A Virginia county unanimously voted to observe its Transgender Day of Visibility this year on Easter Sunday – a move some critics see as “intentionally trying to offend Christians on the holiest of days.”
The Fairfax Board of Supervisors voted 9-0 in favor of the proclamation last week, with one board member, Republican Supervisor Patrick Herrity, absent.
March 31 – when Easter occurs this year – is typically the date when TDOV is celebrated annually, according to LGBTQ+ advocates and organizations. Easter doesn’t fall on the same day every year for Protestants and Catholics, and can come as early as March 22 or as late as April 25.
“I’m just very happy that we’re recognizing a community that has too often been pushed into the shadows and celebrating yet another community within our diverse tapestry here in Fairfax County,” Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, a Democrat, said during the vote.
Bierman, one of the nine members who requested the proclamation, added the county wants “to make sure that everybody who’s a part of our community feels welcomed, feels loved and feels empowered.”
Democrat board member James Walkinshaw, referring to Herrity’s absence, said he’s “looking forward to the day when we have a full dais for this proclamation, and that day will come.”
