Lack of anti-discrimination laws for LGBTQ put Ohio at a disadvantage

THERE’S 19 CITIES IN OHIO THAT INCLUDE LGTBQ+ IN THEIR ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS. STUDENTS HERE AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS REGARDING THE LAWS. TV2’S STARR BODI HAS THE STORY.

With House Bill 160, the LGBTQ community could have an anti-discrimination law for the entirety of Ohio.  

Currently, there are 28 states that exclude LGBTQ from anti-discrimination laws, including Ohio. However, that doesn’t mean individual cities in those states do not have them.

Nineteen cities in Ohio – the recent one added being Kent – have local anti-discrimination laws.

Without the ordinance in place, it is legal for someone to be fired, denied housing or basic goods and services because of their sexuality or gender identity.

“I think the entire state of Ohio needs to step up and provide equal protection for all of its residence, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,” said MJ Eckhouse, senior political science major at Kent State University.

Eckhouse serves as a member in several LGBTQ organizations that formed a coalition and got the city of Kent council to realize that the community needed an anti-discrimination law.

“One thing that we find with… not just the council in particular, a lot of people just don’t realize that these protections aren’t already in place,” Eckhouse said.

Council-at-large member Roger Sidoti said the council never received any complaints from anyone who faced discrimination in the city of Kent because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. They saw the importance of having the ordinance in place anyway.

“On the other side of the coin, that didn’t mean (discrimination) wasn’t happening in Kent, Ohio,” Sidoti said.

Sidoti, along with the other members from the council, listened to what the LGBTQ community said and called it “heartwarming” despite some of their “over the top” demands. According to Sidoti, at one point the community asked the council to form a panel made up of nine to 12 citizens of Kent whom people could file their discrimination complaints to, but the council denied it.  

Sidoti said creating a panel would “undermine” what the community wants: for people to see them as equals.

But even with some of the pushback the council gave, Sidoti said the community helped the council realize the city of Kent needed to “stand for something.”  

“Now people have been put on notice that Kent is not a place you can discriminate against people,” Sidoti said.

With Kent’s recent approval of an anti-discrimination law for LGBTQ in 2017, that makes it the 19th state in Ohio to do so. But overall, the state does not recognize the law.

On Jan. 31, a hearing took place in Columbus, Ohio where people gave testimonies in support of having House Bill 160, also known as the Ohio Fairness Act.

The bill summary states that it would “expand many of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission Law’s prohibitions… to apply to discriminatory practices on the basis of ‘sexual identity,’ or ‘gender identity’ or expression.”

Grant Stancliff, communications director for Equality Ohio, said they have more support this time around compared to nine years ago when they first suggested it. He’s hopeful that Governor John Kasich will approve of the bill given some of his statements in the past.

“We believe that this is something he would be in support in if he got a chance to sign this bill,” he said.

Eckhouse said businesses benefit from states having anti-discrimination laws for the community.  

“These laws attract the best and brightest and make them want to live and work in Ohio and so it’s good for the LGBTQ community and the business community,” he said.

Stancliff said successful businesses are looking for anyone to do the job.

“If you need to fill a high-level position, you’re not necessarily just posting a job on Craigslist,” he said. “You’re looking at a national talent poll, you’re looking at people from all over the country and you want the best person.”

Bobbi Ullinger, a sound technician at Woodsy’s Music for over 10 years, has been out as transgender for a tentative 12 years. When she came out to her employers, they showed nothing but support.

“It was just – I’m getting goosebumps just now thinking about it,” Ullinger said.

Ohio businesses are competing with other states that have anti-discrimination laws, Ullinger said.

With Amazon currently searching for a second headquarters, and Columbus being one of the contenders, Ullinger thinks that not having an anti-discrimination law throughout Ohio puts them at a disadvantage.

“It’s a national competition, almost a global competition, that this state is competing with,” she said.  

The House of Representatives have until December to decide on House Bill 160, but with the overwhelming support of the law, the LGBTQ community remains hopeful.

“I think that passing these protections shows that our state values us and values our contributions to society and recognizes that we are legitimate, equal people,” Eckhouse said.

Students here at Kent State are thankful to have the anti-discrimination law for LGBTQ+ however, they understand work still needs to be done in Ohio. #JMCRPP

— Starr Bodi (@StarrBodi) February 14, 2018

There’s 19 cities in Ohio that include LGTBQ+ in their anti-discrimination laws. I’ll have the story soon. #JMCRPP

— Starr Bodi (@StarrBodi) February 14, 2018

Only 19 cities in Ohio, including Kent, have anti-discrimination laws for LGBTQ. Does this put Ohio at a disadvantage for big businesses looking to locate? Read me and my partner @StarrBodi‘s new story to find out! #JMCRPP https://t.co/k35v07MHva

— Tierra Thomas (@TierrasPen) February 15, 2018