A billboard along Interstate 95 in Virginia that says “Nobody is born gay” sparked some backlash from the gay-rights community, and about 400 assembled in downtown Richmond to take a group photo to circulate on social media to protest the highway message.
“[I came] to counter lies with love,” said Les Quintana, who has lived in the Richmond area for 18 years, the Richmond Times Dispatch reported. “To me, it’s not a lifestyle. It’s my life and it matters.”
And another one at the Sunday gathering at the Gay Community Center of Richmond said: “We’re not ashamed anymore. It wouldn’t been very hard to get this many people in a publicized photo. You humanize an issue with a photo,” the newspaper reported.
The billboard, put up by Parents & Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, is located on the southbound side of I-95 near Belvidere Street and reads: “Identical Twins: One gay. One not. Nobody is born gay.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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