Virginia Leaders Condemn Racist Sign Targeting Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears

During a tense Arlington School Board meeting in Virginia, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, faced controversy when a protester outside held a two-sided sign equating transgender bathroom policies with segregation-era water fountains, drawing widespread condemnation. The sign read, “Hey Winsome, if trans can’t share your bathroom, then Blacks can’t share my water fountain,” and was denounced as racist and abhorrent by leaders across party lines, including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Earle-Sears, aligned with the Trump administration's stance opposing gender-neutral bathrooms, condemned the sign and criticized those who did not denounce it, emphasizing her identity as an immigrant, Marine, and lieutenant governor. The incident occurred amid debates over transgender students' access to bathrooms and locker rooms, with the U.S. Department of Education threatening to cut federal funding to schools allowing gender-neutral facilities. Both Democrats and Republicans called for unity and rejected bigotry, highlighting the sign's evocation of painful Jim Crow-era memories. The episode has intensified the already heated Virginia gubernatorial race, spotlighting tensions around transgender rights and racial issues.