By Densil R. Porteous (he/they), Executive Director, Stonewall Columbus
The release of the 2025 GLAAD ALERT Desk Report is a sobering reminder that visibility alone does not equal safety—and that progress, when left unprotected, can be fragile.
The report documents nearly 1,000 verified anti-LGBTQ incidents across the United States in a single year—harassment, vandalism, assaults, bomb threats, and acts of arson. Transgender and gender nonconforming people remain the primary targets. Educators, librarians, public officials, and community institutions are increasingly under attack simply for affirming LGBTQ+ lives.
Importantly, Ohio is not immune.
The GLAAD ALERT Desk Report includes multiple verified incidents in Ohio, ranging from threats targeting public libraries and schools, to harassment and intimidation connected to LGBTQ+-affirming events and spaces. These are not abstract trends—they are disruptions that ripple through families, workplaces, and neighborhoods across Central Ohio and beyond.
These findings confirm what LGBTQ+ community centers across the country know deeply: our work is not symbolic—it is essential.
At Stonewall Columbus, we see how national rhetoric and policy decisions land locally. We see it in the fear some community members carry into public spaces. We see it in the questions families ask about safety and belonging. We see it in the increased need for trusted, affirming places where people can access care, resources, and connection without judgment.
The data in this report underscores why Pride cannot be confined to a single month—and why support for LGBTQ+ infrastructure must be sustained, not episodic.
It is also important to name what the report makes clear: public support without protection is insufficient. Safety, dignity, and belonging are not guaranteed by tolerance alone. They are built—and defended—through community, accountability, and institutions willing to stand with clarity and courage.
LGBTQ+ community centers like Stonewall Columbus serve as anchors in this landscape. We provide navigation to care, support families as they build and sustain their lives, offer education that fosters understanding, and maintain physical spaces where people can gather without fear. When systems are strained or silent, community must show up.
At the same time, it is critical to say plainly: if you or someone you know is experiencing harm, harassment, or violence, you are not alone—and help is available.
Stonewall Columbus maintains up-to-date resources for individuals seeking support, advocacy, and safety planning related to domestic or interpersonal violence, including LGBTQ+-affirming local and national options. These resources can be found here: https://stonewallcolumbus.org/domestic-violence-support-advocacy/
Seeking support is not a failure—it is an act of care and self-preservation. Community safety begins with ensuring people know where to turn when they need help.
As we move forward—especially into a Pride season that coincides with Juneteenth—we are reminded that liberation has never been automatic. It has always required vigilance, investment, and collective responsibility.
Stonewall Columbus remains committed to doing our part: strengthening community, supporting those most impacted, and working alongside partners, advocates, and public leaders who understand that LGBTQ+ safety and inclusion are not abstract ideals—they are daily, lived realities.
This moment calls not just for awareness, but for action. And for the continued recognition that community is not a backdrop to progress—it is how progress survives.
