Virginia governor's transgender ex-brother-in-law speaks out
Posted by wac14

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s former brother-in-law, a transgender woman, spoke publicly for the first time about her transition and invited a frank discussion with the governor on gay rights.

At a Capitol rally organized by Equality Virginia, Robyn Deane discussed her past with the governor.

“He witnessed the impact that all of this coming out and being who we are can have on one’s life,” said Deane. “He had a front-row center seat because it was his family that was directly affected.”

Organizers of the rally sought to include sexual orientation protections to the state’s anti-discrimination law, something McDonnell opposes.

In February, McDonnell issued an executive directive stating sexual orientation would not be protected in employment.

“There really isn’t any rampant discrimination on any basis in Virginia,” he said at the time. “If you’re going to have a law, it needs to actually address a real problem.”

Following McDonnell’s action, the state’s attorney general said colleges and universities could not protect gay students and employees based on sexual orientation.

Deane worried she may have been the impetus for McDonnell’s views.

“Maybe I sealed an anger in him toward people like us,” she said. “On the other hand, maybe I can be a bridge.”

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