Winsome Earle-Sears, the lieutenant governor of Virginia, has expressed opposition to policies permitting men to enter women’s spaces based on self-identified gender. She linked this issue to a high-profile case involving Richard Cox. The statement was made on X.
“Abigail Spanberger says we have to accept anyone who identifies as a woman—even predators like Richard Cox—as real women,” said Earle-Sears, Lt. Gov. of Virginia. “Look where that insanity has gotten us:”
According to WJLA ABC 7News, Richard Cox, a registered sex offender, informed staff at a Fairfax County recreation center that he identified as a woman and subsequently entered the women’s locker room under the county’s transgender policy. A woman reported that he exposed himself in the facility. During court proceedings in Arlington, women testified they had seen Cox naked in girls’ high school locker rooms. However, Fairfax County police said there was no probable cause for charges at that time.
A 7News investigation compiled a detailed timeline of Cox’s record, highlighting his multiple prison sentences and classification as a Tier III sex offender—the category covering the most serious offenses. Reports outline repeated incidents at area high schools and fitness centers, including allegations of exposure and accessing girls’ locker rooms. The timeline underscores years of enforcement actions and court activity connected to Cox’s conduct across jurisdictions.
Spanberger, a former U.S. representative, supported the Equality Act in 2021. According to news coverage and bill text summaries, this measure adds gender identity to federal civil rights law and prohibits denying access to shared facilities—such as restrooms and locker rooms—consistent with an individual’s gender identity. The Federalist reported Spanberger did not respond when asked whether she supports male sex offenders entering women’s spaces under such policies.
