The proposed anti-LGBTQ+ amendments in Ohio’s budget ‘must not be allowed to pass.’ [COMMENTARY]

By Dwayne Steward, Equality Ohio

As the Executive Director of Equality Ohio, I’ve had the opportunity to meet LGBTQ+ Ohioans and their families from across the state. And while our community is strong, this year many of us also feel uncertain about the road ahead. June was LGBTQ+ Pride Month, but this Pride felt different.

On the one hand, we are proud of our accomplishments. There is a long history of LGBTQ+ organizing in Ohio and we celebrate that legacy. In 2025, both Equality Ohio and TransOhio celebrate our 20th birthdays. Meanwhile, Stonewall Columbus celebrates 45 years and the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland celebrates 50 years.

LGBTQ+ people have always been part of Ohio, and nothing will ever change that.

Despite the current political rhetoric, our community does have elected officials on our side. Earlier this month, Ohio legislators introduced a legislative Slate of Love–in contrast to the anti-LGBTQ+ Slate of Hate introduced earlier this year–that will protect LGBTQ+ Ohioans from discrimination, safeguard marriage equality, ban conversion therapy and defend LGBTQ+ students. In contrast to all of the negativity that has been coming out of the Statehouse, these bills are a model for our state and for states across the country.

On the other hand, this year we celebrated Pride while under extremist political attacks. At all levels of government, anti-LGBTQ+ legislators are assaulting our rights to form families, live free from discrimination and to simply exist as who we are. In doing so, they are failing at the fundamental responsibilities of governance: strengthening the economy, maintaining critical infrastructure, ensuring fair wages and equitably serving their constituents. These aren’t radical ideas or part of some so-called liberal agenda—they’re the basic expectations Ohioans have for our elected leaders if this state is ever to truly live up to being “The Heart of it All.”

Specifically, there are several anti-LGBTQ+ amendments in the state budget that, if passed, will harm countless Ohioans. These amendments include defunding homeless shelters, banning LGBTQ+ materials from youth in libraries and restricting healthcare for transgender individuals. These amendments will not only waste taxpayer dollars, they will legislate harm against some of the most vulnerable members of our society; they must not be allowed to pass. 

There is a substantial research that shows the harm of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, including that anti-transgender state-level laws directly cause up to a 72% increase in suicide attempts among transgender and nonbinary young people. This type of hateful legislation may even cause LGBTQ+ families to leave Ohio: one recent survey showed that over half (52%) of LGBTQ+ young people living in Ohio said that they or their family considered moving to a different state because of anti-LGBTQ+ politics and laws With nearly 500,000 out LGBTQ+ people in Ohio, we represent a significant and powerful part of the state’s population.

I grew up in Ohio and–even when I have lived somewhere else–I’ve always considered Ohio home. Ohio is where I met my husband, where we adopted our son, and where we are building our family. This is a state where I learned how to be a decent neighbor, a hard worker, and a good father—and where I came out, found support, and built community.

Now, I need my fellow Ohioans to join me in speaking out.

Contact Governor DeWine and tell him to veto the anti-LGBTQ+ amendments in the state budget by Monday, June 30th.

Contact your legislator at the Statehouse and tell them to support the Slate of Love.

Call your local elected officials and tell them to pass local ordinances protecting LGBTQ+ residents.

And talk to your community–your friends, your family, your peers, colleagues, and coworkers—and tell them that all Ohioans deserve to thrive—and Ohio should be a place where liberation belongs to everyone. 🔥

Dwayne Steward is the Executive Director of Equality Ohio.