Last year, Stonewall Columbus took a clear and unequivocal stand against H.B. 249.
Today, members of our community showed up to speak. They offered testimony grounded in lived experience, in concern, and in care—for themselves and for others who would be impacted by this legislation. Public comment is not easy. It requires courage to be visible in spaces where your identity and existence are being debated.
We want to acknowledge that courage.
What was evident today is what we have said from the beginning: this bill is not abstract. It has real implications for real people—particularly transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals whose visibility and expression are too often politicized.
Our position has not changed.
Stonewall Columbus remains opposed to H.B. 249. We remain committed to protecting the visibility, dignity, and safety of LGBTQ+ people across our state. And we remain grounded in the understanding that expression—whether through drag, identity, or presence—is not something to be regulated out of public life.
We also recognize that advocacy takes many forms.
For some, it is speaking in a hearing room. For others, it is supporting those who do. For many, it is continuing to live openly and authentically in a climate that does not always make that easy.
All of it matters.
To those who testified today: thank you. To those who continue to show up in ways big and small: we see you.
Stonewall Columbus will continue to stand with our community—with clarity, with care, and with an ongoing commitment to ensuring that LGBTQ+ people are not only protected, but able to live fully and visibly.
With purpose,
Densil R. Porteous (he/they), Executive Director
- May 11, 2025 – A Clear Stand Against HB 249
- https://stonewallcolumbus.org/a-clear-stand-against-hb-249/
