Thomas K. | Red Phoenix correspondent | Ohio–

Ohio House Bill 96, a “budget bill” which passed through the state senate and was signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine, includes a direct attack on the rights and identity of the LGBTQ+ community as well as a deferment of funds from libraries and public schools. It is truly heartbreaking but unsurprising to see that the elected officials of the state of Ohio have betrayed the working class by allowing this bill to continue its poisonous charge through our system. 

The bill very plainly states that the month of June will no longer be recognized as Pride month but instead it will be changed to “Responsible Father Month.” The attack continues, also stating: “‘Gender identity’ means an individual’s internal and subjective sense of self, disconnected from biological reality and sex and existing on an infinite continuum, that does not provide a meaningful basis for identification and cannot be recognized as a replacement for sex.” Further, this bill enforces that any books regarding sexuality and gender identity in public libraries need to be cordoned off in “adult only” sections. Ohio lawmakers are actively repressing the LGBTQ+ community and are trying to erase them from our minds.

HB 96 would eliminate the dedicated Public Library Fund, forcing libraries to cancel or require payments for programs that are essential for both the physical and mental development of our communities. To further aid in the destruction of education in Ohio, this bill also redirects massive amounts of funding from public schools to private schools. Along with that they have placed more hurdles in the way for local representation in elected positions within the school board. The irony of this paragraph is painful as this decision was made by the “Responsible Fathers” who so desperately want to be worshiped. 

This bill is being touted around by elected officials as a win for the working class. Of course this statement is presumed justified because they have put some flat rate tax proposals in the bill, but this is an absolute slap in the face justification to the working class of Ohio. How dare they think that we would willingly roll over in appeasement of the rights of our communities being stripped in exchange for petty tax cuts? For the capitalists, life may simply boil down to dollars and cents, but as members of the working class held together by principles we see through their lies. We won’t let the rights of workers be sold away for the sake of profit, or in Ohio’s case, a brand new NFL stadium for the Cleveland Browns!

The working class of Ohio stands in disgust of this bill and vehemently opposes it. We once again demand better from our elected officials. We demand that Gov. DeWine immediately strike this bill down, and stand against the Trump regime. 

Categories: Discrimination, Education, LGBTQIA+, U.S. News