With just a few days left until the election, LGBTQ+ issues feature prominently in some very important results.
At this point, commercials demonizing transgender people in Ohio are inevitable, and an estimated $120 million has been spent on anti-trans advertising nationwide.
“They create fear and divide us as a community,” Equality Ohio said in a statement Monday.
New polling data from GLAAD and Ground Media shows the Trump campaign’s anti-trans ads had “no statistically significant impact” on the likelihood of voting or choice of candidate, but the data also found that the ad significantly undermined public support for transgender people. problem.
So how does this translate into LGBTQ+ Ohioans actually showing up and voting?
Buckeye Flame spoke with Ohio native and Human Rights Campaign (HRC) national campaign director John Gruber about the position LGBTQ+ Ohioans occupy on the ballot and the incentives needed to win them over before the election. I asked for a brief summary. I’ll actually vote.
To listen, click play directly below, or read the (edited) conversation below the audio link.
First, there can be confusion about how national organizations relate to each other at the state level. Tell us a little bit about how the Human Rights Campaign is helping Ohio.
John Gruber: The Human Rights Campaign has made significant investments in Ohio. We have three steering committees, which are volunteer-supported organizations that provide community engagement, fundraising, and support to elected officials. They are currently knocking on doors across the state, including in Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus.
We also have thousands of members across the state. These are people who share the Human Rights Campaign’s mission for full lives and legal equality for all LGBTQ+ Ohioans. They go to Pride Fairs and go online to see the crazy ads that Bernie Moreno is running. They get frustrated and sign up for HRC and we keep them active.
We also do large-scale advocacy efforts, working with organizations like Equality Ohio and other grassroots groups closer to the local level. We’re working together in Columbus to devise strategies to try to stop or at least slow the passage of bad legislation.
Perhaps a lot of that coalition’s work is in our work on the gender-affirming care ban and the trans-athlete ban, which were vetoed by Governor DeWine last year and then apparently overridden by the Legislature. You can see it. This is a good example of HRC’s dual legislative and political commitment.
Given the national perspective brought to you by the Human Rights Campaign, how important is Ohio’s LGBTQ+ community in the upcoming election?
I think that’s very important. Ohio’s LGBTQ+ community, unfortunately more than many other places, knows what it’s like to be truly attacked.
We’ve all seen that disgusting ad run by Bernie Moreno. And we know that Ohio has been a victim of many in this election cycle. Whether it’s Springfield, we don’t know if the far right is capitalizing on rumors, capitalizing on fear, or just attacking. [LGBTQ+] People try to score cheap political points. So the best thing Ohio’s LGBTQ+ community can do is organize and make sure they’re voting and making sure their friends are voting too.
We always like to think about how the LGBTQ+ community is so strong and growing. And we have allies. We have brothers, sisters, colleagues, and friends who vote for us. They’re going to vote for our rights, they’re going to see what Bernie Moreno is saying, they’re going to see what Sherrod Brown is saying about LGBTQ+ rights, and they’re going to say, “Hey, we’re going to vote for our rights. Legal equality for all Ohioans. ”
What do you think are effective techniques for actually getting people to vote? What messages have been effective in motivating the LGBTQ+ community?
That’s interesting. One thing is, I think it’s like stealing what Kamala Harris said in a debate, but just listen to it. Let’s hear the differences between the two candidates. Listen to Bernie Moreno and Sherrod Brown. Bernie Moreno, whether he’s supporting a complete ban on abortion or attacking gender-affirming care, is trying to divide and create all these awful stereotypes about different types of people. I’m here.
Sherrod Brown speaks about issues that people care about. It’s about the economy, it’s about rail safety, it’s about all the things that we know that the people of Ohio actually care about. And he also supports full survival and legal equality. He has voted in favor of the Equality Act many times. He earns an A+ on HRC’s Congressional Scorecard.
So you can just watch it. You can hear what they have to say. And that’s a big motivator.
I also think it’s good to remember what’s at stake in this election. if [Democrats] If the Senate loses, the Equality Act cannot be passed. We have to think about what actually happens when we pass the Equality Act. No one can be fired for being gay. They do not face discrimination because of the medical care they need.
If we can retain the Senate, regain the presidency, and win the House of Representatives, we can do great things for the LGBTQ+ community, and that’s what’s at stake. When you explain to people the very real dangers that many LGBTQ+ communities face, they think, “Oh my god, yes, I have to vote for the right candidate.”
As an LGBTQ+ Ohioan speaking to LGBTQ+ Ohioans here, what is your final message, John? What can encourage people to vote?
Your rights are at stake. Please like and vote. 🔥
Let’s ignite action voting! Click here to check your eligibility status for voters in Ohio. Click here to read all about the LGBTQ+ bills currently proposed in Ohio. Click here to find contact information for your Ohio representative. Click here to find contact information for the Ohio State Senator. Check out the Here We Are campaign. This is a video campaign that shares the stories of trans Americans who are airing anti-trans ads across the state.
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