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By md Spicer-Sitzes on March 26, 2021 in Blog
The Board of Directors of the OHSAA, Executive Director’s Office and member schools do hereby reaffirm the following policy considerations respecting participation in interscholastic sports in Ohio: 1. Participation in interscholastic and intercollegiate athletics is a valuable part of the education experience for all students. 2. Transgender student athletes should have equal opportunity to participate […]
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By Siobhan Boyd-Nelson on March 19, 2021 in Blog
As Ohioans, we must continue the ongoing work to be truly anti-racist. Across party lines, leaders and communities alike are calling for an end to White Supremacy. Its destructive path has no place in public office or civic duty…
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By md Spicer-Sitzes on May 26, 2021 in Blog
Equality Ohio, in partnership with Equitas Health, Living With Change, OCTOPUS LLC, and TransOhio, will be working to assist those who want help changing their birth certificate to reflect their gender.
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By md Spicer-Sitzes on May 7, 2021 in Uncategorized
This weekend, I’m celebrating my first Mother’s Day. As I do so, I can’t help but to think of all the mama figures in our lives — and how 3 out of 4 families in the United States do not reflect the nuclear images we see in the greeting card aisle. I think of house […]
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By md Spicer-Sitzes on May 3, 2021 in Uncategorized
Equality Ohio is excited to announce our Save-the-Dates for your 2021 calendars.
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By Siobhan Boyd-Nelson on April 20, 2021 in News
Today, we have witnessed a single act toward justice, and our hearts are still heavy. We celebrate the valuing of George Floyd’s life, and we are still in deep mourning over countless other Black and Brown lives that have not been valued. The work is not over. It is far from over. Tomorrow, we will […]
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By md Spicer-Sitzes on April 15, 2021 in Community
We pause once again, this time to honor the lives of Daunte Wright and Miles Jackson, two young Black men whose lives faced too many unnecessary risks. We grieve the trauma endured by witnesses, including Daunte’s mother, who spoke to him seconds before his death. We pause to acknowledge the haunting familiarity of location and […]
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By Dominic Detwiler on March 4, 2021 in Blog
This morning, a bipartisan, bicameral group of Ohio legislators announced that they are reintroducing the Ohio Fairness Act at the Ohio Statehouse, joined by faith leaders, community advocates, and over 1,000 businesses across the state demanding we protect LGBTQ+ Ohioans from discrimination.
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By Dominic Detwiler on February 5, 2021 in Blog
The 134th General Assembly is only a month old, and extreme anti-LGBTQ+ lawmakers have already begun their attacks on transgender youth. This morning, Representatives Jena Powell and Reggie Stoltzfus reintroduced their blanket ban on transgender athletes in high school and college sports. In the face of an ongoing pandemic and calls for meaningful criminal justice reform, Reps. Powell (R-Arcanum) and Stoltzfus (R-Paris Township) wasted no time in bringing back this incredibly dangerous and discriminatory bill.
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By Dominic Detwiler on February 4, 2021 in Blog
Today, members of the Ohio Senate, led by Senators Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Tina Maharath (D-Canal Winchester), introduced SB 50, which would prohibit the fraudulent and dangerous practice of attempting to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, sometimes called “conversion therapy” or “reparative therapy”.
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By Dominic Detwiler on January 25, 2021 in Blog
Today, President Biden issued an Executive Order reversing the Trump administration’s policy banning transgender Americans from openly serving in the U.S. military. We celebrate this renewed reflection of equality as an American value alongside active and veteran members of the transgender community. Allowing qualified transgender Americans to serve openly will make the United States stronger […]
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By Dominic Detwiler on January 7, 2021 in Blog
We, like so many, are in shock at the terrorist attacks of the past twenty-four hours that sought to undermine our democracy.
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By Dominic Detwiler on December 28, 2020 in Blog
Last week, the Queer Partnership for Black Liberation, a group of Black LGBTQ+ leaders in Columbus sent a letter to Columbus Mayor, Andrew Ginther in response to the murder of Andre Hill by Columbus Division of Police officer, Adam Coy.
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By Dominic Detwiler on December 23, 2020 in Blog
For years, LGBTQ+ people have been involuntary victims of various political conflicts, and unfortunately, the Ohio Fairness Act suffered that same fate this General Assembly. Despite knowing that they had the support they needed to pass the Ohio Fairness Act, these leaders let politics prevent the Legislature from doing what is right for Ohio in Lame Duck.
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By Dominic Detwiler on December 3, 2020 in Blog
Today, the Ohio House Primary & Secondary Education Committee held a sponsor testimony hearing on HB527, which seeks to ban transgender athletes from high school and college athletics. The bill, sponsored by Representatives Jane Powell and Reggie Stoltzfus, is one of the most extreme legislative attacks on transgender Ohioans that we have seen. Today, those Representatives were given an opportunity to share their anti-transgender rhetoric with the committee and the state.
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By Dominic Detwiler on November 12, 2020 in Blog
One week after one of the most important presidential elections of our lifetimes, we have a clear winner. Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris are now President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris.
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By Dominic Detwiler on November 5, 2020 in Blog
We made it. Voting in the 2020 Election has finally concluded, and Ohioans’ voices have been heard. There’s a lot to talk about and a lot we still don’t know yet, but Equality Ohio’s policy team has been up with you through the past 48 hours to help figure out just what happened and how it will impact LGBTQ+ Ohioans.
As a reminder, Equality Ohio is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse candidates or parties. We do have an Elected Official Scorecard that graded candidates for President and Vice President, as well as incumbent members of the Ohio Legislature. We’ll use those grades a lot in this analysis.
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By Dominic Detwiler on October 22, 2020 in Blog
Equality Ohio stands firmly in solidarity with those demanding police accountability in Columbus and urges a Yes vote on Issue 2 as part of the ongoing dialogue and process to increase police accountability.
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By Dominic Detwiler on September 30, 2020 in Blog
Right now, as people are facing job loss and evictions due to COVID-19, it is more important than ever to ensure that those experiencing homelessness have access to shelters and other services. The last thing we should be doing is taking those resources away.
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By Dominic Detwiler on September 10, 2020 in Blog
Our 2020 Elected Official Scorecard is ready to help you prepare to vote this November! It grades current members of the Ohio General Assembly, as well as candidates for President and Vice President. Democratic nominees, Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris earned a B and an A, respectively, while both President Donald Trump […]
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By Dominic Detwiler on July 16, 2020 in Blog
Today, Representative Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) and 29 of her colleagues introduced HB729, which will permanently designate June as Pride Month in Ohio. Designating Pride Month would be an important first step in ensuring that LGBTQ people are visibly reflected in Ohio law. By introducing this bill, Rep. Galonski and her colleagues are telling LGBTQ Ohioans […]
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By Alana Jochum on July 15, 2020 in Blog
These are some tangible steps, among others, that we are actively engaging in to live out our values of anti-racism. But I think the important thing to convey to you is this: We understand that being anti-racist is not a “check-list.” It is an everyday practice; a state of mind. We have and are continuing to embed these values into the very fabric of our organization. They include actively using equitable hiring practices; supporting our staff of color in a variety of ways, including taking labor off our Black and POC staff at this emotionally difficult time to support their full selves; ensuring our internal culture recognizes and actively works to not perpetuate the habits of white supremacy; and onboarding staff and Board members to understand, agree to, and exemplify this culture.
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By Dominic Detwiler on June 24, 2020 in Blog
Today, the Ohio Senate Committee on Health, Human Services, and Medicaid is holding a second hearing on SCR 14, which will designate racism as a public health crisis. We submitted written testimony in support of the resolution, and you can read it here: Chair Burke, Vice Chair Huffman, Ranking Member Antonio, and distinguished members of […]
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By Grant Stancliff on June 9, 2020 in Blog
Columbus is one of many cities across Ohio and across the country trying to resolve its ambitions of character with the behavior of its police––on Friday, June 6 2020, Black LGBTQ community leaders in the region sent this letter to the community. But first, below are the names of 155 siblings, children, parents, workers, and […]
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By Grant Stancliff on May 31, 2020 in Blog
Columbus Urban League is calling for an economic protest for Monday, June 1. Equality Ohio staff are urged to participate as we affirm our solidarity with Columbus Urban League and everybody doing the exhausting work of healing this country. As Nick Bankston, president of Columbus Urban League said: “racism has penetrated every single institution this […]
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By Alana Jochum on May 29, 2020 in Blog
This spring has been a stark and stinging reminder that racism, and its strategic objective, white supremacy, is as defining a characteristic of the American experience as those ideals upon which we claim to hold our democracy — justice, equality, liberty.
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By Kate Mozynski on May 19, 2020 in Blog
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many of us have been paying more attention than usual to our physical health over these past few weeks which is incredibly important. However, while we’re at home, it is also important to do a quick check-up on our legal health. Equality Ohio Legal Clinic is invested in both the […]
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By Emily Meyer on May 12, 2020 in Blog
In our latest legal clinic vlog, our Southwest attorney, Emily Meyer discusses various aspects to the Victim of Crime compensation program in the state of Ohio. What is the Victims of Crime Compensation Program? If you are a certain victim of certain crimes you may be eligible for financial assistance from the state for expenses […]
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By Andy Dugan on May 5, 2020 in Blog
As a result of the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of our fellow Ohioans are unemployed. For queer people who have been involved with the criminal justice system, it may be even more difficult now to find a decent job that pays a liveable wage or to secure safe housing. Fortunately, there are legal processes available […]
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By Dominic Detwiler on April 30, 2020 in Blog
The 2020 Ohio Primary Election is officially over. Due to complications from the coronavirus, the election originally scheduled for March 17th was moved to an (almost) entirely vote-by-mail system with the deadline to return absentee ballots extended to April 28th. Our team was up late into the night watching results come in, and we wanted […]
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By Grant Stancliff on April 29, 2020 in Blog
Despite the news and social media rumors, there is no statewide moratorium on rent in Ohio. There are some protections, but they vary widely by area and court––if you would like help with any of these protections you believe you are entitled to, contact us (below). Some good organizations are advocating for options here, but […]
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By Dominic Detwiler on April 28, 2020 in Blog
I don’t have to tell you that the last several weeks have been difficult. Every day we are posed with new challenges to our routine way of life, and the most recent closure of our local restaurants and bars, along with the general sense of unease that is accompanying COVID-19 can cause us to feel […]
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By Emily Meyer on April 24, 2020 in Blog
We are keeping our eye on two pending federal lawsuits—one filed in Ohio, the other in Kentucky—involving college professors behaving poorly on matters of gender identity. In each case, the action was filed by a professor facing negative consequences from his employer as a result of his behavior.
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By Grant Stancliff on April 24, 2020 in Uncategorized
Did you contact your local Board of Elections for an absentee ballot for the primary? It may have arrived already! If you have not requested a ballot, you have until Saturday (4/24) at noon to do so. What you need to know about completing your Ohio primary vote. ♿️If you need to vote in-person because […]
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By Grant Stancliff on April 24, 2020 in Blog
The LGBTQ+ community is no stranger to adversity. From hateful and deadly homophobic laws, to the Stonewall riots, and throughout the fight for equal rights that continues to this day, our community soldiers on. In the 1980s, when others turned a blind-eye while our siblings’ lives were decimated by the AIDS epidemic, our community rose […]
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By Grant Stancliff on April 10, 2020 in Blog
Non-violent individuals at risk of harm from COVID-19 should be released. Incarcerated populations should be lowered by releasing pre-trial detainees, administrative detainees, cease arrests for breaking old, outdated laws that criminalize people living with HIV.
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By Grant Stancliff on April 8, 2020 in Blog
Some transgender Ohioans are experiencing trouble with obtaining unemployment benefits.
Anybody with a legal name change history may experience this challenge. We’ll work with them to fix this, but it will take time and if this problem affects you, you can’t wait. Here’s what you can do right now.
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By Cherima Chungag on April 3, 2020 in Blog
Ohio Governor Mike Dewine and Dr. Amy Acton recently extended his stay-at-home order for the state of Ohio due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This order has resulted in the temporary closure of many Ohio businesses and has left many people with questions about what is and what is not allowed under the order. In particular, […]
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By Dominic Detwiler on April 2, 2020 in Blog
COVID-19 has brought dramatic changes to our lives and our government. One of the major impacts the pandemic has had here in Ohio is on our primary election. Scheduled for March 17, in-person polling locations were closed via an order from Governor DeWine’s administration on March 16. In a series events fit for The West […]
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By Cherima Chungag on March 31, 2020 in Blog
????Yesterday––March 30––Idaho’s Governor signed into law two bills that target trans people and take away essential civil liberties like playing sports and accessing a correct birth certificate. Some Ohio legislators have plans of their own, including fining doctors who treat gender-expansive youth, and prohibiting trans girls from playing school sports. Join Us In Stopping This […]
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By Grant Stancliff on March 26, 2020 in Blog
The Ohio Legislature acted the Ohio’s primary election amid coronavirus disruption. Here’s what you need to know about completing your Ohio primary vote. ♿️If you need to vote in-person because of a disability, you can skip these steps and vote in-person at your local county Board of Elections on April 28 only. ???? There will […]
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By Cherima Chungag on March 24, 2020 in Blog
Due to the recent coronavirus pandemic, many businesses in Ohio have been forced to temporarily shut their doors, leading to lost jobs and wages across the state. Our Southwest Ohio attorney, Emily Meyer, discusses Governor Mike DeWine’s expansions to unemployment benefits in our latest legal clinic video, in light of these recent developments. To receive […]
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By Cherima Chungag on March 18, 2020 in Blog
This is not a replacement for 411 or existing community resource guides in your community. It is highly suggested you look at and support existing local resources. This guide is just collecting new, emerging resources that may be useful at this time. Equality Ohio has not vetted these organizations or offerings––these are provided as-is, but […]
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By Grant Stancliff on March 17, 2020 in Blog
Ohio has “no-excuse” absentee voting. This means anybody can vote by mail without special circumstances. First, you need to request a ballot with this form (or in Spanish). We encourage you to do this as soon as possible in light of the changing and dynamic circumstances. Once you receive your official ballot, complete it and get it back in the mail as soon as possible. The situation has already changed more than once, and the sooner you get it in, the sooner your vote counts.
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By Grant Stancliff on March 13, 2020 in Blog
The Secretary of State and Ohio’s counties are collaborating to ensure that voting happens on Tuesday even with changes required by the response to the COVID-19 virus. FOLLOW THE LATEST FROM THE OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE Early Voting Is Open Now Until Tuesday Due to the unpredictable events, it may be smart to get your […]
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By Dominic Detwiler on March 11, 2020 in Blog
This week, Ohio legislators are again using their bully pulpit to attack transgender Ohioans. This time, they’re going after transgender women and girls who participate in sports. The bill attempts to erase transgender women and girls from high school and college sports. Backers of the bill, including extremist anti-LGBTQ group, Citizens for Community Values, claim […]
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By Cherima Chungag on March 9, 2020 in Blog
Equality Ohio and the Human Rights Campaign are partnering up to advocate for LGBTQ equality and we need your help! It’s still legal in Ohio to discriminate against people in the LGBTQ community. There’s a bill, the Ohio Fairness Act, that will make that type of discrimination illegal. Specifically, it protects against employment discrimination, housing […]
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By Kate Mozynski on March 2, 2020 in Blog
I vividly remember exactly where I was when the Obergefell v. Hodges decision was announced in the Summer of 2015. I was sitting in a living room, and the news was on as background noise. I cranked up the volume, and as I heard more of the story, I felt such a sense of victory! […]
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By Grant Stancliff on February 11, 2020 in Blog
Here’s what I know about youth: They have the best environment to thrive when they are supported and can get the health care they need. Instead, this bill promises burden and harassment.
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By Emily Meyer on January 31, 2020 in Blog
We all rejoiced when the Obergefell v. Hodges decision was announced in 2015. Same-sex marriage became legal throughout the United States! A tremendous victory. But as these things go, a Supreme Court victory like that one, unfortunately, does not mean that all state laws and policies related to marriage and families and parentage change overnight. […]
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