Danica Roem

Tributes to Riley have been pouring in from all over the metal and hardcore communities, including from Converge, Lamb of God, Hatebreed, Thursday, La Dispute, Overkill, Kreator, Harms Way, Fucked Up, Trash Talk, Coheed, Full of Hell, Turnstile, and still many, many more...

Danica Roem, who is the lead vocalist of thrash metal band Cab Ride Home, is also the first openly transgender person to be elected (and re-elected) to a state legislature.

As promised, Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe led a crew of costumed, kazoo-wielding people in a "counter-party" against the Westboro Baptist Church, who were protesting the election of Danica Roem.

”In the name of all that is GOOD & JUST in this world, in the name of PUNK ROCK & HEAVY METAL, in the name of #MISTERROGERS & #MISTERSPOCK, IN THE NAME OF MY BELOVED FRIEND #DAVEBROCKIE (R.I.P.)... I COMMAND YOU TO JOIN ME FOR A COUNTER-PARTY!!!” Randy Blythe writes.

She unseats Republican Robert G. Marshall, who introduced the state's transphobic "bathroom bill" (similar to the one that passed in North Carolina) and who has referred to himself as Virginia's "chief homophobe."