Washington DC, July 13, 2016—The National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund is welcoming the repeal by a unanimous vote of Cleveland’s ordinance designed to stop transgender and gender non-conforming people from using the restrooms associated with their gender identity.
“Our partners at Equality Ohio and Cleveland is Ready have done an outstanding job in delivering this victory today for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Clevelanders. For our part, at the request of Equality Ohio, the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund worked side-by-side with Cleveland is Ready to collaborate with communities, organizations, and people of faith in Ohio beginning in early 2014 to develop a grassroots campaign — a campaign led by trans and people of color volunteers. In the first six months, we stayed on the ground in Cleveland, talking face-to-face with ordinary people at bus stops, in public parks, at coffee shops and in small businesses. These conversations opened hearts and minds to the possibility of lived freedom, justice and equality — which can sometimes be as simple as a person being able to use a restroom,” said Kathleen Campisano, National LGBTQ Task Force Organizing Manager.
In addition to the on-the-ground organizing, the Task Force funded a full-time organizer, provided training and technical assistance to campaign leaders and provided two leadership exchange trainings for trans and gender non-conforming people and our allies.
The repeal comes barely a week before the Republican National Convention and the expected ratification of a strongly anti-LGBTQ GOP platform.
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CONTACT:
Mark Daley
Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
National LGBTQ Task Force – Be You
1325 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20005
Direct: 202.639.6325
Cell: 202.379.8318
mdaley@thetaskforce.org