“The concept of family within the LGBT community has historically and, out of necessity, been flexible,” said Meg Hughes, Curator of Archives at The Valentine. “After coming out, many LGBT individuals are ostracized from their family and friends. However, everyone needs love, and the LGBT community has been actively creating support networks for decades.”
“One Love: LGBT Families provides us with a great way to showcase to visitors the wonderfully diverse community that we enjoy here in the Richmond Region,” said Katherine O’Donnell, vice president of community relations at Richmond Region Tourism. “Through OutRVA, we’re spreading the message that the Richmond Region is a welcoming and diverse community. This exhibit helps us tell that part of the Richmond story in a beautiful, thought-provoking way.”
The legal landscape has changed dramatically for LGBT families since the early 2000s, when states began to pass legislation recognizing same-sex couples. Virginia legalized same-sex marriage in 2014, and the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Obergefell v. Hodges decision (2015) recognizes a constitutional right for same-sex couples to marry. LGBT families are now beginning to have greater access to the legal options available for major life events – getting married, having kids and preparing for the future.
“We are proud to be included among the varying images and definitions of family in this exhibit,” said Rodney Lofton, who was photographed at Comfort restaurant with his husband. Lofton and his husband are a gay, interracial couple. “One Love: LGBT Families highlights families that may be different from the days of Ozzie and Harriet, but share the same values and ultimate goal, love.”
