Each and every one of us, drag queen/king, gender non-conforming, gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans gender, and any others of us has a voice and we matter. We have our own power and point of view, our abilities and self-worth. Each of us has a rightful place at the table for our very rights. This administration has been hell bent on removing every modicum of humanity, from us, that it can. It doesn’t just stop at the federal level, even here in our own backyards of Ohio we see our Attorney General standing side by side with Trump and saying that LGBTQIA+ people do not deserve employment protection. It imperative that our community must unite and fight, our voices must ring out that we will no longer let our rights be decided by those who do not have our best intentions at heart.

AG Dave Yost, among other states, are joining the U.S. Department of Justice in arguing before the Supreme Court that the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibiting discrimination based on gender should not be used as a means for LGBTQIA+ employment protection. In an article on WKYC Channel 3’s webpage Yost was quoted saying: “This case is about whether the judiciary gets to write new laws or if that should be left to elected legislators. The plain language of Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating because of sex, not sexual orientation or gender identity. If the law is to be amended, Congress, not the courts, should be the one doing it.”  In 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled that discrimination based on gender identity was covered under Title VII, as it was a form of sex discrimination. It has also been used as a mean to prevent lesbians and gays from being discriminated against based on sex discrimination, as it could relate to couple that are married and sleeping together. The example used is that a man would not be fired for being married to a woman, so why should a woman be fired for being married to a woman?

Senator Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) was upset to hear this statement, “Our attorney general has entered into weighing in and support of a push to discriminate against a group of people. That is appalling. ” According to an interview with Ideastream.org  Antonia has tried to pass the Ohio Fairness Act– a bill to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes. Even Gov Mark DeWine first action into office was to sign an executive order protecting LGBTQ state workers. So, to hear this from our AG is a complete shock. There are plenty of conservatives who are supporting Yost’s decision, saying he is standing up for what the law is and not what a few activists want it to be.   

This argument is even leading some conservatives to voice concerns over the bathroom bills, the bills that allow someone to use a restroom based on their gender identity. We are still fighting the same arguments based on outdated and perverse mindsets of bigots in power. But their views aren’t everyone’s views, the world is changing and so are the mindsets of people. This YouTube video shows exactly what trans people go through daily trying to use restrooms.

This goes beyond stereotyping; it is simply the fundamentals of treating people with respect and dignity. You do not have to agree with what someone else does, but you can give them the respect to live their lives according to their own fashion.

Our state has pockets of progressive mindsets, it is time that the LGBTQIA+ people and those pockets rally together to swing the normally republican dominated system to a more modern mindset, where all people are treated as they should be. The case for antidiscrimination will be argued before SCOTUS on October 8th, reach out to your representatives, flood the email of the attorney general with your outrage. And if you aren’t registered to vote, then what are you waiting for and please, please vote once you are registered. September 24th is National Voter Registration day, get to some place that is running events to help you get registered or visit this link, Check your voter registration