Action Alerts - Friday, July 25, 2025
- Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp
- Jul 25
- 4 min read
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.
If you'd like to recieve this message in your inbox each week, sign-up at https://lbactionalerts.substack.com/.
Timely Resources
Freedom Church of the Poor - “A Pastoral Letter of Trans-Affirming Faith in these Perilous Times”
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
Ohio Capital Journal - “A look at what LGBTQ bills Ohio lawmakers have introduced so far”
The Christian Century - “A sanctuary for banned stories”
Erin in the Morning - “Fact Check: Being Trans Is Not A Social Contagion, Despite Latest Submission To UN”
RNS - “‘She is the future of our church.’ Winnie Varghese named first woman dean of St. John the Divine.”
WOUB - “With a federal LGBTQ+ hotline offline, Ohio advocates fear the worst”
The Hollywood Reporter - “Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons Slams Trump Administration for Ending LGBTQ Crisis Hotline: ‘It’s Quite Literally Criminal’”
NBC4i (Columbus, OH) - “As 988 lifeline ends LGBTQ+ service, Ohio group warns of risks for youth”
Baptist News Global - “300 faith leaders urge Baylor to ‘do better’ with LGBTQ community”
Baptist News Global - “10 Bible verses Christian nationalists take out of context to seize power”
The Advocate - “Another Florida city will power-wash its rainbow crosswalks away under pressure from Sean Duffy, Ron DeSantis”
Baptist News Global - “So you say you want a biblical worldview?”
Windy City Times - “Lives in Transition: Transgender young adults search for stability in uncertain times”
The Buckeye Flame - “Is it safe for me to move to Ohio as a Black gay man living with HIV?”
LGBTQ Nation - “MAGA education head to introduce ideological purity test to weed out “woke” teachers”
Good Faith Media - “I’m Queer and I Love the Bible. Where’s My Side of the Argument?”
LGBTQ Nation - “Bob the Drag Queen slams Gavin Newsom for selling out trans folks: ‘Transgender is not a dirty word’”
Reasons for Hope
The Buckeye Flame - “Rural Ohio LGBTQ+ community comes together to celebrate Fremont Pride [GALLERY]”
Baptist News Global - “Queer & Christian: Reclaiming our faith for today and tomorrow”
LGBTQ Nation - “When the going gets tough, the queens get going: Why drag’s rich history should fuel the resistance”
The Buckeye Flame - “LGBTQ+ Ohio teen publishes poetry collection exploring heartbreak, loss, nostalgia and self-hate”
The Bay Area Reporter - “Editorial: A rare win for LGBTQ nonprofits”
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** US House Bill 4618 (HR4618)
LOVEboldly's Position - OPPOSED
The text of HR4618 isn't available yet, so we can only report its title: "To establish a Federal tort against pediatric gender clinics and other entities pushing gender-transition procedures that cause bodily injury to children or harm the mental health of children."
HR4618 was introduced in the House on July 22, 2025, and assigned to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
**UPDATED** US Senate Bill 2251 (S.2251) - The Say No to Indoctrination Act
LOVEboldly's Position - OPPOSED
S.2251 would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the use of federal funds for the teaching or advancement of "gender ideology."
S.2251 was introduced in the Senate on July 10, 2025, and was assigned to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
**UPDATED** US House Bill 3792 (HR3792) - The KIDS Act
LOVEboldly's Position - INTERESTED PARTY
Upon further reading and consideration, LOVEboldly is changing our position on HR3792 from “opposed” to “interested party.”
We remain concerned that the bill will be used to force medical practices and hospitals that participate in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP to not discuss gender identity and sexual orientation with their patients. However, we also understand that the bill could be used to shield youth from being pressured to out themselves.
HR3792 would prohibit health providers who participate in Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or State health plans from collecting data on the gender identity and sexual orientation of minors.
HR3792 was introduced in the House on June 5, 2025, and assigned to both the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee the same day.
Please reach out to admin@loveboldly.net or bhuelskamp@loveboldly.net if you have any questions.
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