Ohio
I’m a liberal. You’d be surprised why I am so thankful for transphobic conservatives.
Ben Huelskamp (he/they) is the executive director of LOVEboldly, an Ohio faith-based nonprofit working to create spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can flourish in Christianity.
I’m not bashful about sharing my usually big opinions.
My family has given up trying to stop me, my friends have lived through it too, my colleagues usually appreciate it, and my fellow readers of The Columbus Dispatch seem to know it, particularly the 10-15 who sent charming emails about where I could shove my ideas after I wrote that transgender women are women and transgender men are men (a point I continue to stand by).
It might surprise people to learn what I’m thankful for during this season of giving, receiving, and overall thanksgiving.
I’m thankful for conservatives.
Why I am so thankful for conservatives
I’m thankful for conservatives who attempted to use the specter of gender confirmation surgeries and gender affirming care to win the battle over Ohio’s Issue 1 in November.
We aren’t as red as Republicans think. Ohio voters pass Issue 1 abortion amendment.
I’m thankful for conservatives who, having lost the Issue 1 fight—and the Issue 2 fight for that matter—spoke publicly about undermining the will of Ohioans and exploring every possible loophole including taking judicial review away from the Ohio judiciary.
I’m thankful for conservatives who having watched similar bills be struck down around the United States, are still trying to pass no less than seven bills directly targeting the LGBTQIA+ community.
I’m thankful for conservatives who in one bill (House Bill 8) purport to be protecting the rights of parents to determine the physical and mental health of their children and then turn around and tell parents what kind of physical and mental health they can seek for their children in House Bill 68.
It’s time for allies to stand up: ‘Transgender women are women and transgender men are men.’
I’m thankful this year for conservatives who are pushing House Bill 183 which would require people to use the bathroom, locker room, or changing room associated with the sex on their original birth certificate in all educational settings from kindergarten through higher education including in accommodations on overnight trips.
Short of carrying around one’s original birth certificate, the bill offers no means for determining which bathroom a person is permitted to enter nor does it provide funding for the thousands of bathroom monitors Ohio educational institutions are apparently going to have to hire.
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Before anyone thinks this bill is simply a draconian attempt to discriminate against transgender people — which it is— the bill provides no recourse for parents with children over the age of ten who have special needs.
I’ve got to say, I’m even thankful for conservatives who have assembled House Bill 245 which draws not only on contemporary anti-LGBTQIA+ dog whistles, but the dark past of history when queer gathering spaces were routinely raided because people were wearing too few garments of their sex which was punishable at minimum with a night in jail.’
More: Illogical Ohio lawmakers rather ban drag shows, parades than fix real plaguing problems | Robinson
Not only would House Bill 245 place fully clothed drag performers in the same category as strippers and ban drag shows except in limited “adult cabarets,” it is so badly written that transgender people performing in any setting, schools putting on plays where an actor dresses as a different gender, or, among other possibilities, non-binary people simply walking down the street may be violations of the law.
So, this year, friends, I’m thankful for conservatives who remind us that we are bending the moral arc towards justice and that however long the road may be, we are marching forward on the correct side of history.
Ben Huelskamp (he/they) is the executive director of LOVEboldly, an Ohio faith-based nonprofit working to create spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can flourish in Christianity.
Stonewall Columbus Pride March 2024 LGBTQ Pride Month Ohio
The 2024 Stonewall Pride March came to downtown and Short North in Columbus, Ohio, with thousands in attendance for the event.
- Several suburban communities around Columbus are hosting their own pride events in June.
- These events offer a variety of activities, including live music, food trucks, vendors and resource fairs.
The Columbus Pride Festival is famously the second-largest pride festival across the Midwest, rivaling that of Chicago.
However, with its 2025 theme, “United in Power,” the city of Columbus isn’t the only community holding LGBTQ+ events in June in central Ohio.
Whether you’re looking for a smaller gathering or trying to support a distinct neighborhood, here’s the official guide to suburban pride events in central Ohio.
Worthington
June 1: Kicking off the month, Worthington Pride will be holding its largest pride celebration yet in Old Worthington from 1 to 5 p.m. at its first Sunday Funday event of the year.
The fifth-annual event will have booths for LGBTQ+ organizations, hands-on activities and crafts and local shopping specials. Columbus Pride Bands will be onsite from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Delaware
June 7: Delaware Ohio Pride Festival will take over Boardman Arts Park, located at 154 W. William St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Along with food trucks and 80 different vendors, the festival features entertainment options, including drag shows, performances and a magician, Magic Nate, crafts and more.
Hilliard
June 7: Station Park, located at 4021 Main St. in Old Hilliard, will host the fifth-annual Hilliard Pride from noon to 3 p.m.
The community is invited to support Old Hilliard businesses, listen to live music from SESSION FIVE and learn about central Ohio LGBTQ+ organizations. Shirts will be for sale to benefit Rainbow Hilliard.
Westerville
June 7: Westerville Queer Collective will hold the fifth-annual Westerville Pride Festival from 5 to 8 p.m. in the parking lot in front of Birdie Books, 74 N. State St.
The event will include food trucks, local businesses and artists, according to the Facebook event.
Upper Arlington
June 8: Rainbow UA Pride will be held at Amelita Mirolo Barn, 4395 Carriage Hill Lane, from 4 to 7 p.m. The event will feature live music, a guest speaker and a best-dressed pet contest.
Due to space constraints, Rainbow UA is using a timed, staggered entry. For more information, please visit the Eventbrite page.
Grove City
June 21: Pride in GC will hold its Pride Fest 2025 at Town Center Park, 3359 Park St., from 1 to 5 p.m.
The event will include live music from the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus, SESSION FIVE and DJ Tony C. Additionally, festivalgoers can check out a resource fair, get their faces painted and enjoy food trucks.
Gahanna
June 26: Held at Headley Park, 1031 Challis Springs Drive in New Albany, Gahanna Pride will include a bounce house, face painting, food trucks and local vendors from 5 to 8 p.m.
Live performances, including drag artists and a guest DJ, will be held throughout the evening.
Sunbury
June 28: Sunbury will host its second-annual pride event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Sunbury Square, 51 E. Cherry St.
Organizers are asking interested attendees to notify them through the Facebook event page ahead of time in order to get an estimate of the number of guests.
Granville
June 28: Granville Pride will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on the front lawn of Denison University.
Reynoldsburg
June 28: From 4 to 8 p.m. at Huber Park, 1640 Davidson Drive, the city will hold its 2025 Pride Celebration.
The event will feature music, food trucks, vendors, community groups and a pet parade.
See something missing? Email reporter Sophia Veneziano to add to this list.
Sophia Veneziano is a Columbus Dispatch reporter supported by the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation. She may be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com. The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content.
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Last year, Ohio State Buckeyes fans were not exactly please with not having any intriguing home night games on their schedule. As a matter of fact, their only evening matchup was in Week 2 against Western Michigan. Not exactly a thriller.
Well, next season, it appears to be more of the same.
Ohio State will be playing an early night game at Ohio Stadium in September, but it will come against the Ohio Bobcats. Understandably, Buckeyes fans are peeved.
Ohio State will begin its season facing the Texas Longhorns at noon ET on Saturday, Aug. 30 before hosting Grambling at 3:30 p.m. ET the following week.
Based on what we saw from the Buckeyes’ schedule last year, this should not come as much of a surprise. Remember: fans routinely complained about too many noon starts in 2024, which lasted pretty much the entire regular season.
It would certainly be nice for Ohio State to play a meaningful game under the lights, but that obviously is not in the cards for the Buckeyes in 2025.
Ohio State is coming off of a national championship, so expectations are high heading into next season. However, because the Buckeyes lost a ton of players to the NFL Draft, there isn’t quite as much hype surrounding the team this time around.
That being said, Ohio State is still widely viewed as a College Football Playoff team and should have a great shot of defending its national title next year. It just unfortunately won’t be in prime time most of the way. Well, except against Ohio.
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