Action Alerts - August 22, 2025

LOVEboldly’s Action Alerts is a weekly resource curating calls to action, news, opinions, commentary, reflections, and updates on legislative actions in Ohio and the US government. We know that democracy dies in silence and darkness. This message is our candle for you.

Timely Resources

The Buckeye Flame - “Ohio LGBTQ+ Nonprofit Guide”

The Buckeye Flame - “16 LGBTQ+ Ohio podcasts you should be listening to right now, Volume 3”

What’s Catching Our Eyes in Ohio

The Buckeye Flame - “Anti-yoga Ohio pastors send letter to Kroger CEO decrying LGBTQ+ support”

• NBC4i (Columbus, OH) - “Ohio faith leaders urge Kroger to abandon LGBTQ+ policies”

WKYC (Cleveland, OH) - “Cleveland Heights police investigating after residents receive anti-LGBTQ+ fliers and messages”

NBC4i (Columbus, OH) - “Supreme Court appeal reignites push to repeal Ohio’s same-sex marriage ban”

What’s Catching Our Eyes Beyond Ohio

them - “Nonbinary Bat Biologist Fired for Hanging Massive Trans Pride Flag in Yosemite”

• The New York Times - “Yosemite Biologist Who Hung Trans Pride Flag From El Capitan Is Fired”

• SFGATE - “‘A direct attack:’ Yosemite National Park employees furious over firing of scientist”

• NBC News - “Park ranger fired after helping drape a transgender pride flag on Yosemite's El Capitan”

Baptist News Global - “A quiet call to national repentance”

Erin in the Morning - “Trump Admin Bans Coverage For Trans Govt Employees, Mandates Conversion Therapy Coverage”

Pink News - “America’s first Black gay imam dies aged 71”

The Good Men Project - “The Wisdom of Pausing: Why Slowing Down Can Change Everything”

LGBTQ Nation - “She wore an ‘Allah is lesbian’ t-shirt. She might be going to jail for it.”

Common Dreams - “From Minnesota to the US Capitol: Tracing the Threat of Christian Nationalism”

The Washington Blade - “DOJ tells hospitals to turn over information on medical care for trans youth”

New Ways Ministry - “Journalist’s Journey Back to Catholicism”

Erin in the Morning - “Four More Virginia School Districts Defy Trump, Reject Trans Bathroom Ban Demand”

The Washington Blade - “Kidnapped LGBTQ+ Ukrainian children must not be forgotten”

• Euro News - “Stolen children 'marketplace': Russia creates 'catalogue' of Ukrainian kids for adoption”

FOX 59 (Indianapolis, IN) - “‘I just don’t understand why’: Indy mother describes finding daughter murdered, suspect’s arrest 7 weeks later”  

LGBTQ Nation - “Federal judge strikes down Florida’s book ban: ‘None of these books are obscene’”

The 19th - “A hidden civil rights fight: New book shares the untold story of the intersex movement”

The Advocate - “Conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people, long discredited, could make a comeback”

LGBTQ Nation - “GOP-appointed judge shuts down Texas university’s ban on students putting on drag shows”

Good Faith Media - “The False Gospel of Christian Nationalism”

Baptist News Global - “Please don’t call the TheoBros Christians”

NBC News - “U.S. trans woman challenges Dutch asylum rejection”

Sojourners - “Trump’s Religious Freedom Memo Is Good News for Christian Nationalists”

Reasons for Hope

LGBTQ Nation - “Democrat convinces colleagues to stand up to Ron DeSantis’ anti-Pride agenda with impassioned speech”

Pride Source - “How Taylor Swift’s Music Gave a Trans Scholar Her Girlhood”

Progressive Christianity - “Bearing Each Other’s Burdens: A Reflection On How We Are Called To Live In This Moment”

Jewish News - “OPINION: What homophobia taught me about holding communities together”

GBH - “How Orthodox Jewish families are finding ways to support their trans children”

Bills and Policies LOVEboldly is Following

Note - We will only list bills here that are new or updated. You can find all the bills we're tracking at www.loveboldly.net/billtracker.

Ohio General Assembly

The Ohio General Assembly is currently on recess.

US Congress

**NEW** House Bill 4953 (HB4953) - “The Gender-Affirming Child Abuse Prevention Act”

• HR4953 allows a person who had gender-related care as a minor to sue for damages the providers of that care up to $250,000 per instance of care. The bill assumes that as an adult the person feels that they no longer or never wanted that care. It is unclear if the injured party may sue their parents or legal guardians as well.

• HR4953 was introduced on August 12, 2025, and was assigned to the House Committee on the Judiciary the same day.

• www.loveboldly.net/billtracker/ushr4953

Please reach out to admin@loveboldly.net or bhuelskamp@loveboldly.net if you have any questions.

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