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Testimony in Opposition to Sub. Bill HB472

Chair Roegner, Vice Chair Gavarone, Ranking Member Blackshear, and Members of the Senate General Government Committee, Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Huelskamp. I'm the Executive Director of LOVEboldly, an Ohio, faith-based nonprofit serving LGBTQIA+ Ohioans, and the Pastor of Blue Ocean Faith Columbus. In my work, I walk alongside people who are routinely pushed to the margins of civic life including people experiencing hom

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

Opposition Testimony to SB113

Monday, May 19, 2026 Today, May 19, 2026, the Ohio Senate Education Committee is hearing opponent testimony to Senate Bill 113, which would prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in Ohio public schools. Given the conduct of the committee's chair in other hearings, LOVEboldly is joining Honesty for Ohio Education, Trans Allies of Ohio, Right to Read Ohio, Columbus Education Justice Coalition, and other organizations in submitting the following statement as written tes

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

LOVEboldly Supports the Southern Poverty Law Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2026 Contact: Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp, Executive Director, LOVEboldly Email: bhuelskamp@loveboldly.org Phone: 614-918-8109 LOVEboldly Supports the Southern Poverty Law Center Columbus, Ohio – Today, LOVEboldly is proud to reiterate its full and unwavering support for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the extraordinary legacy of justice it continues to build. “SPLC's work is not abstract,” said the Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp, Execu

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

LOVEboldly condemns Ohio House Bill 798: An assault on trans lives, introduced on the day set aside to celebrate them

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 31, 2026 Westerville, OH - Today, Trans Day of Visibility, one Ohio lawmaker introduced House Bill 798. The timing was not an accident. It was a statement. And we're making one too. HB798 is a sweeping assault on the dignity, safety, and legal existence of Transgender and Nonbinary Ohioans. The bill would ban Trans people from using bathrooms, changing rooms, and overnight accommodations that match who they are. It would strip the ability to update

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

LOVEboldly Condemns Supreme Court Ruling Undermining Protections for LGBTQIA+ Youth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 31, 2026 Contact: Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp, Executive Director, LOVEboldly - bhuelskamp@loveboldly.org LOVEboldly Condemns Supreme Court Ruling Undermining Protections for LGBTQIA+ Youth Westerville, OH - Today, the United States Supreme Court dealt a devastating blow to LGBTQIA+ children and teenagers across this country, ruling 8-1 to strike down Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors. We at LOVEboldly are heartbroken and we are not silen

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

🚨 Action Alert - HB249 - Drag Ban 🚨

TLDR - Ohio House Bill 249 (HB249), the Drag Ban, is up for opponent testimony on Wednesday, March 18, before the House Judiciary Committee. We need people to testify against the bill both in person and in writing. For instructions on how to testify see the bottom of this message. HB249 - What is it? HB249 is a near-complete ban on the artistic expression known as drag. Under the bill drag would only be allowed in age-restricted “adult cabarets.” However, the bill is vague an

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

🚨 Action Alert - HB531 Chaplains in Schools Bill 🚨

TLDR - Ohio House Bill 531 (HB531) , the Chaplains in Schools Bill, is up for opponent testimony before the House Education Committee on Tuesday, March 10, at 2:15pm. We need people to testify against the bill in-person. For instructions on how to testify see the bottom of this message. HB531 - What is it? HB531 would permit school districts to adopt and implement policy by which volunteer religious chaplains could offer “spiritual programming, support, and counseling” to stu

Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp

Parental Right to Harm - HB693

From our partners at Equality Ohio. Parental Right to Harm Bill (HB 693) Earlier this week, State Reps. Josh Williams and Gary Click introduced House Bill 693 , the so-called “Affirming Families First Act”, which is a new and terrible effort to embed harmful anti-LGBTQ+ ideology into Ohio family law. This bill is broad and complicated, and it uses confusing new terminology throughout. While we’re used to the word “affirm” in the context of gender-affirming care and supp

Equality Ohio

Action Alert - City Club Actions in Cleveland - January 16, 2026

A big “Thank You!” to LOVEboldly’s friend and supporter, Lisa Vahey, for curating this list of actions. Context: The City Club of Cleveland is hosting Aaron Baer, the president of the Columbus-based Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) on January 16, 2026. CCV has been previously designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. For more information checkout out a timeline of events from The Buckeye Flame . Lavender in Solidarity: LGBT Center Cleveland is inviting

LOVEboldly Staff