Ralph Shearer Northam (born September 13, 1959) is an American politician and physician serving as the 73rd Governor of Virginia since January 13, 2018. A pediatric neurologist by occupation, he was an officer in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1984 to 1992. Northam, a member of the Democratic Party, served as the 40th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018 prior to winning the governorship against Republican nominee Ed Gillespie in the 2017 election.
Virginia becomes 12th state to ban “gay and trans panic” defence with landmark bill
Celebrations are in order after Virginia has become the 12th state to ban the “gay and trans panic” defence. Governor Ralph Northam signed Bill 2132 this past Wednesday.
The Bill states: “The discovery of, perception of, or belief about another person’s actual or perceived sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation, whether or not accurate, is not a defence to any charge of capital murder … assault and bodily wounding-related crimes and is not provocation negating or excluding malice as an element of murder.” The new legislation was passed in the state Senate and the House this past February.
Danica Roem, a Democratic Delegate and author of the bill, opened up about being inspired by one of her teenage constituents.
