Equality apparently wasn’t finished being debated in Virginia, and Winsome Earle-Sears is making sure the conversation stays alive. Less than a year after losing Virginia’s gubernatorial race, the former lieutenant governor is launching a statewide campaign urging voters to reject a constitutional amendment that would protect marriage equality—because nothing says “moving forward” quite like reopening a fight over LGBTQ+ rights from 2006.
Earle-Sears’ new “Life and Marriage Tour” will take her across Virginia as she campaigns against two constitutional amendments on this November’s ballot: one that would remove the state’s outdated same-sex marriage ban and another that would protect reproductive freedom.
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For many LGBTQ+ Virginians, the campaign is a reminder that legal victories can still require permanent protection. A right can exist today and still face questions about tomorrow.
Virginia’s outdated marriage equality language
Same-sex couples have had the right to marry nationwide since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision. But Virginia’s constitution still contains language approved in 2006 stating that marriage is between one man and one woman.
The proposed amendment would remove that language and add protections preventing the state from denying marriage licenses to two adults based on their sex, gender, or race.
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Supporters argue the change is about making Virginia’s constitution match current law while creating an additional safeguard for equality should federal protections ever be challenged.
Those concerns gained attention after Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas suggested in 2022 that the Court should reconsider precedents involving substantive due process, including Obergefell v. Hodges, after the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned the constitutional right to abortion.
Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman said removing the ban would complete a long-overdue update to the state’s governing document.
“20 years after banning marriage equality, it’s time for our commonwealth to fully complete our evolution — and finish the job on protecting marriage equality for all.”
A familiar position returns to the spotlight
Earle-Sears’ opposition to LGBTQ+ protections has been a recurring part of her political career. During her unsuccessful 2025 gubernatorial campaign against Democrat Abigail Spanberger, she repeatedly criticized her opponent over transgender rights. She also faced backlash after comments during a televised debate where she argued that refusing to hire someone because they are gay is not discrimination.
When asked about those remarks afterward, Earle-Sears said she had misspoken and meant that she herself had not personally discriminated against gay people in that situation.
Spanberger ultimately defeated Earle-Sears in the 2025 gubernatorial election by 13 percentage points.
Her opposition to marriage equality was already clear before the campaign. In 2024, when she was constitutionally required to sign legislation codifying same-sex marriage into Virginia law, Earle-Sears attached a note saying that while she respected her constitutional duty, she remained “morally opposed” to the legislation.
The bill was designed to remove Virginia’s inactive same-sex marriage ban from state law in case the Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling was ever overturned.
Now, she is bringing that opposition directly to voters.
In an email to supporters announcing the tour, Earle-Sears said the proposed amendments “raise serious concerns” and urged Virginians to reject them.
“That is why our efforts are focused not only on informing voters, but also encouraging them to carefully consider these proposals and vote NO on both amendments.”
The “Life and Marriage Tour” will include stops with citizens, churches, community organizations, and local leaders throughout Virginia. Specific locations have not yet been announced.
More than one amendment on the ballot
Virginia voters will consider three constitutional amendments this November, but Earle-Sears is focusing her campaign on two: the Virginia Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment and the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment.
A “Yes” vote on the marriage amendment would remove the current constitutional language defining marriage as between one man and one woman and would prevent the state from denying marriage licenses based on sex, gender, or race.
The reproductive freedom amendment would add protections for Virginians’ ability to make decisions regarding reproductive healthcare. The proposal would still allow the state to regulate abortion care in the third trimester under certain circumstances, while requiring care when medically necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person or when a fetus is not viable.
Earle-Sears has also maintained an anti-abortion position throughout her political career. During the 2025 election cycle, according to the Virginia Independent, campaign funds were donated to the Family Foundation of Virginia, a faith-based organization that opposes abortion and in vitro fertilization.
Whether voters approve or reject the amendments this fall, the debate reflects a familiar reality for many LGBTQ+ Americans: progress is not always permanent. Sometimes protections need to be written down, defended, and carried forward.
For supporters of marriage equality, this amendment is not about changing who can marry today. It is about making sure that answer remains the same tomorrow.
Source: Washington Blade