When the Supreme Court decided it was fine for gays to get married, and trans people got the chance to enlist in the US war machine, LGBTQ political issues mostly disappeared from our computer and TV screens, as the corporate media declared the gay liberation movement a success, and determined that we could all move on to issues beyond gender and sexuality. As an organization that supports the inherent worth and dignity of every and anyone, UUJO advocates and fight for the rights of the oppressed in all forms
As it turns out, the corporate media were wrong. If anything, 2018 and 2019 showed that LGBTQ liberation is a long, drawn-out process that’s going to take much more than policy change and a narrow focus on one particular identity. The many queer and trans people who organized around LGBTQ issues over the past year also worked to curb capitalism, end deportations and challenge police violence — issues that affect marginalized people everywhere.
Thirty-nine percent of LGBTQ adults identify as people of color, including 15 percent who identify as Latinx, 11 percent as Black, two percent as Asian Pacific Islander, and one percent as Native American. This is more diverse than the overall U.S. adult population, which is 65 percent white. The higher representation of people of color in LGBTQ communities is in part related to age. With increasing acceptance of LGBTQ people, younger generations are more likely to be out as LGBTQ. Younger people are also more likely to be of color, which is the main reason that a large proportion of people of color identify as LGBTQ. From service provision to movement building, there is a need to respond and adapt to a new generation in the U.S. that is more diverse than any previous generation in terms of race, sexual orientation, and gender identity
At the intersection of two marginalized identities, LGBTQ people of color often face stark disparities:
- One in five youth in the juvenile justice system identify as LGBTQ, 85 percent of whom are people of color.
- LGBT people of color face high rates of unemployment: 15 percent of African American LGBT adults are unemployed, as are 14 percent of Latinx LGBT adults and 11 percent of API LGBT adults—compared to 8 percent unemployment for the general population.
- Gay and bisexual men of color continue to make up the majority of new HIV/AIDS infections in the U.S., with Black men accounting for 39 percent of 2014 HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men, and Latinos accounting for 24 percent.
For Ohioans (thanks to the ACLU)
We have come a long way in the fight for equal rights for LGBTQ people in this country. Ohio law protects state employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. But private citizens lack many basic protections in housing, public accommodations, and employment. It’s time for Ohio’s legislators to update our laws. No one should be fired, evicted, or denied service because of who they are or who they love.
In the absence of statewide protections, 26 cities and counties in Ohio have passed comprehensive protections, banning any LGBTQ discrimination (sexual orientation or gender identity) in employment, housing, and public accommodations. They are: Akron, Athens, Beachwood, Bexley, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Columbus, Coshocton, Cuyahoga County, Dayton, East Cleveland, Kent, Lakewood, Medina, Newark, Olmsted Falls, Oxford, Sandusky, Shaker Heights, South Euclid, Toledo, Worthington, Yellow Springs, and Youngstown.
Additionally, Canton protects LGBTQ individuals in employment and housing only, and Oberlin in housing only.
Several additional cities and counties have protections for city or county employees only: Cuyahoga Falls, Franklin County, Gahanna, Hamilton, Hamilton County, Laura, Lima, Lucas County, Montgomery County, Summit County, and Wood County.
View Equality Ohio’s website for more information about the protections offered in each are
As We Pursue Transgender Justice
UUJO supports and is a strong Advocate for LGBTQIA and Transgender rights. Transgender people are part of the fabric of our communities. They are our neighbors, family members, co-workers and partners. Unfortunately, though, due to prejudice and discrimination, trans people face barriers in our society that their non-transgender peers don’t. Data shows that transgender people, especially Transgender People of Color, endure disproportionate amounts of harassment, unemployment, poverty and homelessness. To address and remedy this, various organizations as Basic Rights has operated a dedicated Transgender Justice program since 2007. Through our legislative and policy work, as well as our educational outreach and community organizing, we’ve sought to achieve the mission of legal and lived equality for trans people.
As such, TransEquality Ohio and support organizations, as Margie’s Hope, have seen the need to lift up the rights and personages of the Trans Community. These organizations have researched and advocated for the Trans Community and therefore have push for guidelines that create the inclusivity and equality needed for those that have been discriminated, harassed and shamed on by the some communities at large.
Located in Akron, Ohio, Margie’s Hope is an organization dedicated to assisting transgender and non-binary people in need. We have a number of groups for those who need help, as well as for their families and friends, as well as a group for trans youth. The groups are: TransAlive, Margie’s Kids, Together We Can & Margie’s Pride.