Washington Post: “In one exchange, Earle-Sears disagreed with Spanberger that firing someone for being gay constituted discrimination” 
 

VIRGINIA – In what Virginians are calling the “moment of the debate,” Winsome Earle-Sears declared that opposing gay marriage and firing Virginians for being gay is “not discrimination.” 
 
After the debate, Speaker Don Scott slammed Sears and set the record straight  saying that “If I fire somebody because they're gay, that's textbook definition of discrimination.”
 
What Virginians Are Reading: 
 
13 News Now: Speaker Don Scott says Sears comments are a “textbook definition of discrimination.”

•  Anchor: [...] House Speaker of Virginia Don Scott reacted to Sears debate performance and her comments on LGBTQ equality. 
• Don Scott: It was unhinged, it was unprofessional. It was uncalled for. It was not the Virginia way. It was not what Virginians have come to expect from their leaders. She said that it's okay. It's not discrimination. If you fire somebody because they're gay, I thought I would never hear that in my life, and she repeated it. She said, That's not discrimination. If I fire somebody because they're gay, that's textbook definition of discrimination.

WAVY: Political science professor says Sears “not discrimination comments” were a “big mistake”

• Reporter: On LGBTQ rights. Spanberger criticized Earl Sears over her lack of support for same sex marriage. 
• Spanberger: My opponent has previously said that she does not think that gay couples should be allowed to marry. 
• Sears: That’s not discrimination. 
• Reporter: Something Randolph-Macon in political science, Professor Rich Meagher says was a big mistake for Earl Sears. 

8 News: On LGBTQ+ rights, Spanberger criticized Earle-Sears over her lack of support for same-sex marriage. “My opponent has previously said that she does not think that gay couples should be allowed to marry,” Spanberger said. She went on to say Earle-Sears is not against employees being fired for their sexuality. “That’s not discrimination,” Earle-Sears said, repeatedly, about both statements. Meagher described this as “the moment of the debate” — and not a good one — for Earle-Sears’ gubernatorial prospects.

WJLA, 7 News: Sen. Kaine 'shocked' by Earle-Sears' 'that's not discrimination' gay rights remark

• U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine said he was “shocked” by Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ repeated statement that discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in marriage and employment “is not discrimination,” during Thursday night’s gubernatorial debate against Democrat Abigail Spanberger.
• In Spanberger's rebuttal, she said, “My opponent has previously said that she does not think that gay couples should be allowed to marry.” Earle-Sears interrupted: “That’s not discrimination.”
• Kaine said Friday that as a civil rights lawyer for 17 years, Earle-Sears’ response “was a real head scratcher.”
• “To say that being against people marrying who they love is not discrimination, or it’s okay to fire somebody because they’re LGBTQ is not discrimination, that was a shocker,” Kaine said during a press call. “It’s shocking to me that that thought would cross your mind, and it’s even more shocking to people when you say it. That is something that’s not going to sit well with a majority of Virginians.”

Richmond Times-Dispatch: Given a chance to rebut Earle-Sears, Spanberger noted: "My opponent has previously said that she does not think gay couples should be allowed to marry." Earle-Sears interjected: "That's not discrimination." Spanberger added that Earle-Sears has said she is "morally opposed" to same-sex marriage. Spanberger further said: "My opponent has also previously said that she thinks it's OK for someone to be fired from their job for being gay. That is discrimination." Earle-Sears again said: "That's not discrimination."

Virginian Pilot: In her rebuttal, Spanberger said Earle-Sears had previously said that she does not think gay couples should be allowed to marry, and that it was okay for gay people to be fired because of their sexuality. “That’s not discrimination,” Earle-Sears interjected repeatedly, apparently in response to both allegations.

Washington Post: In one exchange, Earle-Sears disagreed with Spanberger that firing someone for being gay constituted discrimination. “My opponent was asked about her record of discrimination. And importantly, my opponent has previously said that she does not think that gay couples should be allowed to marry,” Spanberger said. Earle-Sears interjected, “That’s not discrimination!” “My opponent has also previously said that she thinks it’s okay for someone to be fired from their job for being gay,” Spanberger continued. And Earle-Sears said again, “That’s not discrimination.”

Cville Right Now: They also saw a dramatic illustration of the biggest policy disagreement between Earle-Sears and Reid, the first openly gay Republican to run for statewide office. As Spanberger talked about the rights of gays to marry and to be protected against workplace discrimination, Earle-Sears repeatedly yelled over her words, saying “That’s not discrimination.”

NBC: In yet another explosive moment on same-sex marriage, which Earle-Sears has said she is “morally opposed to,” Spanberger said Earle-Sears “has previously said that she does not think that gay couples should be allowed to marry.” Earle-Sears interrupted, saying, “That’s not discrimination, that’s not discrimination.”

AP: Spanberger then sought to put Earle-Sears on the defensive, noting that the Republican opposes abortion rights and wants to outlaw gay marriage — something Earle-Sears didn’t object to. [...] “That’s not discrimination,” Earle-Sears interrupted.

The National Review: GOP Candidate: It’s Not Discrimination to Fire Someone for Being Gay

• Virginia Republican gubernatorial hopeful Winsome Earle-Sears seems to have a very loose definition of what is and what is not discrimination. 
• If being “morally opposed” to gay marriage and supporting firing people for their sexual orientation isn’t discrimination, what is?

Washington Blade: Earle-Sears: Lack of marriage equality, employment protections is ‘not discrimination’

• Republican Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on Thursday said a lack of marriage rights for same-sex couples and employment protections for LGBTQ people is “not discrimination.”
• “Yes, Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears, that is indeed discrimination,” said Sam Lau, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, on Thursday in response to Earle-Sears’s comments. “Vote for Abigail Spanberger.”

LGBTQ Nation: GOP governor candidate shouts that firing people for being gay is “not discrimination”

• Virginia gubernatorial candidate and current lieutenant governor Winsome Earle-Sears (R) claimed in a televised debate that discriminating against gay people in the workplace isn’t discrimination.
• “My opponent has also previously said that she thinks it’s OK for someone to be fired from their job for being gay,” Spanberger continued. “That is discrimination.” “That’s not discrimination!” Earle-Sears cried out.
• Spanberger’s statement about workplace discrimination is a reference to a 2004 candidate questionnaire on LGBTQ+ rights that Earle-Sears responded to when she was running for Congress. In that questionnaire, she wrote that homosexuality is an “immoral lifestyle choice” and said that she would oppose workplace discrimination protections for gay people.
• While 2004 was a long time ago, any benefit of the doubt was erased last night as Earle-Sears stuck by her position that employers should be allowed to fire people just for being gay.
• Earle-Sears has consistently opposed marriage equality throughout her career.

The Advocate: GOP candidate claims firing people for being gay ‘is not discrimination’ in Virginia governor’s debate

• In a combative and chaotic debate Thursday night, in Norfolk, Virginia, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican candidate for governor, declared that opposing marriage equality and allowing employers to fire people for being gay “is not discrimination.
• Spanberger, who leads in most polls, calmly cited Earle-Sears’s long record of opposing LGBTQ+ rights, including her refusal to support marriage equality or workplace protections for queer Virginians. “My opponent has previously said that she does not think gay couples should be allowed to marry,” Spanberger said. “She’s also said she thinks it’s OK for someone to be fired from their job for being gay.”
• Before Spanberger could finish, Earle-Sears interjected, “That’s not discrimination.”
• The remark drew immediate backlash online. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, condemned the comment. Sam Lau, one of the organization’s spokespersons, said, “Yes, Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears, that is indeed discrimination. Vote for Abigail Spanberger.” 

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