Ohio lawmakers voted on Jan. 24 to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of House Bill 68, a decision that will ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.
This decision comes in the wake of similar bills introduced and passed in states across the U.S. aimed at the LGBTQ+ community, and organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio plan to challenge the law.
“To the average person who is not within the community, they say, ‘Oh, we’ve made so much progress. Marriage is legal,’” said Rachel Kleinhenz, a sophomore sociology major. “Just because there has been progress doesn’t mean there’s not still progress to be made.”
The bill, which is set to become law in late April, also prevents trans girls and women from participating on female sports teams in high school and college. Proponents of House Bill 68 said it will protect children and maintain fairness on female sports teams, but others argue it will harm the safety and overall well-being of transgender youth.
Kleinhenz said the queer community is already a vulnerable group, and trans youth are more likely to attempt or commit suicide if they don’t have access to gender-affirming care. According to The Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention among the LGBTQ+ community, nearly half of transgender and nonbinary youth “seriously considered attempting suicide” in 2023.
“I know people personally who I’ve met on campus who have said if they were not able to get gender-affirming care before they turned 18, they might not be here today,” Kleinhenz said.
Sam Miller, a junior middle childhood education major, said House Bill 68 is a step in the wrong direction for LGBTQ+ rights.
“I think it’s definitely a sad day for our youth in general,” Miller said. “I’m going to be a teacher one day, so I want to support all people and all backgrounds, so I think this is definitely a step backwards.”
Miller, who serves as director of membership for the Kent State College Democrats, said he believes religion plays a major role in the types of bills Republican lawmakers are putting forth, and he said the College Democrats will continue to speak publicly about these issues and urge young people to vote.
“The biggest thing we’re going to do is really harp on how important this 2024 election is for all kinds of things, including LGBTQ+ rights,” Miller said.
As the rhetoric on both sides fire up, Kleinhenz said people should listen to the queer community and lift up their voices. Doing so, she said, can help alleviate the fear of these laws.
“Don’t give up hope,” Kleinhenz said. “There are so, so many resources, and it can be so easy to feel like so many people are against you, but there are so many people for you.”
With the growing number of laws across the country directed at the queer community, Miller said sparking conversations is the best thing to do.
“I think it’s important for allies to speak up for people who are in the community,” Miller said. “It takes so much more effort to hate than it does to love.”
Aden Graves is co-opinion editor. Contact him at [email protected].
