MARRIAGE
If we want a robust economy, we have to have thriving, two-parent families. If we want better outcomes for our children, we need to protect marriage. One study found that the cost of family fragmentation to Virginia taxpayers is at least $750 million annually.
The Family Foundation believes in marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman, an institution of God and a foundation for civil society. An abundance of social science shows us that men, women, and children benefit economically, physically, and emotionally from a stable, two-parent marriage and family. Marriage promotes social order and provides a vehicle for long-term economic development and security within society.
The Family Foundation seeks to promote and defend the traditional marriage unit as the foundation to a stable society.
What we are doing:
- Strengthening Marriage | Virginia’s no-fault divorce laws make unilateral divorce too easy. These laws need to be tightened to encourage marriage counseling and to protect the best interest of children.
- Opposing Making Sexual Behavior a Protected Class | Every year there are efforts in Virginia to add sexual orientation/gender identity to the list of protected classes in non-discrimination laws. This is not only unnecessary, as no evidence of discrimination exists, but has potential negative ramifications on religious liberty.
Our victories:
- Added teaching the Benefits and Value of Marriage in Family Life Education
- Added a Marriage Amendment to the VA State Constitution (since rejected by U.S. Supreme Court)
- Increased Penalties for Possession of Child Pornography
- Defeated the elevation of Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity to protected class