Cincinnati made history last week by establishing the state’s first-known city commission dedicated solely to advising the City Council on LGBTQ+ issues.
At its meeting on Wednesday, March 5, the council unanimously passed the motion to create an LGBTQ+ commission. The commission will advise councilmembers on how legislation might impact the LGBTQ+ community, help keep track of hate crimes in Cincinnati, and recommend measures that could impact residents from queer medical care to education and outreach.
Commission members will be voluntary and appointed by the mayor, receive no remuneration, and report twice a month to the Healthy Neighborhoods Committee. Details on how many members will be on the commission and when they would be appointed were not immediately available.
During public comment, one of those who approached the city with the idea, Storm Boyd, spoke in support, calling it a “monumental step in the right direction.”
“The creation of this commission is more than a formal body,” Boyd said. “It is a system of visible leadership focused on uplifting members of our community.”
As the state and federal government are “actively hostile to the LGBTQ+ community,” Councilmember Anna Albi said now was the time to establish the commission.
“We welcome, we love [and] we support our LGBTQ+ community,” she said.
Cincinnati City Council has passed other ordinances with the aim of helping the queer community:
- In 2023, City Council passed a resolution declaring Cincinnati a “safe haven” for gender-affirming care.
- In 2024, council earmarked $500,000 to fund transgender mental health efforts.
- In 2015, Cincinnati became the first city in the nation to ban the discredited practice of conversion therapy, an initiative drafted by Chris Seelbach, the city’s first out city councilperson.
At the March 5 meeting, current councilmember Seth Walsh reflected on his time on council with Seelbach – currently the executive director of a spay/neuter clinic – and the events that led to establishing this LGBTQ+ commission.
“It has been remarkable during my tenure, and 10 years of watching this happen [and showing] we don’t accept hate, but also moving and leading the state on this,” he said. “We face a lot of darkness. We have been in dark days before, and we moved the needle tremendously because of that.”
“Things like this matter,” Walsh said. 🔥
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