COLUMBUS, OH — As extremist lawmakers in Ohio continue to target LGBTQ+ communities through harmful, unconstitutional legislation, Equality Ohio is sounding the alarm—and calling for organized, sustained public resistance.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court of Ohio granted the state’s emergency request to stay a ruling from the Tenth District Court of Appeals that would have blocked the enforcement of House Bill 68, a law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. That ruling, issued in March, found HB 68 to be in violation of at least two provisions of the Ohio Constitution. While the case now moves to the state’s highest court, the ban remains in effect—continuing to harm adolescents across Ohio.

Dwayne Steward, Equality Ohio’s Executive Director, issued the following statement:

Equality Ohio continues to fully support the legal team at the ACLU of Ohio and the Center for Constitutional Trans Rights (CTA), who are doing the painstaking, urgent work of challenging this unconstitutional law. Their leadership is saving lives.

HB 68 is cruel and extreme, and our response must be unrelenting. Know your legislators. Call them. Email them. Show up. Make it clear that marginalized Ohioans are not pawns in a political game—transgender Ohioans deserve medical care, like all Ohioans. The legal battle isn’t over yet, so please stay engaged with our social media channels, the ACLU of Ohio and other organizations across the state working to build lived and legal equity. 

We won’t stop until every Ohioan can live with dignity, safety, and autonomy.

At the same time, the Ohio House is considering yet another dangerous bill—HB 249—which would criminalize public drag performances under the guise of protecting minors. If passed, the bill would restrict any gender non-conforming performance in public, weaponizing vague, discriminatory language to target LGBTQ+ people simply for existing.

Steward responded:

House Bill 249 is not just unnecessary—it’s ridiculous. This bill is a blatant attempt by politicians to suppress cultural expression under the guise of protecting children. It’s not about safety. It’s about censorship.

Performance has always been a vital force in how communities share our stories, preserve traditions, and honor our identities. Across generations from immigrant families, Black communities to LGBTQ+ Ohioans, art has been more than expression; it has been a declaration of existence, resilience, and pride. Drag is a powerful embodiment of that spirit. It is vibrant, unapologetic, and deeply rooted in our cultural fabric. It brings joy, challenges norms, and, above all, it endures. Drag isn’t just performance, it’s power. And it’s here to stay.

Equality Ohio urges the public to follow updates, elevate accurate information, and support organizations on the ground working to protect LGBTQ+ rights. Share our social media posts and statements widely, and help us send a clear message: queer and trans Ohioans, with support from our large base of allies, are not going anywhere.

Media Contact: 

MD Sitzes, md@equalityohio.org

About Equality Ohio:
Equality Ohio is a statewide advocacy organization advancing the rights and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ Ohioans through legal advocacy, community engagement, and public policy work. Learn more at www.equalityohio.org.

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