The midterms are over. Now we need Ohio’s trans allies to work harder and be louder than ever. [COMMENTARY]

By Dana Oleskiewicz and Minna Zelch, Trans Allies of Ohio

The 2026 election is over, and the ‘blue tsunami’ has left many LGB people relieved. However, many transgender Ohioans and their families greeted November 4 with only tepid enthusiasm.

With this election, our families were placed front and center in the storm, demonized by both the political right and the political left. Our children became, yet again, unwitting and unwilling political pawns in a fight they never wanted. 

Our children are still denied access to basic health care, erased from libraries and classrooms, unable to use restrooms at schools, prohibited from playing sports with friends and forced to carry identity documents that risk their safety. We dread Ohio’s lame duck session, certain that Republicans unhappy with the election results will retaliate and make our children’s lives even worse.

Even more concerning are the actions of those we thought would protect the trans community yet did not.  

Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur appealed to voters with two blatantly anti-trans ads. 

Dr. Amy Acton, the Democratic governor-elect, misgendered our children with language Republicans have intentionally used for years to strip trans people of their dignity. She then chose not to apologize or clarify her position, even after she was made aware of how harmful her words were. In response, Equality Ohio thankfully changed Dr. Acton’s A grade to “pending.”  Later though, Equality Ohio ignored its own rubric and  gave Acton a “B,” signaling that her anti-trans rhetoric was only worth a demotion of one letter grade.

Disappointingly, some notable lesbian and gay leaders around Ohio vilified trans leaders for daring to question Dr. Acton. LGB Ohioans even criticized The Buckeye Flame for having the audacity to report news about the trans community. 

Meanwhile, outgoing state Sen. Nickie Antonio, a Democrat who once quoted our children’s testimonies on the Senate floor, stood at Equality Ohio’s gala, and – as she was accepting an award – encouraged us to vote for imperfect candidates so that we could “hit them over the head with a feather boa” once they were in office. 

Feather boas will not reduce suicide rates, return our schools to safe spaces, or prevent our children from fleeing the state as soon as they are able. 

It is our duty as parents to protect the children we love and our responsibility as citizens to hold all candidates and elected officials accountable for their actions. If we blindly follow a politician or a party, too fearful or complacent to ever criticize or critique them, then we are no better than the opposition. 

Every failure to demand the end of bigotry, slurs and misinformation only allows it to spread. Trans Ohioans and their families tell us they feel abandoned by both major parties and by numerous elected officials. They tell us what should be obvious to everyone: the dignity, lives and humanity of trans people must not be political bargaining chips.  

As Dara Adkison, executive director of TransOhio, has stated, “Trans people are not an ideology, issue, or a talking point. They are human beings who just want to exist with the same rights and dignity as everyone else.”

To those who waved the flag when it was politically convenient, but were quick to preach about unity when our children were intentionally used as collateral to reach voters on “the other side,” please do not call yourselves allies. A big tent where the most vulnerable groups are pushed to the dusty perimeter and told to “sit back and wait their turn,” is absolutely unacceptable. Some of our children have spent more than half of their lives waiting, and the light at the end of their tunnels is now an oncoming train – driven by people who once claimed to protect them. 

Today, the trans community is more concerned than ever about living openly, staying safe, and having access to basic resources. The time for performative allyship is past. Amity, a high school senior who will soon be a voter, sums it up well; “I don’t just want to hear that an organization supports trans people, I want to see them engaged in tangible action: helping people understand their rights, providing reliable information, creating spaces where trans people can speak honestly and making sure younger trans people know they aren’t navigating everything alone.”

The election may be over, but our hard work is just beginning. Ohio’s trans allies must work harder and be louder than ever. We need vocal, unapologetic and unwavering support of the trans community to get through what lies ahead. We need to listen to trans leaders, follow their lead, and work closely with those in the trenches to claw back the basic civil rights everyone deserves.

Governor-elect Acton, you held our children’s hands, looked them in the eye and privately promised them they would be safe if you won. Prove to us those weren’t empty words. We ask you and other newly elected officials to meet with and listen to transgender adults and children and their family members. Refrain from supporting anti-trans bills. Fight to overturn harmful legislation that already exists. Make Ohio a place our children want to return to, or better yet, never leave.

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Ignite Action

• To learn more about Trans Allies of Ohio, click here.
• If you are a young LGBTQ+ person in crisis, please contact the Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor.
• If you are an transgender adult in need of immediate help, contact the National Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860