Date: Tue, 31 Oct 1995 12:29:46 -0500 From: Virginians For Justice Subject: VJ Newsletter (long) The Voice of Virginians for Justice November-December 1995 COOPERATIVE SURVEY RESULTS FOR NOVEMBER 7 ELECTION The results for our first-ever statewide cooperative candidate survey have been compiled and, as detailed below, reveal an increasing amount of support among respondents for equal rights and equal justice for all Virginians, regardless of sexual orientation. Questionnaires covered six general areas of interest: Hate Crimes, Crimes Against Nature, Human Rights, AIDS, Family Life Education and Family Issues. 21% of all candidates responded. 17% of all candidates actually completed the survey while 4% stated that their campaign policy is not to return surveys. The vast majority of respondents rejected the notions of regressive HIV/AIDS funding policies. Troublesome for many candidates, questions dealing with "gay marriage", domestic partner benefits and child custody brought a variety of responses. Evasive answers dominated in these areas. This year's survey is a cooperative effort between Virginians for Justice and the following local organizations: Alexandria Gay & Lesbian Community Association Arlington Gay & Lesbian Alliance Charlottesville Campaign for Human Rights Fairfax Lesbian & Gay Citizens Association Hampton Roads Lesbian & Gay Pride Coalition Richmond Lesbian & Gay Pride Coalition Roanoke Valley Gay & Lesbian Alliance. VJ hopes to use the cooperative model in future surveys. This year's statewide response rate is up from past General Assembly elections, in large part due to the power of the participating local organizations. The Alexandria Gay and Lesbian Community Association, the Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance and Virginia Partisans were particularly influencial in convincing candidates to return their surveys. According to Patrick Heck, VJ's Legislative Coordinator, "In many districts we can trace a candidate's response to a single constituent phone call. Many candidates will respond if just one voter picks up the phone and shows an interest." Prior to the next general election, VJ plans to provide additional instructions to local groups who may have had a difficult time influencing candidates. Heck added, "We will be utilizing the valuable experiences of the Northern Virginia groups that have managed not only to get surveys returned, but also host annual candidate forums that candidates are loath to miss." A particular note of thanks is due to Michael Hendricks of the Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance for his invaluable assistance in developing survey questions and scoring criteria. THE SCORES: The highest score possible is 100, indicating perfect agreement with Virginians for Justice positions. The lowest score possible is 0. Candidates who are not listed did not acknowledge receipt of the survey and did not return a survey, therefore, receive a score of 0. When making inter-candidate comparisons, we caution against reading too much into scores that are relatively close together. For example, a score of 82, when compared with a 74, may not indicate a significant difference in support. Large point differentials are more indicative of inter-candidate dissimilarities. As detailed in the survey instructions, respondents did not receive full point value for a given question if they did not provide a written explanation or comment. If a candidate supported all VJ positions, but gave no written comments for any questions, their total score was 84. Survey scores are for voter education purposes only. Neither Virginians for Justice nor any of the cooperating organizations endorse candidates for political office. SENATE Last Name First Name Party/District Score Miller Yvonne B. D 5 70 Holland Clarence A. D 7 0** Steinberg Murray L. I 12 82 Hawkins Charles R. R 19 0* Sheffield Elise Sprunt I 24 85 Couric Emily D 25 0*** Day Donal B. I 25 91 Strzepek Eric P. I 25 49 Ticer Patricia S. D 30 87 Calhoun Robert L. R 30 47 Whipple Mary Margaret D 31 98 Oblon David Anthony R 31 46 Brubaker Paul R. R 35 80 Gartlan, Jr. Joseph V. D 36 71 * Candidate stated that they do not return surveys ** Candidate stated that they do not return surveys unless sponsored by the news media *** Candidate stated that they can not return all surveys and noted "I do not -- in belief or practice -- support discrimination." HOUSE OF DELEGATES Last Name First Name Party/District Score Nagler R. C. I 13 100 Artis Jeffrey L. R 17 50 Porras Virginia Stephanie I 18 85 Avery Robert J. D 21 92 Crouch Joyce K. R 22 0* Cobbs Gilliam M. D 23 78 Sheffield Eric W. I 24 84 Evans Bradley E. I 27 84 Schoene, Jr. L. P. D 37 93 Hull Robert D. D 38 79 Watts Vivian E. D 39 80 Levy C. W. I 39 84 Spevacek Jo Ann M. D 40 83 Weiner Bruce G. I 41 68 Dillard II James H. R 41 56 Cecelski Mark S. D 42 100 Albo David B. R 42 0* Keating Gladys B. D 43 0 2 Puller Linda T. D 44 73 1 Bourne A. Liddy R 44 39# VanLandingham Marian A. D 45 76 1 Moran Brian J. D 46 76 Wilmot Bruce D. R 46 60 Almand James F. D 47 87 1 Connally Julia A. D 48 85 1 Darner L. Karen D 49 89 1,3 Gideon J. P. R 49 32 Shelton Sean L. I 54 81 Van Yahres Mitchell D 57 73 1 Kirtley Bruce W. D 58 61 Ford, Jr. James L. I 59 82 DeBoer Jay W. D 63 0* Watkins John C. R 65 30 Rhodes Anne G. R 68 0* Moore Mamie Lee I 70 81 Cunningham Jean W. D 71 0 2 Goodwin R. Eriks I 72 89 Cantor Eric I. R 73 0* Yatrofsky Mark A. I 88 89 Sherrill, Jr. J. W. R 88 0** Jones Jerrauld C. D 89 78 3 * Candidate stated that they do not return surveys ** Candidate sent letter acknowledging receipt of survey, but did not return survey or state policy against returning surveys # Candidate crossed out all references to sexual "orientation" in the questions and replaced with sexual "preference" 1 Sponsor or cosponsor of 1995's HB2143, an unsuccessful attempt to make Virginia's hate crimes law gay-inclusive 2 Cosponsor of 1995's HB2143, but did not return survey 3 Sponsor or cosponsor of 1994's HB1314 or 1995's HB1695, attempts to decriminalize private, noncommercial, adult, consentual sexual acts For individual candidate responses to particular questions contact Virginians for Justice. --- "Voting in Virginia" not contained in electronic version --- The enclosed guide, "Voting in Virginia", contains much valuable information. In addition to information about voter registration and voting itself, the guide lists phone numbers for local voter registrars. Your registrar is an invaluable resource. They can provide the name, local address and local phone number of your state legislators. By the late November, they should have similar information for the newly elected Virginia Senate and House of Delegates. Keep this flyer handy for future use! --- "Voting in Virginia" not contained in electronic version --- VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOV. 7! STATE GOVERNMENT ENACTS OR REVOKES MOST LAWS AND POLICIES THAT AFFECT EQUAL JUSTICE - NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT! EEO WORK CONTINUES VJ's effort to document Virginia employers that have anti- discrimination protections in place is quickly coming up to speed. In the last issue of The Voice, we requested that our members send written copies of any employer policies or regulations that provide protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace. We received several responses, but still are lacking written confirmation for most employers. We will periodically publish an updated list in The Voice. The list will become an invaluable tool not only for VJ's efforts in the General Assembly, but will become an important resource for anyone who wishes to influence their employer's Equal Employment Opportunity policies. Our experience tells us that many workers, both private and public, are often unaware that they are protected or, worse yet, may mistakenly believe they are covered. Please send us any information that you may have so we can accurately document the situation. The Voice is published bi-monthly by Virginians for Justice PO Box 342 Richmond, VA 23218-0342 804-643-4816 va4justice@aol.com Virginians for Justice advances equal justice for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and those affected by the HIV epidemic, through the state's legislative, administrative and judicial systems. PLEASE NOTE THAT VJ'S PO BOX ZIP CODE IS NOW 23218-0342. THE POST OFFICE MOVED! FOCUS on HATE CRIMES The Coordinator of VJ's Hate Crimes Task Force, Rick Price of Springfield, encourages Virginians to report all hate crimes based on sexual orientation or HIV status. If you so desire, Virginians for Justice will work with you to arrange a meeting with your group or organization to discuss hate crime prevention and the value of reporting. Without documented cases, we will have difficult time convincing public officials that anti-lesbian and anti-gay hate crimes are a problem, so please call. Remember, victims and witnesses alike should report hate crimes. Even if you learn of crime after the fact, we would still like you to file a report. RECENT REPORTS Thursday, Sept. 7, 1995 Richmond A gay male and a bisexual male received 4 hate phone calls in their home. Callers' statements included, "You all have your heads screwed on backwards, faggots." Caller threatened, "If I ever see you all I'm gonna kick you in the ass." The calls occurred after ONE victim posted flyers for a lesbigay group on a college campus with his home phone as a contact. Police were not notified. September, 1995 Blacksburg An Internet home page for gay and bisexual men received threatening e-mail from a male Virginia Tech student. The e-mail was full of obscenities and included, "We believe in gay rights. 1. Their right to be shot. 2. Their right to be castrated. 3. Their right to die a slow, painful death." Tech was able to trace the message to its originator who admitted his violation of Tech's computer conduct policy that prohibits messages designed "to harass, intimidate, or otherwise annoy another person." The perpetrator's punishment was not disclosed. CALL 1-800-2JUSTIC VJ CO-SPONSORING Women's Legislative Forum On November 18, VJ will co-sponsor a day of workshops and panels on proposed Virginia policy and legislation that could affect women and children. The Women's Legislative Issues Forum will be held from 9:00am until 4:30pm at The Jefferson Hotel in downtown Richmond. At the Forum, VJ will join several Virginia woman legislators, a multitude of other organizations and groups that are interested in women's issues, including Virginia NOW, NARAL, American Association of University Women, Virginia ACLU, Virginians Against Domestic Violence, other human rights and pro-choice organizations, and business owners. Call Virginia NOW at 804-353-3616 for information. VJ DECRIES AMENDMENT 2 As the US Supreme Court prepared to hear oral arguments on the merits of Colorado's anti-gay Amendment 2, VJ joined organizations across the country in condemning the amendment and the extreme right wing groups that have been precipitating similar actions across the country. At an October 9 press conference in VJ's Richmond headquarters, VJ's lobbyist David Perry chastised Virginia Attorney General James Gilmore's endorsement of Amendment 2 (the AG signed on to a brief that was submitted to the Supreme Court in support of the amendment). As reported in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Perry remarked, "Rather than use his office to improve the quality of life of all Virginians, he [Gilmore] has chosen to use it as a platform for the promotion of his own bigotry against certain Americans." Perry added, "This comes at a time when most Virginians are saying they want less big-government interference in local affairs..." Other speakers at the press conference were Virginia ACLU Executive Director Kent Willis and VJ's Shirley Lesser. CAN IT HAPPEN IN VIRGINIA? Although Virginia does not currently have provisions for citizen- initiated referenda such as Amendment 2 or Oregon's failed Ballot Measure 9, the influence of the anti-gay radical right in the Commonwealth is frightening. VJ is anticipating an increase in anti-gay legislation in the 1996 legislative session, particularly if more homophobic legislators are elected on November 7, as is predicted by some. If after the election, either the Senate or the House of Delegates is dominated by homophobic forces, anti-gay legislation will have a much greater chance of succeeding. In the past, anti-gay bills were usually tucked away neatly by gay-supportive committee chairs, never to make it to the floor of either chamber. This could change. The anti-gay pronouncements of Governor Allen, Attorney General Gilmore's anti-gay activities, and the chilling climate induced by our Crimes Against Nature law and the Bottoms custody decision already move Virginia uncomfortably close to the forefront of homophobic state governments. Calendar of Virginia Events Nov. 5 - Hampton Roads AIDS Walk: call 804-531-AIDS for information. Nov. 7 - ELECTION DAY - See you at the polls! Nov. 18 - Women's Legislative Issues Forum - call VA N.O.W. for information: 804-353-3616 Nov. 18 - VJ Board meeting: Richmond Dec. 16 - VJ Board meeting: Richmond Jan. 10 - General Assembly convenes Jan. 29 - Virginians for Justice Lobby Day: Richmond Jan. 31 - NOW Lobby Day: Richmond, 804-353-3616 Feb. 7 - AIDS Lobby Day: Richmond - call Fan Free Clinic 804-358-6343 or Jay Fissette 703-237-4900 SPECIAL ACTION ALERT: BUILDING SUPPORT FOR HATE CRIMES LEGISLATION REQUESTED ACTION: Contact both of your Virginia legislators to ask for their support in enacting legislation to add hate crimes based on a victim's sexual orientation to Virginia's existing hate crimes law. WHEN: Between November 20 and December 20. Mark your calendars! OUR GOAL: With your help, we can visit all 100 Delegates and all 40 Senators during this intensive 30 day period of constituent lobbying. WHERE: In-district visits and contacts only. Do not wait until January when your Senator and Delegate will be in Richmond for the General Assembly session. It is most effective if you visit your legislator. If you are unable to do that, please write a letter or make a phone call. WHY: If we wait until the General Assembly session begins, it will be too late to gain substantial support. Your legislators need to be aware of your concerns before they reach Richmond and become bogged down with the hectic pace of the G.A. WHO: You! These contacts should come from people the legislators represent. BACKGROUND Two years ago in the 1994 legislative session, a bill passed that enacted a new hate crimes law in Virginia. This law provides a mechanism for additional penalties to be levied against those convicted of several types of crimes if the victim is selected on the basis of race, religious conviction, color or national origin. Sexual orientation and gender were included in the original submittal of the bill, but both were stripped from the legislation before it passed. VJ worked for the reinstatement of the original language, but homophobic forces within the General Assembly prevailed and Governor Allen signed the weakened bill into law. Last year in the 1995 legislative session, Delegate James Almand (D- Arlington), along with eight cosponsors, submitted a bill that would add sexual preference and gender to the new law. Although VJ would have preferred the use of "sexual orientation" in the bill's language, we worked with Del. Almand and many equal justice supporters to push the bill forward. This bill failed to clear the House Courts of Justice committee. VJ supports the inclusion of gender-based crimes because sexual orientation and gender are often difficult to separate as motivations for hate crimes or discrimination. THE SUPPORT IS THERE The results of VJ's 1995 cooperative candidate survey indicate strong support for an amendment to the existing hate crimes law. Forty of the forty-four respondents agreed to support the addition of sexual orientation and gender. The affirmative responses seemed to largely ignore partisan and geographic boundaries. It is up to citizens from across the Commonwealth to ask their legislators for this bill. As the Christian Coalition and other right wing groups have expertly shown in recent years, everyday people contacting their legislators can exert a tremendous amount of influence on public officials. Lobbying groups such as VJ have a difficult time succeeding if there is no "people power" backing us up, so we need your assistance. HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS As a Virginian, you have two state legislators to represent your interests in the General Assembly: 1. Your Senator who is one of the forty member Senate of Virginia 2. Your Delegate who is one of the one-hundred member House of Delegates. All 140 legislative seats are up for election in the November 7 election. Many incumbents will retain their seats, but some Senators and Delegates will be newly elected. You can obtain your legislators' local address and phone number by calling your local voter registrar (see enclosed flyer, "Voting in Virginia"). Your registrar can also provide you with your legislators' names and district numbers. If either of your legislators is elected for the first time on November 7, the registrar may not have contact information until late November. WHAT YOU SHOULD ASK FOR Ask them to submit legislation amending Virginia's hate crimes law to include hate crimes based on a victim's sexual orientation or gender. If they are reluctant, ask for co-sponsorship or at the least, their commitment to support such legislation. Let them know that the existing Virginia laws that refer to additional penalties for crimes motivated by hatred are Sections 18.2-57 and 18.2- 121. These sections refer to simple assault, assault and battery, and vandalism. Only crimes motivated by hatred of race, religious conviction, color or national origin are currently included. Section 52-8.5 also should be modified to add sexual orientation and gender to the existing types of hate motivated crimes for which the Department of State Police is required to collect and analize information. HINTS Be brief and concise, but informative. Do not bring other issues into the discussion unless your legislator does so first. Stick to your request for their support of hate crimes legislation. Let them know that we have been collecting statewide statistics on hate crimes motivated by a victim's sexual orientation. If you have personal experience, tell them about the incident. Also, use these statistics: VJ documented 30 incidents in 1994 Nationwide it is estimated that 80% of these crimes go unreported 63% of Virginia offenses included VERBAL HARASSMENT 30% of Virginia offenses included VIOLENCE 13% of Virginia offenses included MURDER. Be polite and non-confrontational. Even if there is no support forthcoming, you may be able to education them in the future. Approach your visit as if it is first of many chats. Follow through with any requests for additional information. VJ can provide full hate crimes reports if needed. Also, send a brief thank you letter thanking them for their time. AFTER YOUR VISIT As VJ's Legislative Task Force and our lobbyists prepare for the hectic General Assembly session, it is imperative that we know how your legislators respond to your request. We will be pursuing this legislation so need to profile all 140 legislators' potential for support or opposition. Please complete, as best you are able, the reporting form below and forward it to VJ prior to December 20. We will report on the number of forms received from each legislative district. Thank you for participating. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Return to Virginians for Justice, PO Box 342, Richmond VA 23202-0342 before December 20, 1995. Form of contact Your Name ___Personal visit Your phone number ___Letter ___Phone call Name of Legislator(s) contacted Your perceptions of the visit(s). Did they commit to sponsoring or supporting legislation? (attach additional sheet if necessary) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN CONTINUES VJ's annual Fall Membership Campaign has been up and running since September 1. Our second annual campaign is focusing on building grassroots lobbying capabilities by gaining more than 100 new members. We have yet to reach that goal, so if you have friends, family members or acquaintances who may be interested, pass this newsletter on to them. There is a membership form on page 7! SIX NEW COUNTIES GAIN VJ MEMBERSHIP In the last issue of The Voice, we published a shaded Virginia map indicating those localities with VJ members. As you might recall, there were vast blank areas, particularly in non-urban areas. Fortunately, at VJ's booth at Roanoke's Sept. 10 Pride in the Park, we filled in six new counties in and around the Roanoke Valley. Many thanks to all who stopped by our booth and signed up. After the Annual Campaign ends on Oct. 31, we will continue to push for more counties and cities to gain representation on our statewide map of supporters of equal rights. We will periodically publish updates to our justice map so that we can illustrate the scope of our support to public officials and the media. Make sure your locale is adequately represented by joining VJ or by recruiting a friend. If any individuals, groups or organizations would like to learn more about our efforts in state government, please contact our Richmond office. JEFFREY PREMIERE RAISES 5K FOR VJ AND HAMPTON ROADS AIDS WALK On September 28, Harbor Gallery and The Naro Expanded Cinema in Norfolk's Ghent neighborhood hosted a gala opening night reception and showing of Jeffrey. More than 275 attendees contributed in excess of $5,300 that, after expenses, was divided equally between Virginians for Justice and the Hampton Roads AIDS Walk Foundation. Many thanks to the Norfolk area businesses that donated to the reception and premiere of Jeffrey Charlotte's Web The Dumbwaiter Nutty Buddy's Sunflower Florist Uncle Louie's Peter's Ten Top Private Eyes Norfolk Florist Mal's Diner The New Leaf Maude's Laura Evans Hershee Bar Our Hosts Harbor Gallery & The Naro Expanded Cinema and Ginny Sealey & The Hampton Roads AIDS Walk Foundation Virginians for Justice ON THE ROAD If any group is interested in learning how to influence local legislators or learning more about the laws that affect the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Virginians, VJ is more than willing to travel to your part of the state. Contact our Richmond office for information (804-643-4816). Here are some of our recent travels: Peninsula PFLAG September 26, Newport News - VJ's Legislative Coordinator, Patrick Heck, spoke to the Peninsula PFLAG chapter about lesbigay issues, the importance of voting and the largely untapped influence that constituents can have on their state legislators. Virginia Tech Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Alliance October 5, Blacksburg - David Perry and VJ outreach volunteer Bob Greene presented a variety of VJ information to Tech's student group. Topics included VJ's work on Crimes Against Nature law and hate crimes legislation, National Coming Out Day and Colorado's Amendment 2. Virginia Jaycees October 7, General Assembly Building, Richmond - Taking advantage of an unprecedented opportunity, David Perry represented VJ in the Jaycee's Model General Assembly. One of only 3 lobbyists who accepted the group's invitation, Perry was able to debate the merits of adding sexual orientation to Virginia's hate crimes law on the floor of the model Senate. He was able to meet and educate many Jaycees and other participants who may have been unaware of equal justice issues. University of Richmond October 12, Richmond - VJ's Shirley Lesser and David Perry were the featured speakers in a Sociology class at U of R. They addressed public policy issues with respect to lgbt rights. Southside Gay and Lesbian Alliance October 17, Halifax - VJ Lobbyist David Perry traveled to Halifax to speak to Southside GALA about state laws and to raise awareness about our hate crimes reporting line 1-800-2JUSTIC. Do you have any newspaper articles, video, research results, legal briefs or similar material that VJ might need in our issue archives? If so, give us call or send it to our Richmond headquarters. We are building a resource of documents that relate to hate crimes, child custody, Crimes Against Nature, gay-related research, anti-gay activities, etc.. We receive many requests from legislators, researchers and the media for this info. It will remain in good hands! VJ BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board Members and the areas they represent: Gary Antonucci - Secretary 804-253-0789 (1st Congressional District, Williamsburg) Patrick Heck 804-622-1695 (3rd CD, Norfolk) Penny Huggins 804-353-0517 (At-Large, Richmond) Bonnie Rabichow - Treasurer 703-660-0670 (8th CD, Alexandria) Sarah Richardson - Chair 804-932-8187 (At-large, New Kent) Heather Womer Ashburn 804-222-5802 (At-large, Richmond) As you can see, many areas of the state are not represented or are severely under-represented. If you might be interested in representing your area of the state call VJ and we'll fill you in. We hold board meetings on the third Saturday of each month at noon in VJ's Richmond headquarters. Everyone is always welcome to attend and participate or, if you wish, simply to observe. VJ extends our gratitude to Rev. Ron Helms of Norfolk who recently stepped down from the Board. Ron brought a clear mind and many good ideas to our meetings. Thank you Ron! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES VJ is searching for volunteers to work in our Richmond office and as volunteers in other areas of the state. Time commitments can range from a few hours per month to several hours each week. Available tasks include: Working on a research and data entry project that will identify our member's legislative districts Hosting a House Party in your area. All you have to do is host a small party while VJ staff and Board members do the rest! Call for info. Answering phones or keeping records. Tracking a state legislator from your area Former Congressman and VJ founding member dies Jon Hinson, a former Republican Congressman from Mississippi and a founding member of Virginians for Justice, died on July 21 in his Silver Spring, Maryland home from AIDS-related illness. After an impressive career as a Congressional Administrative Assistant, Jon was elected to Congress twice, representing Mississippi's Fourth District. He resigned his seat in 1981 after a series of incidents and charges revealed his sexual orientation. Jon courageously picked up the pieces and became involved in the fight for equal rights for gays and lesbians. In the late 1980's, Jon joined a group of Virginia activists in laying the groundwork for the formation of Virginians for Justice. His formidable experience in politics and public policy helped to shape VJ's future as a non-partisan entity and to assure our longevity. As many "gay rights" organizations continue to come and go, VJ will look to Jon's memory for the inspiration to continue moving forward. VJ extends our sympathies to Jon's family and friends. VJ WISH LIST The following items are needed to keep our office operating smoothly: A ream or box of plain white copy paper. Fax paper rolls, 1/2" core diameter, to fit a Savin SX 1000. 32¢ stamps (books, rolls, sheets, ...) We can use any amount that you can send from 1 to 100. Laser printer supplies and/or service. Our printer, an IBM Laserprinter E, is still sick! Service for a Xerox 1020 Marathon Copier. Perhaps you know of a used copier elsewhere? If you are interested in volunteering, or underwriting or donating an item, please phone VJ. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you haven't yet, join VJ and we will keep you informed about our work to obtain equal justice for ALL Virginians Enclosed is my Annual Membership of: INDIVIDUAL $25 Regular $40 Family $100 Major Donor $200 Sponsor $400 Patron $ (other) BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION $125 Bronze ($100 for non-profit) $250 Silver ($200 for non-profit) $500 Gold ($400 for non-profit) Please make check payable to Virginians for Justice. Thank You. VJ's primary activity is lobbying, so contributions are not tax-deductible. A financial statement is available upon written request from the Virginia State Division of Consumer Affairs Virginians for Justice PO Box 342 Richmond, VA 23218-0342 804-643-4816 LEGAL REFERRAL SERVICE VJ has compiled a list of Virginia attorneys who are willing to assist the lesbian and gay community. They are knowledgeable on issues of concern to sexual minorities, so please take advantage of their assistance. If you or someone you know is in need of legal advice, please call VJ at 804-643-4816. SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM VJ offers our organizational and corporate donors the opportunity to show their support by becoming Advertising Sponsors. VJ Advertising Sponsors can advertise in The Voice, thereby reaping the benefits of gaining publicity among VJ readers as well as securing a tax benefit for their business. Rates for a full year (six issues) of advertising sponsorship are: $125 - Bronze ($100 non-profit) $250 - Silver ($200 non-profit) $500 - Gold ($400 non-profit) The Voice reaches more than 1,500 Virginia homes, organizations, and businesses. Add yours to the list by contacting VJ at 804-643-4816. Virginians Against Domestic Violence 2850 Sandy Bay Rd., #101 Williamsburg, VA 23185 Virginia Family Violence Hotline 1-800-838-8238 Virginia's Secret A Transgender Support Organization PO Box 7386 Richmond, VA 23221 804-222-6796 Fairfax Lesbian and Gay Citizens Assoc. Serving the Entire Fairfax County Area PO Box 2322 Springfield, VA 22152 703-451-9528 Dignity - Northern Virginia Gay and Lesbian Catholics and Friends PO Box 10037 Arlington VA 22210 703-912-1662 Metropolitan Community Church of Richmond 2501 Park Avenue Richmond VA 23220 804-353-9477 Nesbit Hair & Cetera 804-355-8775 Main Street Therapy and Fan Tan 804-355-9941 2215 and 2219 West Main Street Richmond VA 23220 The Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance Serving the Arlington Area PO Box 324 Arlington, VA 22210 703-522-7660 The Alexandria Gay & Lesbian Community Association PO Box 19401 Alexandria, VA 22320 703-684-0444 NORFOLK FLORIST "Hampton Roads' Finest" 8 locations throughout Hampton Roads charge by phone: 804-464-1515 out of town customers: 800-873-1550 ILLUMINESSENCE Special Event Lighting Norfolk, Virginia 804-588-0638 EFFINAR STUDIOS LTD. Haircare 2163 North Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22222 703-524-1940 THE TIDEWATER BEARS PO Box 2241 Denbigh, VA 23609-0241 804-622-8755 MacGraphics, Inc. Production of Brochures, Ads, Newsletters, Logos, Menus 198 S. Rosemont Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23452 804-486-3546 804-431-1547(fax) American Express Financial Advisors, Inc. Gregory F. Smith, Certified Financial Planner Suite 190, Chadwick Bldg., 5029 Corporate Woods Dr. VA Beach, VA 23462 804-490-2705, 804-473-8678(fax) William & Mary Gay & Lesbian Alumni A nationwide organization of Wm. & Mary alumni PO Box 15141 Washington, DC 20003