HOUSE OF REPS/LGBTQ/POLITICS: “With Virginia’s first openly transgender elected official preparing to take her seat in the House of Delegates, the Republican leader of that chamber says it is time to end a tradition of addressing lawmakers by formal male and female pronouns.
Instead of the ‘gentleman’ or ‘gentlewoman’ from a given jurisdiction, lawmakers will all be referred to as ‘delegate’ if Republicans maintain control of the chamber, House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox (R-Colonial Heights) said through a spokesman Tuesday.
Conservative lawmakers hailed the change as a way to avoid what they said could be a potentially awkward situation. But one of the longest-serving House Democrats called the decision ‘shameful’ and said lawmakers ‘ought to be big enough to get over these hang-ups we have.’
Cox’s office said he had been considering the change since shortly after he was chosen as the party’s designee for speaker, a title he would assume if the GOP retains control over the House after three close races are decided.”
-Antonio Olivo, “After Roem’s election, Va. GOP leader wants to do away with ‘Gentlewoman’ title,” The Washington Post online, Nov. 21, 2017 07:02pm