Lancaster, Ohio, law director schools anti-Pride contingent

Nearly two hours into Monday’s tense City Council meeting in Lancaster, Ohio, elected Law Director and City Prosecutor Stephanie Hall turned her podium to face a group of several dozen residents.

The residents were angry about live drag performances held during a Sept. 13 LGBTQ+ Pride event at a public park. Some had even called for criminal charges.

But Hall wasn’t having it. “The city cannot treat LGBTQ+ individuals any differently than they treat any other group that wants to use that space,” she said, referencing a decision by conservative Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

“There’s a difference between inappropriate and illegal,” Hall said. “They are two different things.”

Pride and prejudice

Lancaster is a city of 40,000 residents, situated in politically conservative Fairfield County.

The Sept. 13 event, called Lite the Night, was organized by the Rainbow Alliance of Fairfield County as a “celebration of our LGBTQIA+ community.” Held at the city’s Zane Park, it featured vendor booths, games, food trucks, live music and a rainbow-glow-stick parade.

Along with Pride participants, Anti-LGBTQ+ protesters showed up at the event and made their presence known, hurling insults. They “carried bags that purposely looked like they contained guns, which was confirmed when I overheard two of them talking about how great of an idea it was for them to [bring bags that looked like they had guns],” said Sarah Mullins, a lifelong resident of Lancaster, at the meeting. “Their fear tactics worked on me and others. Eventually, I had to leave due to the anxiety caused by their presence and the fear of how far their hatred might drive them.”

After the Pride celebration, a Fairfield County Conservatives Facebook page was flooded with anti-LGBTQ+ messages, calling the Pride “demonic” and posting videos of children attending the event.

A resident who attended Lite the Nite with their children said that a video of the children was posted “without my parental consent … in a right-wing conservative group with several horrific comments that have incited violence against us, which has now put my children in danger.” (The Buckeye Flame has chosen to keep the parent anonymous because of safety concerns.)

“These people are not interested in the welfare of our children or the overall safety of anyone in this community,” the parent added.

Other residents at the meeting reminded their neighbors that the Pride event was public, but not mandatory.

Resident Natalie Curtis pointed out that church services that do not align with her values take place weekly, but she respects the right of parents to choose what’s right for their family without interference – something that didn’t happen at Lite the Nite.

“I’ve never gone into a church service, mocked its attendees, or shared unauthorized videos of their children online,” said Curtis.

Hall underscored this point.

“That park and that right-of-way are available to all on a first-come-first-serve basis, and they always have been,” she said. “Equal protection of the law guarantees everyone, under the 14th Amendment, that they will be treated equally.”

Legal review of the event

Hall said the event was patrolled by two Lancaster police officers. “They did not make any arrests that night because they did not see any behavior that rose to the level of public indecency or obscenity,” she noted.

A detective with the Lancaster Police Department compiled pictures and video from the event and delivered them to Hall’s office for further review after residents issued complaints.

“He agreed he did not see any instances of behavior that would require the police to intervene to issue any kind of citation,” Hall said.

Further, two assistant prosecutors also independently concluded that no sexual conduct or sexual contact occurred in recordings of the drag performance.

“We all three watched the same video and looked at the same pictures and all came to the conclusion that nothing that happened was a chargeable criminal offense,” Hall said.

“If any of you have seen the pictures or video, this is not hardcore pornography. I have been a prosecutor for the last 18 years in Fairview County,” Hall told residents. “I know hardcore pornography when I see it. This is not it.”

Out of context

The Pride protesters fixated on an image of a drag performer on the ground with their legs spread. They circulated the snapshot online and enlarged the image, attaching it to signs brought to the meeting.

Hall dismissed claims the performance was sexually explicit, saying that the image that was taken “lacks context.”

“The video from that night shows that the performer in question was in that position for a split second while performing a dance routine,” Hall said. “Dance – like speech – is an expression that is protected by the First Amendment. Courts have held that, repeatedly.”

Hall thanked concerned citizens who sent in complaints to her citing case law, but said their legal reasoning was outdated.

“Some of the case law was from the 40s and 50s,” she said. “It’s obviously not good law anymore.”

Representatives from the Rainbow Alliance of Fairfield County said they appreciated the sincerity and dedication of the Lancaster City Council, Hall and her entire office.

“While we were not surprised by the outcome, it was a relief to hear this addressed so fully and directly in front of the folks calling for a ban on future events,” Rainbow Alliance Board President Natalie Swartz told The Buckeye Flame.

Swartz also praised members of the Lancaster community who have shown support for the LGBTQ+ Pride celebration.

“We have seen the LGBTQIA+ community take the boycotts brought on by the protestors of anyone who supported Rainbow Alliance, and turn them into a movement to support us and to support local businesses,” Swartz said. “The resiliency and creativity of our community remains unmatched.”

For her part, Hall concluded her remarks with a gentle reminder to those assembled.

“You have to ask yourself: If we’re willing to disregard anybody’s rights, anybody’s personal freedoms, then what’s to keep us from trampling everyone’s?” Hall said. “There’s nothing.” 🔥

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