TransOhio serves the Ohio transgender and ally communities by providing services, education, support and advocacy which promotes and improves the health, safety and life experience of the Ohio transgender individual and community.

SELF-DEFENSE COURSE FOR LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, GAY & TRANSGENDER PEOPLE

SELF-DEFENSE COURSE
FOR LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, GAY & TRANSGENDER PEOPLE

  • Learn mental, verbal and physical self-defense skills
  • Resistance to a physical attack provides a significantly greater chance of surviving without being raped
  • THIS CLASS IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL LGBT PEOPLE (including non-student community members)

This class meets for five consecutive weeks, two hours each week.

Dates:
(Monday Class) April 5,12,19,26 and May 3

Time:
6:00 pm to 8pm

Location:
Pomerene Hall 213
1760 Neil Avenue
Columbus, Ohio

Sexual Violence Education and Support
The Student Wellness Center
To register or for more information: call 614-292-4527 or email sves@osu.edu

Sponsored by BRAVO and the Student Wellness Center/Office of Student Life

Ohio Senator Bill Harris: Move that Bill!

Take Action: Tell Sen. Harris to Move HB 176 Now!

On September 15, 2009, HB 176 passed the House of Representatives.  It is time for HB 176 to be heard in the Ohio Senate!

Tell Senate President Harris that it is time to MOVE THE BILL!

HB 176 is the Equal Housing and Employment Act (EHEA) which would ban discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodation based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  HB 176 needs to be heard in an Ohio Senate Committee with full sponsor, proponent, opponent and interested party testimony and then voted on.

If passed out of committee, it would go to the Senate floor for a vote.  So far, Senate President Harris has not given HB 176 any hearings in the Rules Committee where it now sits.

As a community, we need to tell President Harris to MOVE THE BILL, NOW!
All over Ohio, residents continue to live in fear for their jobs, housing and access to public accommodation.  There needs to be a state law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity so that all may feel safe where they work, live and play!

Every letter, phone call and email counts!

HB 176 EHEA Talking Points

Business Talking Points – Equal Housing and Employment Act 2009/2010

  • In Ohio, people can lose their jobs or be denied housing solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  Then can even be removed from a restaurant or movie theater.
  • Nearly three quarters of Ohioans favor employment and housing laws that make it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • No language in HB 176 mandates quotas or creates affirmative action.  The bill contains language that specifically bars quotas or affirmative action based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  Ohio law does not require private employers to have affirmative action programs, and this bill does nothing to change that.
  • Every business or business organization that has taken a position on HB 176 is either in support or neutral on its passage.  Not a single business or business organization has expressed any opposition to the bill.
  • Employers with fewer than 15 employees are specifically exempt from the bill.
  • This bill does not override company dress codes.  Employers can maintain current gender-specific dress codes.  In addition, employers will not have to construct new restroom facilities based on employees stated gender identities.
  • Passage of this bill will not create a landslide of lawsuits or employment-related litigation.  According to the General Accounting Office, states that have enacted similar laws have not experienced increased litigation.  Cases related to sexual orientation and gender identity make up less than 4% of discrimination cases.
  • Currently, 433 of the Fortune 500 companies have adopted similar workplace policies.  In addition, eleven of Ohio’s thirteen public four-year universities also have adopted such policies.
  • Unfair practices are bad for business and bad for Ohio’s economy.  Many companies say that Ohio’s intolerance harms their ability to attract and keep a skilled, creative workforce.

As a community, we need to tell President Harris to MOVE THE BILL, NOW!

Two-Hours of Your Time Can Create a Nationwide Change: Phonebank With Equality Ohio to Support ENDA!

It’s 2010, and in most of the country, it’s legal to be fired for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender!

Protect LGBT workers and their families by helping to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a federal bill that will ban job discrimination nationwide on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

We have the votes in Congress, we have a president who will sign the bill… now we need to keep the momentum going strong!

These basic protections are long overdue.  Join us to set the standard for fairness and equality in 2010 by working to mobilize supporters for this historic legislation.

What: Friendly phone calls to LGBT supporters in Ohio

When: Over the next two weeks

Upcoming phone banks:

Where: Equality Ohio, 50 W. Broad St., Suite 1970, Columbus, OH  43215

Why: To move ENDA through Congress to a vote!

How: We’ll provide scripts and training

Questions? Contact Kim Welter at kim@equalityohio.org for more information!

Queer Slam Poet, Tristan Silverman, Competes at The Women of the World Slam Poetry Competition

Women of the World Poetry Slam Comes to Columbus!

(Columbus, OH) –Columbus, OH was selected to host the third annual Women of the World Poetry Slam (WOWps) to be held March 10-13, 2010. As one of the 20 biggest cities in the US and the largest city in Ohio, Columbus offers all the resource, venue and location needs for this event catering to hundreds of participants including competitors, organizers, volunteers, audience members and emcees.

Poetry Slam, Inc (PSi) chooses the location for its national and international events based on bids as well as thorough vetting by a committee of experts.

“The Women of the World Poetry Slam is a tournament created for women, facilitated by women, honoring women,” said LaShaun Phoenix Moore, one of the founding organizers of the event. “[We have] the opportunity to make the event bigger and better this go-round.”

For all event & location information, visit the Women of the World Poetry Slam website: http://wow.poetryslam.com/

WEDNESDAY, March 10

Poet Registration (Hampton Inn) – 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
You have to register to compete!  Poets need to go here to get their event pass, poet bag and more.

Writers’ Block Open Mic (Callahans) – 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Voted #1 poetry night in Columbus, this open mic welcomes poets of all stripes to share!  Preference given to local poets and non-competitors.

Last Chance Slam (Callahans) – 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
The absolutely last chance to get into the WOWps competition!  Any eligible poet may attempt to slam their way into the contest until we hit the limit!

Welcome Party (Callahans) 11:00 pm – Until
Nobody parties like poets.  Come meet-and-greet with the organizers, poets and volunteers!

THURSDAY, March 11

Early Bird Writing Exercise (Start at Hampton Inn) – 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Want to stretch your writing muscles?  Walk away with some new poetry?  Show up for this early bird special!

Poet Registration (Hampton Inn) – 10: 00 am – 11:30 am
You have to register to compete!  Poets need to go here to get their event pass, poet bag and more.

Poet Orientation (Hampton Inn) – 12 Noon – 12:45 pm
MANDATORY MEETING for all competitors!  Come get all the info you need to make it through the week from the Tournament Director herself, Deb Marsh.  Wouldn’t hurt the volunteers to show up either.

Preliminary Slam Bouts (Callahans, La Fogata, Kick Start ) 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
The slams begin!  Rounds 1 and 2 kick-off the competition with 4-minute and 1-minute poems!  Six bouts in three awesome venues.

Erotica Mic (La Fogata) – 11:00 pm – Until
The language of love goes wild at this late night event designed to melt any microphone.

FRIDAY, March 12

Early Bird Writing Exercise (Start at Hampton Inn) – 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Want to stretch your writing muscles?  Walk away with some new poetry?  Show up for this early bird special!

Brothers Show Your Love Mic (Columbus State Community College Ballroom) – 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
WOWps gets a lot of support from guys and at this mic they get a chance to continue worshipping all things woman!

LGBT Showcase (Columbus State Community College Ballroom) – 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Celebrating a wide array of lifestyles, this open mic is a Slam tradition.  Come out and revel in what makes us unique and exactly alike at the same time.

Beauty vs. Brawn Slam (Columbus State Community College Ballroom) – 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
This is the most serious grudge match in all of Slam!  Teams of boys versus girls in this no-holds-barred battle of the sexes!

Bad Poetry Slam (Columbus State Community College Ballroom) – 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
In this competition, the WORST poet wins!  Watch as poets berate, demean and otherwise destroy whatever poetry credentials they had in this loser takes all spin on Slam.

Preliminary Slam Bouts (Urban Spirit, Zanzibar, Kick Start) – 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
The slams continue!  Rounds 3 and 4 kick-off the competition with 3-minute and 2-minute poems!  Six bouts in three MORE awesome venues.

Decathlon Slam (Urban Spirit) – 11:00 pm – Until
The craziest show in all of Slam.  Teams of poets compete in a multi-round obstacle course of impromptu verse, eating, dancing, trivia and anything else we can think to throw at them.

SATURDAY, March 13

WOW Family Meeting (Hampton Inn) – 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Competitors and organizers get together to discuss all things WOWps.

SlamMasters Meeting (Hampton Inn) – 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
The annual spring meeting of the SlamMasters Council of Poetry Slam, Inc.  Big discussions, big votes.  This is where the work gets done.  Meeting is open to all, voting is not.

First Draft Open Mic (Columbus State Community College Ballroom) – 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
The only open mic in the world where you can ONLY share work that has never been shared before!  A Columbus invention, First Draft is the mic that is nothing but surprises!

Head-to-Head Haiku (Columbus State Community College Ballroom) – 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
The ancient and revered form of haiku meets Slam!  Watch poets go head-to-head with only 17 syllables to fight with.

Youth Slam (Urban Spirit) – 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
The Writing Wrongs poetry night hosts this youth-centered event where the future gets to shine now! All youth poets will be able to participate in the open mic, the slam will be exclusively for young women.

Who Ain’t Read Yet? Mic (Columbus State Community College Ballroom) – 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
An open mic for volunteers who haven’t read at all this week!  Come out and honor the people doing the heavy lifting.

Finals (Lincoln Theater) – 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
It all comes down to this!  The top 12 women from the competition face off for three rounds to determine who will be the next champion to enter Slam history!

After Party (Barley’s lower level) – 10:00 pm – Until
Time to let that hair down!  The work is done, the poetry has been performed and now it’s all about dancing, eating and partying the way that only poets do.

For all event & location information, visit the Women of the World Poetry Slam website: http://wow.poetryslam.com/