Politics & Government

Virginia Del. Mark Sickles Announces He's Gay

Recent ruling on gay marriage, comments by Republican lawmaker, prompt column in Washington Post.

Virginia Del. Mark Sickles, who is running for Congress, has announced publicly that he's gay. He revealed the news in an opinion column Friday in The Washington Post titled "A marriage ruling that counts me in." 

He referenced the recent news that a federal judge in Norfolk had ruled the Virginia ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional.

Sickles' column also comes after his recent announcement that he is running for the 8th congressional District, which includes the City of Alexandria, the City of Falls Church, Arlington County and parts of Fairfax County.

In his Friday column, Sickles cited comments by Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William, House sponsor of Virginia’s 2006 constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage.

Marshall, who is also running for Congress, in the 10th District, recently described the “LGBT lifestyle” as a series of “life shortening and health compromising behaviors" and said gay people were not fit to be parents.

"Hearing such caustic remarks yet again on the House floor, coupled with the overturning of our same-sex marriage ban, has motivated me to state publicly here what many close friends and family have known for decades: I am a proud, gay man," Sickles wrote in his column.

Find out what's happening in Lortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Sickles' 43rd District in Virginia encompasses parts of Fairfax County including Kingstowne, Rose Hill, the Huntley Meadows area, Newington and parts of Lorton located on the eastern side of I-95. He has won six elections, first winning his seat in November 2003.

Marshall is running for the 10th District seat being vacated by longtime GOP Congressman Frank Wolf. The 10th District includes parts of Fairfax County, Loudoun County and Prince William County.

Sickles' announcement comes as he and state Sen. Adam P. Ebbin, D-Alexandria, the state's other openly gay lawmaker, vie in a crowded race with other Democrats, for the nomination to run for the Northern Virginia congressional seat of retiring Rep. James P. Moran, D-8th.

Also read:


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here