Created in 1969, the Commonwealth’s “Virginia is For Lovers” tourism slogan was created, and is now one of the most beloved and iconic travel slogans in the world and inducted into the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame in 2009. While it has meant a lot of different things to a lot of different people over the years, one thing remains the same: LOVE.
(8) Portrait of Thomas/ine Hall, pencil and watercolor by Ren Tolson Copyright 2020: Ren Tolson All Rights Reserved
As historians like the Colonial Williamsburg Gender and Sexual Diversity Research Committee dig deeper into Virginia's past, more stories are being mined and shared which center on those Virginian's identifying as LGBTQ+. They remind us "We stand on the shoulders of giants." indicative of research committee member Ren Tolson's article and pencil / watercolor of Virginian (1629) Thomas/ine Hall in Seeing Eye to ‘I’ (an intersex Virginian) and Tolson's article Pride and Prejudice: Honoring historic LGBTQIA+ voices )as they " ... strove for light in the dark. They worked and fought for joy in their lives." Other efforts include Colonial Williamsburg's New Colonial Williamsburg Reenactments Will Bring Queer History To Life and the story the story of A Lesbian Marriage in Historic Colonial Williamsburg. + Thomas(ine) Hall: Intersex in colonial America
It was also in 1969 that the June 28 Stonewall Riots at The Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood New York City occurred. Led by two transgender women of color, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, this pivotal event is considered the beginning of the gay liberation movement in the United States.
During that time, in Virginia’s urban centers, such as downtown Norfolk, The Continental Restaurant (1: image) and Mickey’s on Brooke Street had become internationally known as a respite for sailors and their friends, and had acquired a largely gay clientele. Later, in 1972, Norfolk’s first local gay newsletter – Friends – was created and edited by Mickey’s Jerry Halliday and H.T. Kelly, Jr. (2: book) Today, Norfolk is home to a vibrant LGBT scene, including local favorites MJ’s Tavern and the WAVE. and visitors can experience Norfolk Queer history on the Queer Walking Tour of Norfolk. For over 30 years, Norfolk, Hampton and Virginia Beach have hosted the Hampton Roads Pride Fest and other Pride and local events, showing how the LGBTQ+ community has grown into a vital part of the region’s culture.
* Hampton Roads Pride ~ Norfolk, Hampton and Virginia Beach
In contrast, Roanoke’s Backstreets and Trade Winds Restaurant were regional gay bars for the small city in this Mountain Region. Patrons would walk around to the back of the building, down an alley and several steps down. Attracting a large crowd, this type of social gathering spot was indicative of many home-grown and under-the-radar gay and lesbian bars around the country. (3: history tour) In 1971, less than two years after New York’s Stonewall event, a group of gay men and women founded the Gay Alliance of the Roanoke Valley, (now the Roanoke Diversity Center) the first Gay Liberation organization of the region. (4: article). Today, one can stay and enjoy the food, sites and culture of the Star City, at the annual Roanoke PRIDE festival or on the Roanoke LGBTQ History Walking Tour. Year-round, local gay bar The Park welcomed visitors and locals since 1978.
* Roanoke LGBTQ History Walking Tour
Today, Blacksburg, the Virginia Tech’s Ex Lapide Alumni Society welcome back to campus Queer alumni for “Denim Day,” commemorating the groundbreaking 1979 LGBTQ+ student-led day of support on campus, which at the time, was highly contested. (5: timeline)
Northern Virginia’s Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant in Crystal City has been a home and social hotspot for many Queer east-coasters since owner Freddie Lutz opened it in 2001. Freddie’s is known for their weekend buffets, karaoke, and Drag shows. Lutz, a Virginia native, has recently opened nearby Federico Ristorante Italiano. Formerly Café Italia (1976), Lutz started there as a waiter, then maître d'. “Cafe Italia flew a gay flag, employed LGBT staff, and held Drag shows on Halloween,” Lutz says. “Federico’s continues carries on that spirit of hospitality in welcoming all.” Regionally, since 1981, the Arlington Gay & Lesbian Alliance (AGLA) has established itself as a home base and center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender life, culture and equality – centering on nonpartisan political awareness, civic engagement, community service and regional events for locals and visitors.
UPDATE! On June 1, 2024, the Fredericksburg Area Museum (FAM) opened a new exhibit named “Out & About: The Walk-In Closet," which features the history, culture and talent of the LGTBQ+ community in the region, spanning 200 years of local history. Visit the FAM website to learn more!
Richmonders Beth Marschak and Alex Lorch detail in their book Lesbian and Gay Richmond (Images of America: Virginia that the Block Neighborhood, Richmond’s underground community of gay culture and community, is an example of several of the city’s gay & lesbian social clubs “hidden in plain sight.” (6: book) And since 1993, the Richmond Triangle Players has been a major center of Queer theater on the East Coast.
And located in Richmond’s Shockoe Slip district, Sam Miller’s Restaurant is a full-service restaurant, bar, and private events venue. As an out member of the LGBTQ community for the last 44 years, owner of Ken Wall creates an open, inclusive, and safe space for the entire community to congregate, eat delicious food and one’s favorite drink.
Today, OutRVA is the go-to guide for the city's Queer-centric and friendly experiences and home of four Queer bars: Babe's, Godfrey's, Barcode and Papi's as well as the VA PrideFest since the mid-1970's. Richmond is also home to the Commonwealth’s first Black Pride in VA. Lacette Cross, event creator, shared in 2018, “We see the need to help raise the voices and experiences of Black folks and People of Color (POC) in the Queer community, at existing Pride events, and throughout the year.” Diversity Richmond hosts and annual Viva RVA! Hispanic Music Festival, the state's first celebration of Hispanic music, food, and Virginia's LatinX LGBTQ+ community.
Winchester native Julian Wood Glass, Jr., along with partner R. Lee Taylor, were collecting art and antiques while renovating Glass’s family estate Glen Burnie House and gardens in 1952 – later to be opened as the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in 2005. The museum shares the collections and culture behind this extraordinary story, including a one-of-a-kind, fascinating collection of furnished miniature houses and rooms and shadow boxes. Playing nearby, undoubtedly, one might hear the timeless songs of Winchester native and gay icon Patsy Cline. Born 1932, Cline was a pioneering country music singer who died in a tragic plane crash at age 30, and was the first solo female singer to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1960 and the first woman to be inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973. Today, one can visit the Patsy Cline Historic House and attend the city’s annual Winchester PRIDE Celebration.
There are a multitude of Pride festivals and events all over Virginia, from local day-long events in Upperville, Farmville, Marion, and Pulaski to rural Main Street Prides in Floyd, Harrisonburg, Staunton, Winchester, and Bedford and in the city of Hampton. These events work to bring together Queer locals and Allies while also welcoming home native-Virginia and out-of-state family, couples and friends. And a big draw for Out-of-state visitors are the music, food, cocktails and exponential energy of our urban prides in Norfolk, Roanoke, Richmond and Charlottesville.
And a notable moment in Virginia Queer history took place on Tuesday, June 30, 2019, in New York City. This marked the first time Virginia is for Lovers participated in a World Pride event. Virginians Eric Hause and Andrew Roberts, married partners in life and owners/editors/publishers of multimedia company OutLife 757 magazine led Virginians Nancy Lenthall, Ally Graul, James Hermassen Parker and others joining from the crowd carried the Virginia is for Lovers banner, and wore our iconic VIFL Pride Heart shirts, hats and gear.
* Click image to play video > From L to R: Virginian's Andrew Roberts and Eric Hause of OutWire 757 joined by James Hermassen Parker, Ally Graul & Nancy Lenthall
* Bristol TriPride Festival makes history, takes place in 2 states simultaneously ~ (WCYB Ch. 5 News)
The 2022 TriPride TN/VA festival made history, on Saturday, August 27, 2022, as the first pride event in the nation to take place in two states simultaneously ~ Bristol VA / TN. Hear from local TriPride member & Bristol local Justin Hall about the event and what he loves about Bristol > Walk the Line with Pride in Bristol VA/TN
* 2022 saw the first-ever Williamsburg PrideCon hosted by Love is Love Tidewater and PFLAG Norfolk/Hampton Roads. The theme was "Bright and Brilliant" with local vendors, food trucks, great music, local LGBTQ+ service and support organizations and a costume contests for multiple age groups with cash prizes!
Visit Outwire757.com for more Williamsburg PrideCon photos
In February 2024, Virginia ejoyed a visit and > Interview < from Queer icon JD Doyle. A Norfolk resident between 1978 - 1981, JD, then a chemical engineer, followed his heart and father’s advice to travel cross country and expand experiences. In his new book 1981—My Gay American Road Trip: A Slice of Pre-AIDS Culture, JD shares stories of the places, people and experiences during his journey. Among many awards and accomplishments, including the 2019 Mention the Library of Congress selected the JD Doyle Archives for inclusion in their internet LGBTQ studies web archive, the 2021 Trailblazer Award from the Texas Conference on Digital Libraries, the proclamation of “JD Doyle Day” from Houston’s May in 2022, and 2023 Legacy Award from the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
And, were double lucky to the same with writer, director and producer > Angela Harvey < who has visited Virginia several time, including February 2024 for a screening and community conversation with locals realted to her groundbreaking film Black Rainbow Love.
Today, you can find self-designated LGBT-friendly shops, restaurants, distilleries, meaderies, cideries, craft breweries, wineries, outdoor adventures, attractions, and places to stay during one of our many Pride weekends, or for a quick weekend getaway - year-round and statewide. You can also explore one of Virginia's 10 regions or find them all at Virginia.org/LGBT.
* * Also visit LGBTQ+ History curated by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture **
Visitors and locals share their favorites at @visitgayva (Instagram) and @VisitGayVA (Twitter) all year. #visitgayva
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(1) The Boiler Room / Queer Walking Tour of Norfolk – Old Dominion University
(2) LGBT Hampton Roads – March 7, 2016 by Charles H Ford & Jeffrey L Littlejohn
(3) Timeline of LGBTQ+ History at Virginia Tech– March 7, 2016 by Ex Lapide Society & Latanya Walker
(4) Lasting Legacy: What Stonewall Means in the South – June 6, 2019 by Dr. Gregory S. Rosenthal
(5) Walking Tour: Gentrification and Queer Erasure in Roanoke – April 27, 2017 by
(6) Lesbian and Gay Richmond (Images of America: Virginia) – July 7, 2008 by Beth Marschak & Alex Lorch
(7) Virginia Persons of Note in LGBTQ History –2014 by Virginia Department of Historic Resources
(8) Seeing Eye to ‘I’ – December 29, 2020 by Ren Tolson
