Frequently Asked Questions

How will this help Ohio as a State?

Ohio currently lacks nondiscrimination policies in its Constitution, relying instead on legislation from an often unreliable legislature. Recently, the LGBTQ+ community has faced significant discriminatory legislation with no statewide laws for their protection. According to the Williams Institute at UCLA Law, 4.3% of Ohio's population is part of the LGBTQ+ community, with nearly a third raising children and comprising 5% of the workforce.

An Equal Rights Amendment would not only protect LGBTQ+ individuals and families but also make Ohio more attractive for businesses. This would help Ohio to stem economic losses that have occurred in the last few years. Ohio has also experienced significant population losses, resulting in one less seat in the federal congress as a result of the 2020 census. An Equal Rights Amendment could help prevent and reverse this worrying trend by making Ohio a more appealing state for people and businesses to establish themselves.

Our amendment also seeks to modernize our constitution by extending these protections to marriage, safeguarding couples’ marriages regardless of race, sex, or gender. The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision which revoked the protections of Roe v. Wade has led many to wonder if our federal protections for same-sex/same-gender and interracial marriages will be overturned going forward. This amendment is a necessary defensive step to ensure our rights as Ohioans are not revoked because of decisions made at the federal level.

Does this only benefit LGBTQ+ Ohioans?

No, our goal is to benefit all Ohioans. We propose protections for race, color, creed or religion, sex, pregnancy status, genetic information, age, disability, recovery status, familial status, ancestry, national origin, and military status. Additionally, we include explicit protections for interracial marriages.

Is Ohio ready for a change this big?

Yes, Ohio is more than ready for this change. A 2023 PRRI study shows that 76% of Ohioans support nondiscrimination laws for the LGBTQ+ community, a number that has been steadily increasing. This amendment aims to protect not just the LGBTQ+ community but all Ohioans by including protections based on race, color, creed or religion, sex, pregnancy status, genetic information, age, disability, recovery status, familial status, ancestry, national origin, or military status. This would close existing loopholes and ensure maximum privacy and protection for Ohioans.

Furthermore, Ohioans have shown support for strengthening our rights through the citizen-led ballot initiative process. Last year we saw this with both the reproductive rights amendment, the marijuana initiative, and perhaps most prominently the failed amendment to make it more difficult for citizens to amend our constitution. This year we’re seeing this enthusiasm again for Citizens Not Politicians and their effort to end gerrymandering in Ohio.

Why are you doing this right now?

Ohio has waited long enough for the legislature to enact modern equal rights legislation or propose an equal rights amendment. There has been an increase in discriminatory legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community, attempting to control pregnancies, and infringing on privacy and equality in general. It's time to move from defense to offense by utilizing the citizen-led ballot initiative process to amend our constitution and reflect the will of the people.

What is Ohio Equal Rights doing to build coalitions across communities in Ohio?

We are actively building coalitions by:

Attending various events across the state to extend our reach, such as Pride events.
Reaching out to organizations and establishing relationships with key individuals.
Using social media to grow our following and direct people to our website where they can volunteer.

What can I do to help?

There are several ways you can help:

Volunteer: We need volunteers across Ohio to build our coalition and extend our reach. You can sign up on our website OhioEqualRights.com.
Donate: Financial contributions are crucial for the success of this initiative.
Spread the word: Encourage friends and family to volunteer or donate, and follow us on social media to extend our reach.