In 2024...

Marysville Brewery Facing Attacks by Far Right Extremists

 

Last June, 27-year-old Teddy Valinski experienced a panic attack for the first time.

 

The New Jersey native owns and operates Walking Distance Brewing Co. in Marysville, Ohio – a sleepy, politically conservative city about 25 miles northwest of Columbus.

 

Early that summer, Valinski hosted a drag performance to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

 

The event both cemented the brewery’s reputation as a safe space for LGBTQ+ residents across Union County and sparked false, unfounded allegations of child sexual abuse.

 

“My heart just sank,” Valinksi said, recalling the moment he first heard the allegations. “That’s when I had my first panic attack.”

 

After a difficult year – and with a renewed focus on community, education and civic engagement – Valinki is working with the Union County Rainbow Coalition (UCRC) and dozens of Maryville residents to help change the narrative around drag performance and LGBTQ+ culture in the small Ohio locale. 

 

Unfounded allegations of sexual abuse

 

Several weeks after Walking Distance hosted its first drag performance, Leslie Reams – wife of Marysville City Council member Mark Reams – used her personal account on Facebook to publicly accuse Valinksi and his staff of grooming and sexually abusing children.

 

In the post, Reams called the brewery “little Epstein Island,” an apparent reference to convicted child sex trafficker Jeffery Epstein’s notorious property in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 

Additionally, Reams accused Valinski of pedophilia in her post on the  Facebook page “Respect Life Rally Marysville.”

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/marysville-brewery-facing-attacks-by-far-right-extremists-tbf1/

 

Ohio GOP’s Anti-Transgender Legislation is Driving Families Out of State

 

Shannon Gallagher and her family saw the writing on the wall as bills targeting transgender youth were being introduced in the Ohio Statehouse last year.

 

Their youngest child Alex, now 17, is transgender non-binary and their family no longer felt welcome in Ohio, so they moved to New York City last fall.

 

“It was not an easy decision,” Gallagher said. “… We decided we needed to create an environment and move somewhere where all of our family members felt wanted and appreciated for who they are.”

 

The Gallaghers made the decision to move in June 2023 — months after state Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery, introduced his gender-affirming care ban bill (House Bill 68) and shortly after state Reps. Beth Lear, R-Galena, and Adam Bird, R-New Richmond, introduced a transgender bathroom ban bill (House Bill 183). 

 

“Is this where we’re gonna call home?” Gallagher recalls thinking when she lived in Ohio. “This place obviously does not want our family here and is trying their hardest to get rid of us. That’s very much how we felt. So it’s like, why are we contributing to the economy here?”

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-gops-anti-transgender-legislation-is-driving-families-out-of-state-ocj1/

Report: Over 60 Anti-LGBTQ Incidents Logged in Ohio in Past Two Years

 

Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation tracked more than 60 anti-LGBTQ incidents in Ohio in just over two years, according to a new report. 

 

GLAAD documented more than 1,850 anti-LGBTQ incidents nationwide from June 1, 2022 to October 1, 2024 — including protests at drag shows, vandalism, bomb threats, assault and arson. These incidents resulted in at least 161 injuries and 21 deaths (including one in Ohio), according to the report.

 

GLAAD recently launched the Anti-LGBTQ Extremism Reporting Tracker (ALERT) to record these incidents. The ALERT Desk tracks anti-LGBTQ incidents through self-reports, media reports, social media posts, law enforcement and data sharing from partner organizations. 

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/report-over-60-anti-lgbtq-incidents-logged-in-ohio-in-past-two-years-ocj1/

Ohio GOP Wants to Make Pronouns Illegal on College Applications

 

Republican lawmakers introduced a pair of higher education related bills as lame duck begins, including one to ban college applications from asking preferred pronouns.

 

State Rep. Gail Pavliga, R-Portage County, introduced a bill Thursday that would prohibit a public university from asking for a prospective student’s preferred pronouns on a college application. 

 

In a similar vein, House Bill 686 would also ban a public university from asking a candidate their preferred pronouns on an employee application. 

 

Nearly two-thirds of LGBTQ young people said it would be helpful for the people in their lives to know about more pronouns, according to the Trevor Project’s 2023 survey of mental health. 

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-gop-wants-to-make-pronouns-illegal-on-college-appliations-ocj1/

4 hours ago, ColDayMan said:

Ohio GOP Wants to Make Pronouns Illegal on College Applications

 

Republican lawmakers introduced a pair of higher education related bills as lame duck begins, including one to ban college applications from asking preferred pronouns.

 

State Rep. Gail Pavliga, R-Portage County, introduced a bill Thursday that would prohibit a public university from asking for a prospective student’s preferred pronouns on a college application. 

 

In a similar vein, House Bill 686 would also ban a public university from asking a candidate their preferred pronouns on an employee application. 

 

Nearly two-thirds of LGBTQ young people said it would be helpful for the people in their lives to know about more pronouns, according to the Trevor Project’s 2023 survey of mental health. 

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-gop-wants-to-make-pronouns-illegal-on-college-appliations-ocj1/

Important work here happening for Ohio by the GOP.   This ought to stop our population decline and national standing... 🙄

On 9/5/2024 at 9:58 PM, ColDayMan said:

Ohio GOP’s Anti-Transgender Legislation is Driving Families Out of State

 

Shannon Gallagher and her family saw the writing on the wall as bills targeting transgender youth were being introduced in the Ohio Statehouse last year.

 

Their youngest child Alex, now 17, is transgender non-binary and their family no longer felt welcome in Ohio, so they moved to New York City last fall.

 

“It was not an easy decision,” Gallagher said. “… We decided we needed to create an environment and move somewhere where all of our family members felt wanted and appreciated for who they are.”

 

The Gallaghers made the decision to move in June 2023 — months after state Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery, introduced his gender-affirming care ban bill (House Bill 68) and shortly after state Reps. Beth Lear, R-Galena, and Adam Bird, R-New Richmond, introduced a transgender bathroom ban bill (House Bill 183). 

 

“Is this where we’re gonna call home?” Gallagher recalls thinking when she lived in Ohio. “This place obviously does not want our family here and is trying their hardest to get rid of us. That’s very much how we felt. So it’s like, why are we contributing to the economy here?”

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-gops-anti-transgender-legislation-is-driving-families-out-of-state-ocj1/

 

I completely understand why this family moved out of state, but it sadly reduces the number of voters/advocates in Ohio to fight back against anti-LGBT politicians.  I'm sure the GOP isn't shedding any tears over this since having liberals concentrated in just a few states plays into their electoral college advantage.

15 minutes ago, JohnOSU99 said:

 

I completely understand why this family moved out of state, but it sadly reduces the number of voters/advocates in Ohio to fight back against anti-LGBT politicians.  I'm sure the GOP isn't shedding any tears over this since having liberals concentrated in just a few states plays into their electoral college advantage.

 

They're not going to escape simply by moving to a blue state. There are national actions coming that are going to directly attack the ability of trans people to live their lives in any capacity. They didn't move far enough. 

DeWine Continues GOP Bathroom Crusade with New Anti-Transgender Law

 

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed the state’s anti-transgender “bathroom bill” into law barring all transgender students, staff and visitors at public and private schools – kindergarten through college – from using multi-person restrooms that correspond with their gender.

 

Despite intense opposition from civil rights groups, members of the Ohio Senate voted to pass Senate Bill (SB) 104, sending it to the governor’s desk for approval.

 

SB 104 co-sponsors Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond), Rep. Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Asheville) confirmed the governor signed the bill via their official social media accounts.

 

However, the governor has not yet released an official statement and did not offer immediate comment regarding his decision.

 

The bill will take effect in 90 days.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/dewine-continues-gop-bathroom-crusade-with-new-anti-transgender-law-tbf1/

17 hours ago, ColDayMan said:

DeWine Continues GOP Bathroom Crusade with New Anti-Transgender Law

 

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed the state’s anti-transgender “bathroom bill” into law barring all transgender students, staff and visitors at public and private schools – kindergarten through college – from using multi-person restrooms that correspond with their gender.

And yet the GOP is full of the very people who will freak out when a transgender person follows them into a bathroom that does not correspond to their gender appearance.

1 minute ago, Foraker said:

And yet the GOP is full of the very people who will freak out when a transgender person follows them into a bathroom that does not correspond to their gender appearance.

Also 99.9% of them will never even encounter a transgender person in public, let alone walking into a bathroom.   Manufactured outrage for the MAGA masses.  

A lot of the left has joined the anti-trans hate train as well unfortunately. 

18 hours ago, TBideon said:

A lot of the left has joined the anti-trans hate train as well unfortunately. 

Some people say that's not true.

52 minutes ago, Foraker said:

Some people say that's not true.

 

In my experience as a trans woman, its not as overt as they make it seem. The hate from the Left is usually relegated to online spaces that rarely make it out into the real world.

 

Any queer space I frequent has been very inclusive for trans/gender non-conforming folks, as they are are well represented.

 

The GOP doesn't need any help from the Left hating trans people. They got that handled on their own.

14 minutes ago, Zagapi said:

In my experience as a trans woman, its not as overt as they make it seem. The hate from the Left is usually relegated to online spaces that rarely make it out into the real world.

I'm glad we have someone here on UO who can speak directly about their experiences.  

What kinds of things do you see from the left?    I haven't seen much, other than some of the "protect womens sports" dialogue, which I tend to agree with.  

9 minutes ago, Cleburger said:

I'm glad we have someone here on UO who can speak directly about their experiences.  

What kinds of things do you see from the left?    I haven't seen much, other than some of the "protect womens sports" dialogue, which I tend to agree with.  

 

When it happens, its usually trans misogyny/gender-essentialist type thinking. For example: "You grew up and were socialized as a male, therefore you don't understand." or "All men are bad, and you were one, therefore you're bad."

 

These people are called TERFs, or Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists. JK Rowling is the queen of the TERFs. Like I said, this is much less common in the real world, but it definitely still happens. The largest concern is someone calls me out in the bathroom and that escalates into something violent. Luckily, no issues so far, but I've stuck to the more enlightened areas of the state as much as I can.

 

The Left doesn't care about the sports conversation. My personal opinion is that its a complete non-issue that is used to normalize hate against trans people. Specifically trans femmes/women.

 

Only 0.5% of the population is trans.  Everyone seems to forget that trans mascs/men exist, so no one cares about them in sports. So roughly, only 0.25% of the population could even "threaten" girl's/women's sports. 

 

Then, how many of this 0.25% even have an interest in playing sports? Then, how many of this 0.25% are any good? If they are good, why is that inherently nefarious?

 

If trans women are women, then they should be allowed to play in women's sports. To say otherwise implies that we aren't women.

 

Nobody ever mentioned girl's sports until this "issue" came up. Trans women have been allowed to compete at the Olympics for years for both the Summer and Winter Games, and I haven't heard of any trans women dominating the Olympics. Just the one boxer that everyone was accusing of being trans, but she was cis woman. Why should children's sports be stricter than the Olympics in that regard?

 

I knew something was up with my gender identity when I was in High school, but I didn't accept it then for many reasons. One of which was that I couldn't stand the thought of having to give up baseball and not being allowed to play softball. I never had any desire to play in college. I finally accepted it and began my transition a year ago at the age of 24. Luckily, before that at 23, I found an LGBT Rec Softball League that helped heal that old wound.

 

95% of high school athletes never play in college, and even less of those make it pro. Kids just want to play sports with their friends.

 

This "issue" is meant to make children feel bad for wanting to exist and live the same way as their peers. That leads to very dangerous things.

20 hours ago, TBideon said:

A lot of the left has joined the anti-trans hate train as well unfortunately. 

 

1 hour ago, Zagapi said:

 

In my experience as a trans woman, its not as overt as they make it seem. The hate from the Left is usually relegated to online spaces that rarely make it out into the real world.

 

Any queer space I frequent has been very inclusive for trans/gender non-conforming folks, as they are are well represented.

 

The GOP doesn't need any help from the Left hating trans people. They got that handled on their own.

I feel for you Zagapi, there is a lot of hate and even well-meaning but hurtful misunderstanding out there.

 

My sarcasm didn't come through in mocking the MAGA trick of hiding their hate behind "some people say" caveats. 

I don't dispute that there is hate all across the spectrum, but I do dispute TBideon's unfounded claim that "A lot" of the Left has joined the "anti-trans hate train."  I haven't seen any proof of that and I challenge TBideon to provide a source. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna179370

 

Suozzi and Moulton for starters.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14120177/amp/neil-degrasse-tyson-bill-maher-trans-players-womens-sports.html

 

Bill Maher for years

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/us/politics/presidential-campaign-transgender-rights.html

 

Harris letting the attack ads go unanswered. Just imagine if they had targeted Jews instead. I'd imagine a very different response, or at least some kind of response. 

 

It goes on and on.

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Foraker said:

I don't dispute that there is hate all across the spectrum, but I do dispute TBideon's unfounded claim that "A lot" of the Left has joined the "anti-trans hate train."

Thank you for providing examples of some Democrats who have problems with trans people in at least some situations.  But I don't think those articles prove your point that "a lot" of the Left (exactly what do you mean -- are we including the Green Party?) has joined the "anti-trans hate train."

 

2 hours ago, TBideon said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna179370

 

Suozzi and Moulton for starters.

 

That article quotes two Democratic Representatives (I'd say that they are moderates, not far-left) and a Texas Democratic party leader.  That article also includes the following.

Quote

Throughout the campaign, Republicans spent more than $200 million on network television advertisements centered on transgender issues this year, according to data shared with NBC News by AdImpact, an analytics firm that tracks political ad spending. . . .

Harris largely avoided the issue on the trail and in interviews and it was notably absent from this year’s Democratic National Convention.

Asked if she believed that transgender Americans should have access to gender-affirming care in this country, Harris told NBC News’ Hallie Jackson, “That is a decision that doctors will make in terms of what is medically necessary.” Pressed further, she said, “I believe that all people should be treated with dignity and respect, period, and should not be vilified for who they are, and should not be bullied for who they are.”

 

The Harris campaign’s LGBTQ engagement director, Sam Alleman, urged voters not to blame trans people for Harris’ loss.

“Please do not blame trans issues or trans people for why we lost,” he wrote on X on Thursday. “No exit polling or data is showing this as a significant decision point for voters.”

In other words, while Democrats support many LGBTQ issues, that's not a high priority (while it is a high priority for the GOP to punch down).

 

3 hours ago, TBideon said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14120177/amp/neil-degrasse-tyson-bill-maher-trans-players-womens-sports.html

 

Bill Maher for years

Bill Maher is a Libertarian.  Liberal on some issues, very conservative on others.  (And I would argue that he's been inconsistent on some issues over the years.)

I think it would be hard to say that Bill Maher is representative of "the Left."

 

3 hours ago, TBideon said:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/us/politics/presidential-campaign-transgender-rights.html

Harris letting the attack ads go unanswered. Just imagine if they had targeted Jews instead. I'd imagine a very different response, or at least some kind of response.

That's a silly argument.  First, let's remember the scale of this "problem" -- there are 10x the number of American Jews compared to the number of trans Americans.  So with limited time, is this the most important issue to make sure you respond to in every instance?  No.  Second, would you say that Trump favors every issue that Harris raised that he "let go unanswered"?  (What about issues he lied about, like not knowing anything about Project 2025?) 

 

I can tell you that I was part of the Left that was very disappointed in how Harris dealt with this issue, and a lot of other issues.  Biden too.  Here's an example of the Left disagreeing with the Center-Left.

https://wlos.com/news/nation-world/aoc-responds-to-bidens-title-ix-rule-for-trans-athletes-indefensible-and-embarrassing-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-transgender-kids-children-sports

 

Again, there is hate all across the spectrum, but it is FAR more common on the Right and rare on the Left.  This is not a "both sides are equally bad" issue.

4 hours ago, Foraker said:

Thank you for providing examples of some Democrats who have problems with trans people in at least some situations.  But I don't think those articles prove your point that "a lot" of the Left (exactly what do you mean -- are we including the Green Party?) has joined the "anti-trans hate train."

 

 

That article quotes two Democratic Representatives (I'd say that they are moderates, not far-left) and a Texas Democratic party leader.  That article also includes the following.

In other words, while Democrats support many LGBTQ issues, that's not a high priority (while it is a high priority for the GOP to punch down).

 

Bill Maher is a Libertarian.  Liberal on some issues, very conservative on others.  (And I would argue that he's been inconsistent on some issues over the years.)

I think it would be hard to say that Bill Maher is representative of "the Left."

 

That's a silly argument.  First, let's remember the scale of this "problem" -- there are 10x the number of American Jews compared to the number of trans Americans.  So with limited time, is this the most important issue to make sure you respond to in every instance?  No.  Second, would you say that Trump favors every issue that Harris raised that he "let go unanswered"?  (What about issues he lied about, like not knowing anything about Project 2025?) 

 

I can tell you that I was part of the Left that was very disappointed in how Harris dealt with this issue, and a lot of other issues.  Biden too.  Here's an example of the Left disagreeing with the Center-Left.

https://wlos.com/news/nation-world/aoc-responds-to-bidens-title-ix-rule-for-trans-athletes-indefensible-and-embarrassing-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-transgender-kids-children-sports

 

Again, there is hate all across the spectrum, but it is FAR more common on the Right and rare on the Left.  This is not a "both sides are equally bad" issue.

From the little we have seen, the issue was still evolving within the LGBT community at the time of the elction so it naturally emerged as a wider wedge issue to some on the left who were not provided a unified front or platform for the electorate to consider (a full primary season may have helped socialize and neutralize as a campaign issue better) while it became a rallying point on the right. Not helping to unify support has been the subtle LGB Without the T movement we've seen such as in the US and UK (was a Change.org petition in the past). The election results and election post-mortems casting blame all around are not surprising.

https://lgballiance.org.uk/friends-of-lgb-alliance/

https://nypost.com/2023/11/18/opinion/why-its-time-for-lgb-to-divorce-tq/

 

 

There is a ton of ignorance about trans people and the surrounding issues, even from the Left. This is partly because there are so few actual trans people, most have never met one in person and so it's easy to get sidetracked by fearmongering and disinformation. I've even debated people on this site whom I would consider to be on the Left and who engaged in arguably discriminatory attitudes related to them. Furthermore, discrimination is not exactly a new thing within the LGBTQ community- it's always been there. Anyone who's used an app like Grindr or Tinder and seen profiles that include phrases like "No fems" or "No Asians" would not be surprised that there are also some who discriminate against trans and others. There's a whole subset of the community that idenifies as conservative and votes for a largely anti-LGB (and TQ+) platform. None of this is new. The only thing two gay men definitely share in common is a biological attraction to other men, not politics, not ideology, etc. The overall community is very accepting and tolerant- much more than the general population IMO- but that is not and has never been universal. The people in the community who would seek to exclude trans, queer or others are doing exactly the same thing that was and is still being done to them, and it's massively hypocritical. 

 

But all that said and again, it's absolutely much less common on the Left than Right, and I think the Left is just better at being informed overall and willing to change their views in the face of evidence. It seems once the Right has latched onto something, they will double or triple down in the face of more information they receive that contradicts their view, the exact opposite of what tends to happen on the Left. The bathroom bans, the sports bans, etc. serve one purpose, and that's cruelty. So-called "protection" of one group should never coincide with it being open season on another. 

Edited December 7, 2024Dec 7 by jonoh81

1 hour ago, jonoh81 said:

There is a ton of ignorance about trans people and the surrounding issues, even from the Left. This is partly because there are so few actual trans people, most have never met one in person and so it's easy to get sidetracked by fearmongering and disinformation. I've even debated people on this site whom I would consider to be on the Left and who engaged in arguably discriminatory attitudes related to them. Furthermore, discrimination is not exactly a new thing within the LGBTQ community- it's always been there. Anyone who's used an app like Grindr or Tinder and seen profiles that include phrases like "No fems" or "No Asians" would not be surprised that there is also some who discriminate against trans and others. There's a whole subset of the community that idenifies as conservative and votes for a largely anti-LGB (and TQ+) platform. None of this is new. The only thing two gay men definitely share in common is a biological attraction to other men, not politics, not ideology, etc. The overall community is very accepting and tolerant- much more than the general population IMO- but that is not and has never been universal. The people in the community who would seek to exclude trans, queer or others are doing exactly the same thing that was and is still being done to them, and it's massively hypocritical. 

 

But all that said and again, it's absolutely much less common on the Left than Right, and I think the Left is just better at being informed overall and willing to change their views in the face of evidence. It seems once the Right has latched onto something, they will double or triple down in the face of more information they receive that contradicts their view, the exact opposite of what tends to happen on the Left. The bathroom bans, the sports bans, etc. serve one purpose, and that's cruelty. So-called "protection" of one group should never coincide with it being open season on another. 

I think discrimination against trans folks is declining, in part from my observation, because families are experiencing family members transitioning. I teach at a university, and in the past say five or six years, I've heard more students say they have a brother or sister transitioning - and that the family accepted it - than ever before. I know it's not that simple, but even a few years ago, it was very rare for someone to admit  -- or perhaps know -- that they had a trans family member. For younger people who got used to seeing gay and even trans kids in high school and junior high school, it's a really different situation. Many of them understand it from the perspective of their family and friends, not an abstraction or some devil conjured by the Republicans. 

Edited December 7, 2024Dec 7 by westerninterloper

21 minutes ago, westerninterloper said:

I think discrimination against trans folks is declining, in part from my observation, because families are experiencing family members transitioning. I teach at a university, and in the past say five or six years, I've heard more students say they have a brother or sister transitioning - and that the family accepted it - than ever before. I know it's not that simple, but even a few years ago, it was very rare for someone to admit  -- or perhaps know -- that they had a trans family member. For younger people who got used to seeing gay and even trans kids in high school and junior high school, it's a really different situation. Many of them understand it from the perspective of their family and friends, not an abstraction or some devil conjured by the Republicans. 

 

Fully disagree. I think trans discrimination is on the upswing, and discrimination against the rest of the LGBQ+ community is also increasing again. You might have more individuals coming out, but the on-the-ground reality is very different. Republicans just ran an incredibly bigoted campaign against trans people and it worked, and there are literally hundreds of anti-trans and anti- LGBQ+ legislationn proposals all across the country. And all the anti-LGBTQ+ stuff in the Project 2025 agenda is likely to be pushed forward over the next several years, and I'm just not expecting much pushback from that. I would also not be surprised if SCOTUS overturns Obergefell once they get the right case. You can't give power to deeply regressive people and then expect things to not regress.

 

And I'm not so sure we can trust younger generations to move us forward anymore. Gen Z seems like it's going in the opposite direction, especially Gen Z males. All their heroes seem to be disinformation and toxic machines like Rogan, Tate, etc.  

 

^I get the feeling that the manosphere podcast business is a lot of Russian interference.

I'd say Rogan's obsession with trans women athletes really started the right wing's obsession and vilification. Pre-Covid, I don't recall MAGA giving a fart. Then Rogan started talking about it in early 2020, and the deplorables were off to the races.

 

And I doubt the anti-trans movement relates to Russian involvement. Right wingers always need a scapegoat - women, minorities, Jews, Muslims, immigrants, homosexuals - and trans people are just the latest victims. Americans don't need Russia to be awful human beings.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2024Dec 7 by TBideon

It's more about keeping up the divide in any way possible for the Russians.

4 hours ago, GCrites said:

^I get the feeling that the manosphere podcast business is a lot of Russian interference.

 

Oh, for sure that's a big part of it. I wouldn't say all of it because the message they're spreading is largely playing to a very receptive audience, but it's getting a huge boost beyond what it would've otherwise gotten. 

Edited December 7, 2024Dec 7 by jonoh81

4 hours ago, TBideon said:

I'd say Rogan's obsession with trans women athletes really started the right wing's obsession and vilification. Pre-Covid, I don't recall MAGA giving a fart. Then Rogan started talking about it in early 2020, and the deplorables were off to the races.

 

And I doubt the anti-trans movement relates to Russian involvement. Right wingers always need a scapegoat - women, minorities, Jews, Muslims, immigrants, homosexuals - and trans people are just the latest victims. Americans don't need Russia to be awful human beings.

 

 

 

Amen on much of this. Social conservatism isn't a complex construct, and really requires only a few core things: 1. A revisionist/imaginary view of the past and present (I.E. a rejection of facts or truth), 2. Someone to blame for why the present is so bad or who is standing in the way of the "better" revisionist past being brought back (I.E. scapegoats), and 3. A lack of capacity to hit bottom (I.E. lacking empathy or shame). MAGA is maybe the most perfect representation of these core requirements, but just about all social conservativism shares them. 

Edited December 7, 2024Dec 7 by jonoh81

Governments in Russia and Hungary, and previous governments in Brazil are part of the global circulation of antigay+ propaganda and legislation. Not that the Republicans needed their help, but those conservative governments develop complementary messages. Conservatives will also "oppression shop" for resistance; once one group corrals enough resistance, conservatives will redirect toward a new, less organized target. Trans folks have been their target of choice now for at least a dozen years, if not longer; it used to be enough to target gay men, but particularly since the mid 2010s, that has become counterproductive. I saw precisely this process happen in a 2010 Bowling Green OH campaign for gay, trans protections, among 8 other categories (HIV status, pregnancy, military, etc). At first the opposition went on about gay marriage, by the end of the campaign it was all about trans people in public bathrooms. They lost, but barely. 

 

Ill stand by my statement about the public acceptance of trans people. Part of the reason the Republicans went so hard against them, like they went against gays in 2004 state marriage amendments, is that trans folks are gaining acceptance. The GOP focus on trans folks this year was a sign of the weakening of their position, not strengthening. Courts are striking down some of these laws; not all. But the social change happening inside families - churches, communities, universities, is already a strong foundation to work from. Fifteen or twenty years from now, we won't recognize the Republican position on trans people. 

I don't know... you read about the evolution of anti-Jewish legislations in 1930s Germany, and there are some parallels to how conservatives are combating transgender people. Half the country wants them gone or dead, and much of the other half is ambivalent.

 

 

Edited December 8, 2024Dec 8 by TBideon

18 hours ago, westerninterloper said:

Governments in Russia and Hungary, and previous governments in Brazil are part of the global circulation of antigay+ propaganda and legislation. Not that the Republicans needed their help, but those conservative governments develop complementary messages. Conservatives will also "oppression shop" for resistance; once one group corrals enough resistance, conservatives will redirect toward a new, less organized target. Trans folks have been their target of choice now for at least a dozen years, if not longer; it used to be enough to target gay men, but particularly since the mid 2010s, that has become counterproductive. I saw precisely this process happen in a 2010 Bowling Green OH campaign for gay, trans protections, among 8 other categories (HIV status, pregnancy, military, etc). At first the opposition went on about gay marriage, by the end of the campaign it was all about trans people in public bathrooms. They lost, but barely. 

 

Ill stand by my statement about the public acceptance of trans people. Part of the reason the Republicans went so hard against them, like they went against gays in 2004 state marriage amendments, is that trans folks are gaining acceptance. The GOP focus on trans folks this year was a sign of the weakening of their position, not strengthening. Courts are striking down some of these laws; not all. But the social change happening inside families - churches, communities, universities, is already a strong foundation to work from. Fifteen or twenty years from now, we won't recognize the Republican position on trans people. 

 

I do sort of agree that these attacks are based on Republican weakness, because they don't have any actual policy to run on and so they have to create scapegoats and fear to maintain or increase their power.

The problem is that this stuff is clearly finding an audience, and quite a large one. I don't think Republicans would've gone after trans and immigrants if it wasn't a strategy they thought would resonate with a large number of Americans, and they were right. It has absolutely paid off for them. There's a lot to be said about that, but I don't think it's necessarily increasing acceptance. 

On 12/7/2024 at 6:12 PM, westerninterloper said:

Governments in Russia and Hungary, and previous governments in Brazil are part of the global circulation of antigay+ propaganda and legislation. Not that the Republicans needed their help, but those conservative governments develop complementary messages. Conservatives will also "oppression shop" for resistance; once one group corrals enough resistance, conservatives will redirect toward a new, less organized target. Trans folks have been their target of choice now for at least a dozen years, if not longer; it used to be enough to target gay men, but particularly since the mid 2010s, that has become counterproductive. I saw precisely this process happen in a 2010 Bowling Green OH campaign for gay, trans protections, among 8 other categories (HIV status, pregnancy, military, etc). At first the opposition went on about gay marriage, by the end of the campaign it was all about trans people in public bathrooms. They lost, but barely. 

 

Ill stand by my statement about the public acceptance of trans people. Part of the reason the Republicans went so hard against them, like they went against gays in 2004 state marriage amendments, is that trans folks are gaining acceptance. The GOP focus on trans folks this year was a sign of the weakening of their position, not strengthening. Courts are striking down some of these laws; not all. But the social change happening inside families - churches, communities, universities, is already a strong foundation to work from. Fifteen or twenty years from now, we won't recognize the Republican position on trans people. 

Well, there’s precedent for what you’re saying because that’s exactly what happened with acceptance of gay people between roughly the 2004 and 2012 elections.

Russia has been involved in the anti-LGBTQ influencers. Articles like this a few months ago: https://www.npr.org/2024/09/05/nx-s1-5100829/russia-election-influencers-youtube

 

Quote

 

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, many American cable distributors dropped RT's U.S. channel, RT America, from their lineups, and it eventually shut down production. The video scheme allowed RT to covertly reach American audiences without a presence on the airwaves, the indictment alleges.

 

Tenet publicly launched in November 2023 with six contributors well-known in right-wing media, including Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, David Rubin and Lauren Southern. The videos they create for Tenet regularly cover conservative staples including "migrant gangs," transgender people, online censorship and attacks on Vice President Harris and President Biden.

 

"While the views expressed in the videos are not uniform, the subject matter and content of the videos are often consistent with the Government of Russia's interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition to core Government of Russia interests, such as its ongoing war in Ukraine," the indictment says.

 

The indictment accuses Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva of working with the Tennessee company's founders to conceal the true origins of its funding. They told some contributors that the company was being backed by a wealthy European banker named Eduard Grigoriann. "In truth and in fact, Grigoriann was a fictional persona," the indictment says.

 

 

Interestingly, Tim Pool recently announced he was ending his podcast. I'm sure it's just a coincidence and not because his funding dried up /s. So there is real evidence of Russia funding anti-LGBTQ propaganda. I doubt they give specific directions to any of them, but they would likely stop funding them if they weren't promoting things Russia wanted them to promote. And I don't think these right wing influencers are unaware of this.

4 hours ago, ryanlammi said:

Russia has been involved in the anti-LGBTQ influencers. Articles like this a few months ago: https://www.npr.org/2024/09/05/nx-s1-5100829/russia-election-influencers-youtube

 

 

Interestingly, Tim Pool recently announced he was ending his podcast. I'm sure it's just a coincidence and not because his funding dried up /s. So there is real evidence of Russia funding anti-LGBTQ propaganda. I doubt they give specific directions to any of them, but they would likely stop funding them if they weren't promoting things Russia wanted them to promote. And I don't think these right wing influencers are unaware of this.

Yes, they are quite active in some of the fringiest antigay groups. Many American evangelicals, however, are likely the original source of that political project in Russia going back about 25 years. It's just now coming back around through the Russians.

 

American evanglicals have also been active in Uganda, Nigeria, former Soviet Republics, anywhere they can get an audience. 

Over 10,000 Ohioans asked DeWine to Veto Bathroom Bill

 

While transgender Ohioans and allies lament Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signing a transgender bathroom ban bill despite 10,000 Ohioans reportedly urging him not to do so, Republicans are celebrating. 

 

DeWine signed Senate Bill 104 last week, which prohibits transgender students from using school bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity in K-12 schools and colleges. This includes state universities, community colleges, technical colleges and private nonprofit and for-profit career colleges. The law will take effect Feb. 24, but the ACLU of Ohio said it “is closely considering next steps.”

 

“Transgender people are part of the fabric of Ohio; our families, our workplaces, and our neighborhoods,” the ACLU of Ohio said in a statement. “Every Ohioan deserves the freedom to be loved, to be safe, to be trusted with decisions about healthcare, and to access the facilities that align with their gender identity.”

 

More than 10,000 people contacted DeWine, urging him to veto the bill, TransOhio said. TransOhio is a nonprofit that provides services, education, advocacy, and support to transgender people and allies.

 

“It is a travesty of justice and equity and a stain upon this state,” TransOhio said in a statement. “Our trans students and educators deserve so much better.”

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/over-10000-ohioans-asked-dewine-to-veto-bathroom-bill-ocj1/

Two Pro-LGBTQ+ Bills Proposed in Ohio Legislature

 

In what might be the lamest of lame-duck sessions Ohio has ever seen, with a rush of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced and passed into law across the the Ohio State legislature, the Ohio House of Representatives State and Local Government Committee convened on December 10 for a packed agenda of roughly 16 bills receiving testimony. Amongst the pack, two proposals stood out for their potential to reshape Ohio’s legal landscape on LGBTQ+ protections. 

 

These bills—House Bill 157 and House Bill 225—address issues ranging from hate crime enforcement to the official recognition of Pride Month. While their objectives differ, both share a common goal: advancing equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ Ohioans.

 

House Bill 157: establishing a Bureau of Hate Crimes

 

House Bill 157, introduced by Reps. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) and Anita Somani (D-Dublin), proposes the creation of a Bureau of Hate Crimes within the Attorney General’s Office. If enacted, the bureau would focus on investigating and deterring crimes motivated by prejudice, specifically extending protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity—gaps currently unaddressed by Ohio’s existing laws.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/two-pro-lgbtq-bills-proposed-in-ohio-legislature-tbf1/

On 12/16/2024 at 10:39 AM, ColDayMan said:

Two Pro-LGBTQ+ Bills Proposed in Ohio Legislature

 

In what might be the lamest of lame-duck sessions Ohio has ever seen, with a rush of anti-LGBTQ+ bills being introduced and passed into law across the the Ohio State legislature, the Ohio House of Representatives State and Local Government Committee convened on December 10 for a packed agenda of roughly 16 bills receiving testimony. Amongst the pack, two proposals stood out for their potential to reshape Ohio’s legal landscape on LGBTQ+ protections. 

 

These bills—House Bill 157 and House Bill 225—address issues ranging from hate crime enforcement to the official recognition of Pride Month. While their objectives differ, both share a common goal: advancing equity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ Ohioans.

 

House Bill 157: establishing a Bureau of Hate Crimes

 

House Bill 157, introduced by Reps. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) and Anita Somani (D-Dublin), proposes the creation of a Bureau of Hate Crimes within the Attorney General’s Office. If enacted, the bureau would focus on investigating and deterring crimes motivated by prejudice, specifically extending protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity—gaps currently unaddressed by Ohio’s existing laws.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/two-pro-lgbtq-bills-proposed-in-ohio-legislature-tbf1/

 

Almost certainly DOA. The current Republican Party and Ohio legislature is a hate crime factory. 

GOP Makes it Harder for Transgender Ohioans to Run for Office

 

During the final hours of Ohio legislature’s 135th Congressional Session, lawmakers passed a piece of legislation limiting transgender Ohioans’ ability to run for public office.

 

Members of the Ohio Senate voted to pass the legislation after members of the House Government Oversight Committee rolled its language into Senate Bill (SB) 71 – a separate piece of legislation regarding electoral policy.

 

Aside from an explicit exception that allows married women to omit their maiden names via the same candidacy petition, Ohioans are already required to list any legal name changes that occurred within the last five years on their petitions for candidacy. 

 

SB 71 will further codify the requirement by updating the existing candidacy form to include a designated space to list former legal names and allowing voters registered under any political party to challenge the legitimacy of any candidate based on the suspected existence of prior legal names – both of which could affect transgender candidates disproportionately. 

 

Targeting transgender candidates

 

Conservative Reps. Angie King (R-Celina) and Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) first introduced the legislation as House Bill (HB) 471 in May of this year.

 

The bill would have given voters registered under any political party legal footing to challenge the legitimacy of transgender candidates should they fail to publicly list their former legal names, whereas the law at that time only allowed registered voters from the same party as the prospective candidate to formally challenge the candidate’s legitimacy, for any reason.

 

Reps. King and Creech were the only two candidates for the Ohio House to run against transgender candidates in the 2024 general election – facing transgender candidates Bobbie Brooke Arnold and Arienne Childrey, both of whom narrowly avoided disqualification under the law.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/gop-makes-it-harder-for-transgender-ohioans-to-run-for-office-tbf1/

16 hours ago, ColDayMan said:

GOP Makes it Harder for Transgender Ohioans to Run for Office

 

During the final hours of Ohio legislature’s 135th Congressional Session, lawmakers passed a piece of legislation limiting transgender Ohioans’ ability to run for public office.

How can this even be remotely Constitutional? 

 

 

On 12/31/2024 at 9:27 AM, Cleburger said:

How can this even be remotely Constitutional? 

 

 

It’s not, but Republicans don’t have to follow the Constitution. 

Ohio GOP Passes New Anti-LGBTQ Laws for 2025

 

For Robin, a transgender high school student in Columbus, going to the bathroom is going to get a lot more complicated. 

 

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently signed a transgender school bathroom ban into law, which is set to take effect Feb. 24. 

 

“I can’t do simple things like peeing now without having to be policed around,” he said. 

 

Robin is actively transitioning and has been taking testosterone for eight months. 

 

“I don’t look like a woman, so … I feel like a creep going into the women’s restroom when I’m not one,” he said. “People will be like, ‘Why are you in here?’ And I’m like, ‘I’m following the law.’ I wish I wasn’t.”

 

The bathroom ban bill was part of a wave of anti-LGBTQ bills during the most recent General Assembly, which wrapped up last week. 

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-gop-passes-new-anti-lgbtq-laws-for-2025-ocj1/

 

Governor DeWine Signs Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation into Law

 

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB 8 (“The Parents’ Bill of Rights”) into law on Wednesday. He did so behind closed doors, not televised as he did for another bill he signed into law the same day.

 

HB 8 will force teachers and school staff to out LGBTQ+ youth to their parents and will limit the mention of LGBTQ+ identity in school curricula. 

 

The bill requires that teachers and school staff – including school social workers, counselors and psychologists – notify a student’s parent of “any change in the student’s services, including counseling services, or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional or physical health or well-being.” 

 

The legislation specifically calls out trans identity as necessitating parental notification, and previous testimony has affirmed that disclosures of sexual orientation would also trigger parental contact. 

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/governor-dewine-signs-anti-lgbtq-legislation-into-law-tbf1/

How Ohioans Will be Affected by National Transgender Sports Ban

 

The Republican-led U.S. House has voted to ban transgender girls and women from competing in women’s sports at all federally funded institutions, from kindergarten through college.

 

The bill is now expected to be taken up by the newly Republican-controlled U.S. Senate. If it  becomes law, House Resolution (HR) 28 will amend Title IX – the landmark civil rights law prohibiting sex discrimination at educational institutions. It would explicitly exclude transgender athletes from civil rights protections under the law and revoke federal funding from institutions that allow trans athletes to compete.

 

Ohio’s 15 congressional representatives voted along party lines Tuesday morning, with House Republicans voting unanimously in favor of the bill.

 

The move comes one year after Ohio lawmakers passed House Bill (HB) 68, barring transgender female athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports and banning health care for transgender youth statewide.

 

With a state sports ban already in place and a federal ban looming, legal experts, lawmakers and LGBTQ+ organizations have expressed deep concern around enforcement of the law, which could force students to undergo invasive genital exams in order to compete.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/how-ohioans-will-be-affected-by-national-transgender-sports-ban/

Ohio Representative Attends Signing of Trump Transgender Sports Ban

 

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Feb. 5 banning transgender women from participating in women’s sports at any institution receiving federal funding.

 

Baptist pastor and Ohio State Rep. Gary Click (R-Fremont) – the sponsor and primary driver behind Ohio’s transgender sports ban – received an invitation to the White House and attended the executive order’s signing alongside anti-transgender activists from across the country.

 

A federal transgender sports ban is advancing. How will the law affect Ohioans?

 

The executive order amends language in Title IX – the landmark 1972 case that prohibits sex discrimination at public schools and universities – to cut federal funding to institutions that allow trans women and girls to compete in female athletic categories. It followed the Jan. 14 passage in the U.S. House of a blanket ban on transgender women in sports.

 

Ohio House Bill (HB) 68 – which Click also sponsored – was passed in the legislature, vetoed by Gov. Mike Dewine, with the veto overridden by a Republican supermajority in January 2024.

 

The law took effect in August 2025, barring transgender women from competing in women’s sports and banning legal access to gender-affirming health care for trans Ohioans under 18.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-representative-attends-signing-of-trump-transgender-sports-ban-tbf1/

15 hours ago, ColDayMan said:

Ohio Representative Attends Signing of Trump Transgender Sports Ban

 

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Feb. 5 banning transgender women from participating in women’s sports at any institution receiving federal funding.

 

Baptist pastor and Ohio State Rep. Gary Click (R-Fremont) – the sponsor and primary driver behind Ohio’s transgender sports ban – received an invitation to the White House and attended the executive order’s signing alongside anti-transgender activists from across the country.

 

A federal transgender sports ban is advancing. How will the law affect Ohioans?

 

The executive order amends language in Title IX – the landmark 1972 case that prohibits sex discrimination at public schools and universities – to cut federal funding to institutions that allow trans women and girls to compete in female athletic categories. It followed the Jan. 14 passage in the U.S. House of a blanket ban on transgender women in sports.

 

Ohio House Bill (HB) 68 – which Click also sponsored – was passed in the legislature, vetoed by Gov. Mike Dewine, with the veto overridden by a Republican supermajority in January 2024.

 

The law took effect in August 2025, barring transgender women from competing in women’s sports and banning legal access to gender-affirming health care for trans Ohioans under 18.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-representative-attends-signing-of-trump-transgender-sports-ban-tbf1/

Nothing but a bunch of dominionist nutbags...🤬

And conservatives thought desegregating sports was immoral because they perceived black people as having unfair genetic advantages from the good ol' hard labor days.

 

Stomach cancer is too good for those manaics.

New Anti-Transgender Bathroom Law Starts in Ohio Today

 

A new Ohio law banning transgender students from using school bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity takes effect Tuesday. 

 

Ohio lawmakers passed the bathroom ban bill and Gov. Mike DeWine signed it into law in November. 

 

The new law requires people at Ohio K-12 public schools and public and private colleges and universities to use the restroom that matches up with their gender assigned at birth. It also bans students from sharing overnight accommodations with people of the opposite sex from their assigned sex at birth at K-12 schools. 

 

However, the law does not prevent a school from having single-occupancy facilities and does not apply to someone helping a person with a disability or a child younger than 10 years old being helped by a parent, guardian or family member.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/new-anti-transgender-bathroom-law-starts-in-ohio-today-ocj1/

Quality of Life Declines for Ohioans as GOP Pushes Anti-LGBTQ Legislation

 

LGBTQ+ advocacy groups from Ohio and across the country say state-level legislation has had broad-based impacts on the rights and well-being of their communities.

 

Legislation that has limited the ability for minors to receive gender-affirming care, for transgender student athletes to participate in sports that align with their gender identity, for teachers to teach about topics that might include LGBTQ+ topics, and even bills barring individuals from using the bathroom they choose based on their gender, have all had impacts in states including Ohio. Advocates say the fact that legislation has had “preemption,” or provisions within the bill that allow it to override any local ordinances or laws, has had even more of an effect.

 

Dwayne Steward, executive director of Equality Ohio, said while preemption “has not been fully harnessed” by the Ohio legislature, when it comes to anti-LGBTQ measures, “it is being used in targeted legislation toward anti-DEI and anti-trans measures.”

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/quality-of-life-declines-for-ohioans-as-gop-push-anti-lgbtq-legislation-ocj1/

Ohio Budget Proposal Includes Anti-Transgender Language

 

The Ohio House’s version of the two-year state budget only acknowledge two sexes, male and female, excluding transgender people and intersex people born with a mix of chromosomes or just one chromosome.

 

“It is the policy of the state of Ohio to recognize two sexes, male and female,” according to language from the House budget. “These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”

 

The budget passed last week with a 60-39 vote and it now moves to the Ohio Senate. Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine must sign a budget by June 30. He has line-item veto power, so he can remove the gender limitation.

 

Adding the language to the budget is reckless, said Equality Ohio Executive Director Dwayne Steward. 

 

“The budget is not the place where we should be discussing culture war or legislating against people’s rights,” Steward said. “Instead of focusing on what’s important, like funding our schools and making sure kids have access to quality healthcare, they have decided a small percentage of the population should be attacked.”

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-budget-proposal-includes-anti-transgender-language-ocj1/

Ohio Courts Reviewing Same-Sex Parenting Rights

 

A case regarding parental rights in a same-sex relationship will be heard by the Ohio Supreme Court this month. It could test not only Ohio law but the federal Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage.

 

The state’s highest court will hold oral arguments in a case appealed from the First District Court of Appeals to decide the parental rights of a woman who was in a relationship with the children’s mother when the kids were born. However, the couple was never married, and adoptive rights to the children were not established.

 

Priya Shahani and Carmen Edmonds were in a relationship for more than a decade, and had thoughts of getting married. But the bulk of their relationship occurred before the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, an Ohio-based case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

 

Edmonds argues the couple travelled to Boston with plans to get married, but decided against it, due to the fact that Ohio would not recognize the marriage at that time. The state also does not recognize common-law marriages entered into after 1991.

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-courts-reviewing-same-sex-parenting-rights-ocj1/

 

Ohio Republicans Reintroduce Drag Ban Bill

Ohio Republicans have again introduced a bill to ban drag performances from venues outside of “adult cabaret spaces.”

Now dubbed the “Indecent Exposure Modernization Act,” HB 249 is again sponsored by Reps. Angela King (R-Celina) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) and co-sponsored by 42 other Republican representatives. 

The bill would ban an individual from “recklessly [engaging] in an adult cabaret performance in a location other than an adult cabaret,” spaces that regularly feature persons who appear in a state of nudity or seminudity.

“Adult cabaret performance” is defined as one that is “harmful to juveniles or obscene” and the list of entertainers includes “performers or entertainers who exhibit a gender identity that is different from the performer’s or entertainer’s biological sex, using clothing, makeup, prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts, or other physical markers.”

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/ohio-republicans-reintroduce-drag-ban-bill-tbf1/