Cincinnati Voices Join HRC in Calling for Federal Action on Pro-Equality Bills

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization —and its
supporters in Cincinnati – bring the organization’s highly successful
“No Excuses ” grassroots effort to Cincinnati. The “No Excuses ”
grassroots campaign was launched this summer to pressure Members of
Congress to support key pieces of pro-equality legislation pending in
Congress. Already, more than 7,000 people have signed up to meet with
their Congressional representatives.

These grassroots activists across the country,
including in Ohio, are meeting with lawmakers and holding events with
the goal o­f letting Congress know they expect for them to deliver on
their campaign promises.

At a public event on Thursday, September 17, 2009, in
front of The Cincinnati Enquirer’s downtown offices, located at 312 Elm
Street, four local Cincinnati speakers called for Ohio members of
Congress and the Obama Administration to deliver on the promise to pass
pro-equality legislation such as the repeal of the ban on openly gay
and lesbian military service members, the repeal of the Defense of
Marriage Act, and the passage of an employment non-discrimination bill,
among others.

Speakers at the event included:

• Karen Aronoff, Cincinnati businesswoman and local spokeswoman for the HRC.
• Greg Harris, Cincinnati City Council member.
• Pastor Leslie Jones, Truth & Destiny ministries & Equality Cincinnati.
• Jeff Caywood, who has been in a 10-year committed relationship with his partner.

The HRC’s key legislative priorities are:

• Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies
  legally married lesbian and gay couples more than 1,000 federal
  protections;
• Prohibit workplace discrimination by passing an Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that protects LGBT employees;
• Repeal
  “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” to ensure that military personnel who fight for
  our nation's security are no longer summarily discharged for who they
  are;
• Pass immigration reform that recognizes same-sex
  couples married in other countries and ends the ­painful separation of
  families;
• And provide domestic partner health benefits to
  the nearly 3 million federal government employees, just as many major
  U.S. corporations have done.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights
organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end
discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves
fundamental fairness and equality for all.