compel these states to recognize same-sex marriages conducted in other EU states. Politico has a good breakdown of the report.