LOBBY DAY FOR EQUALITY 2012
For immediate release:
May 15, 2012
For more information contact:
Ed Mullen, Executive Director
Zac Branstool, Communications Director
On Wednesday, May 16th, Equality Ohio will host the 7th Annual Lobby Day for Equality. Lobby Day gives LGBT and allied Ohioans the ability to speak directly with their legislators and ask them to support laws that impact their lives and those of friends and family. Hundreds of grassroots lobbyists have already signed up and will canvass the Ohio Statehouse tomorrow to spread the world on equality and why it matters to them personally. This year, our grassroots lobbyists will focus on the Employment and Equality Housing Act and push for an enumerated anti-bullying bill.
Discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is a widespread problem. A recent study at UCLA Law School found that 9.2% of gay, lesbian or bisexual people were fired or denied employment based on their sexual orientation, and 37.7% were harassed on the job because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Transgender people are 4 times more likely to be unemployed than the general population, and that loss of productivity is costly for everyone. An unwelcoming work environment is not only bad for employees, it’s also bad for business. People should be judged at work based on their merit and ability to perform their job, and everyone loses when qualified and productive employees are discriminated against. We’re happy to have State Representatives Nickie Antonio (D) and Ross McGregor (R) (HB 355), and State Senators Mike Skindell (R) and Charleta Tavares (D) (SB 231) on board as sponsors of this legislation
It’s important that the people who represent us know who we are and the struggles many in our community face on a daily basis,” says Zac Branstool, Director of Communications at Equality Ohio. “Safe and supportive work and learning environments directly impact economic productivity and help people become creative and successful members of society.”
Bullying is another problem that must be addressed. The Ohio Department of Education discipline data shows that bullying has risen nearly 50% in Ohio from 2005 to 2007, despite passage of generic anti-bullying legislation in 2006. Marginalized students such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students face even greater harassment. Research shows that among LGBT students in Ohio, more than 9 in 10 have been verbally harassed and nearly half have been physically harassed because of their sexual orientation. A Chillicothe student, Zach Collins, recently made headlines after he was physically assaulted by classmates for being gay. Schools must make sure all young people are safe from bullying and harassment in the classroom and we must educate both teachers and students on how to handle and report bullying incidents.
“Our legislators may not know just how many people in our community have been affected by acts of discrimination,” says Ed Mullen, Executive Director of Equality Ohio. “When we tell our stories, we have the ability to change hearts and minds. By having real-life and in-person examples at lobby day, we put a face on discrimination and bullying towards the LGBT community in Ohio.”
Equality Ohio advocates and educates to achieve fair treatment and equal opportunity for all Ohioans regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. For more information, visit www.equalityohio.org or call us at (614) 224-0400.
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