Virginia Gov. Spanberger appoints LGBTQ activist Kellen MacBeth to state advisory board

Spanberger's appointment of MacBeth places a figure who led Equality Arlington — a nonprofit that urged Virginia school districts to implement policies allowing transgender students to use bathrooms aligned with their gender identity — onto the official body that advises the governor on LGBTQ-related policy priorities.

Under MacBeth's leadership, Equality Arlington encouraged local governments and school districts, including Arlington Public Schools, to resist efforts to reverse transgender-inclusive policies even amid federal pressure to change them. The organization also opposed Virginia legislation that would have required schools to notify parents when a student identifies as transgender, and opposed measures that would allow parents to opt children out of LGBTQ-related classroom instruction, according to Fox News.

Spanberger's spokesperson responded to questions about the appointment by pointing to the governor's school safety record. "Governor Spanberger has signed dozens of bipartisan bills into law focused on strengthening school safety, investing greater resources into classrooms, and empowering parents to be more involved in their child's education," the spokesperson stated.