(i) How queer friendly is it and how large is the community? Do locals welcome us?

RVA is a left-leaning, open-minded city for the most part.

(ii) How accepting are locals to people who are from different parts of the country/world?

RVA is open to all cultures, but as you can see in the comments a lot of locals get irrationally angry when people from NOVA move down here. Fuck 'em.

(iii) Is the grapevine strong there? Do people keep to themselves or are they open?

Your ability to make friends in RVA will primarily be based on how willing you are to make an effort and put yourself out there. Locals can be cliquey and judgmental.

(iv) How diverse is the food culture? Is there middle eastern food, pho, greek, etc.?

The food scene here isn't quite as diverse as what you're likely used to in NOVA/DC, but it's still surprisingly strong when you consider the size of the city. DM me if you want any recommendations!

(v) How good is the internet there? How often are there outages?

The internet here is fine. The standard providers that you'd expect to find in NOVA are present in RVA.