“We are here to tell you that you are welcomed, celebrated, respected and protected in Virginia — no matter what you look like, where you come from, how you worship if you do, who you love, or as [Del. Lee Carter, D-Manassas] likes to say, who you’re born to be.”

Roem added: “Virginia is for everyone. Virginia is for lovers. Virginia is for all lovers.”

Before the vote, Del. Dave LaRock, R-Loudoun, expressed concern that the bill could violate people’s religious freedom. He specifically cited the case of Peter Vlaming, a teacher at West Point High School in King William County who was fired in 2018 after resisting administrators’ orders to use male pronouns when referring to a freshman student who had undergone a gender transition, citing his religious beliefs.

“Peter Vlaming wants to be who he is,” LaRock said.

Vlaming sued the West Point School Board in October, accusing the board of breach of contract and of violating his rights.

Gov. Ralph Northam said Tuesday at an Equality Virginia reception that he supports the bills.

“We can take action this year and we are going to officially end discrimination in the commonwealth of Virginia,” he said. “We are on the cusp of doing historic things.”