EQUALITY OHIO TO HOLD
HOMECOMING RALLY FOR EQUALITY

Ohioans From Across the State to Converge for a Rally at the Capitol on October 1

COLUMBUS, SEPT. 26 – From Toledo to Athens, from Cincinnati to Cleveland, and from many other cities and towns across Ohio, people will be traveling to Columbus on Saturday, October 1, 2005, for Equality Ohio’s “Homecoming Rally for Equality.” By joining together on the Statehouse lawn at 3:30 p.m., Ohio’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents, as well as supportive straight allies, will make a strong statement to elected officials—and to the entire state—about the need for equal protections for all people in Ohio.

At the rally, local and national leaders will speak about the challenges facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Ohioans; students will share their experiences in Ohio’s high schools and colleges; religious leaders will talk about how the belief in equal rights is a religious value; and families will give their insights into today’s debates about marriage and children.

“Homecoming is a time when people return to a place where they spent their days in safety and full of hope,” said Lynne Bowman, who was recently named Executive Director of Equality Ohio. “Ohio’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents have had many occasions to lose that hope in recent years, but we stay in Ohio because this is our home.”

Bowman added, “The Homecoming Rally for Equality is a chance for us and our friends to let our lawmakers—and our state—know that equal rights are a value our state should hold high. Ohio’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents and our friends know that once Ohioans hear our stories they will agree.”

Equality Ohio serves as an advocate and champion for fair treatment and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Ohioans; facilitates a greater understanding of our common humanity through education and outreach efforts; engages and empowers individuals, families, organizations, businesses and institutions in Ohio’s urban, suburban and rural areas; and collaborates with local, regional, statewide and national organizations and government agencies. For more information, go to http://www.equalityohio.org.