Congresswoman Jodi Whitted has no time to waste.
With just eight months of service in the Ohio House of Representatives under her belt, she is determined to make a difference for the people of Ohio, including the LGBTQ+ community.
“I have no great illusions about making significant changes in eight months, but I will do my best to speak out to protect all Ohioans, especially the most vulnerable,” Whitted said.
Whitted, an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati who has a doctorate in social work from the University of St. Thomas, was appointed in May to fill the remainder of Rep. Jessica Miranda’s term in Ohio’s 28th congressional district, which includes parts of Hamilton County. Miranda resigned from the House to become Hamilton County auditor, a position that was vacated after the untimely death of former Democratic state Rep. Brigid Kelly from cancer.
Whitted’s Madeira residence will be changed for the November election, to a district currently represented by Democratic Party colleague Rachel Baker, whom Whitted will not run against.
So when 2024 comes to an end, Whitted will also finish his term.
Codification of Marriage Equality
That brief spell in the national team did not weaken Whitted’s determination.
As her first bill as a primary sponsor, she takes on one of Miranda’s initiatives: protecting marriage equality. Whitted is frankly surprised that such a bill has not yet passed.
“Why didn’t we do this?” she asked. “A long time ago.”
In November 2023, Miranda introduced HB 322, the Marriage Equality Act. This bill would eliminate a provision in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) that prohibits same-sex marriage (“Marriage can only be entered into by one man and one woman.”), bringing Ohio into line with federal law. The bill would also bar the state from enacting any bans on marriage between people of different races.
“Historically, marriage bans have been used to deny interracial and same-sex couples the ability to protect their partners and act in their best interests,” Miranda said at a news conference in October. “Today, we acknowledge that history and work to strengthen the right to marriage for all Ohioans.”
Although HB 322 was assigned to the House State and Local Government Committee on Nov. 28, it has not yet been scheduled for a hearing, even though the bill was filed ahead of schedule, which guarantees the bills will be considered in a single hearing. In the meantime, HB 322’s co-sponsor, Rep. Tavia Galonski, has also resigned from the House — to fill a vacant position as Summit County Clerk of the Court.
Whitted had hoped that these extenuating circumstances would allow her to replace Miranda’s name on the original bill, a plan that did not gain any support from committee Chairman Scott Wiggam (R-Wayne County).
“He never responded,” Whitted said.
Rep. Wiggam stated that HB 332 is considered “orphan” legislation because the original sponsors of the bill are no longer representatives.
“Presidents do not have the ability to replace bill sponsors,” Wiggam replied Buckeye Flame via email. “Because this legislation was in its early stages, having only been referred to the State and Local Government Committee, it is appropriate that the legislation be reintroduced with new sponsors and a number of bills.”
Whitted was indeed forced to refile HB 332, now coded HB 636. The language of the recent bill is identical to HB 332, but HB 636 has not yet been assigned to a committee, the first step in scheduling a hearing. And the recent filing deadline means a hearing on the bill cannot be guaranteed.
HB 636 is currently stuck in legislative limbo.
“If the bill is referred to the State and Local Government Committee, we will discuss the possibility of having a hearing at that time,” Wiggam said.
“Far from symbolism”
IN Interview with Cleveland.comWhitted has been quoted as saying that securing marriage equality is “symbolic.” While she maintains that it is essential for LGBTQ+ people in Ohio to see that their state lawmakers stand with them, she wants to be very clear on one thing.
“This is a bill with very real implications for the people of Ohio,” Whitted said. “It is far from symbolic.”
In 2022 Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization a judgment that was overturned Roe v. Wadeconservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas clearly mentioned overturning Obergefell v. Hodges — the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage at the federal level.
“In future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s significant due process precedents, including…Obergefell“- wrote Thomas.
Should Obergefell be repealed and marriage equality returned to state control, Ohio would revert to the provisions of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC), which limits marriage to the union of a man and a woman.
Pennsylvania House of Representatives controlled by Democrats passed the law on July 2 repealing state laws banning marriage equality. The bill now goes to the Republican-controlled Senate.
In an article on Cleveland.com, Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery) said he opposes gay marriage but has no practical reason to change the law.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a firestorm of motivation to step in and change that,” Click said.
Whitted was not surprised by Click’s reaction.
“Of course, MP Click will say there is no need for that because he will minimise and play it down as much as he can,” she said.
Buckeye Flame I have contacted Rep. Click to comment but have not received a response.
This is personal
Whitted advocates for marriage equality on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community, for which she is an advocate, but also on behalf of the community of which she is a member.
“I identify as bisexual,” Whitted said.
She emphasizes that she has the privilege of presenting as heterosexual (“I’m married to a man and I have two children”), which could lead others to assume she’s not part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Most people would never know this about me unless they asked or were around when I talked about it,” Whitted said.
Her ties to the LGBTQ+ community and extensive experience in social work allow her to exploit her position to speak out on bills that could harm LGBTQ+ people in Ohio.
Whitted is particularly outraged by bills like HB 8, or the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” which would force school personnel, including social workers, to disclose the sexual orientation of LGBTQ+ youth to their parents.
Representatives from the Ohio chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) have testified repeatedly that such a bill would violate the code of ethics for social workers and do great harm to LGBTQ+ youth.
Whitted said state Republicans’ passage of bills like the “Parents’ Bill of Rights” and HB 168, which would ban transgender youth from using restrooms that correspond with their gender identity, will undoubtedly put LGBTQ+ youth at risk.
“Day after day, Republicans say they care about the youth of our state, but they don’t,” Whitted said. “They’re bullying and pointing fingers at one group of kids. It makes absolutely no sense and it’s a testament to how radical our legislature has become in Ohio.”
Looking to the future
With just a few months left, Whitted doesn’t harbor any fantasies that HB 636 will make it through the legislative process before the current session ends in December. For now, he just wants to get the first hearing underway, and notes that LGBTQ+ Ohioans can facilitate make that happen by contacting their local representatives.
“People need to be really vocal about this and demand action,” Whitted said. “I want to draw attention to the fact that this was put in place Again and there was no way to listen Again. And I want people to know that and see it very clearly.”
Even if no hearings are held, Whitted is confident the bill will return in the next legislative session, which is why she purposely chose Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) to co-sponsor HB 636.
“After I leave office, my co-sponsor, Rep. Somani, will keep trying,” she said.
Whitted hopes that after eight months in office, Ohioans will feel inspired and see someone like her putting her life aside, stepping up and doing this work.
“I really am a normal person in my everyday life, just a woman with kids in the suburbs of Ohio,” Whitted said. “I hope other people see that. If you are someone in the LGBTQ+ community or an ally and you want to do something to make a difference, you really can do it.” 🔥
IGNITE THE ACTION
- To see the full list of Ohio’s LGBTQ+-related bills, click here.
- To register to vote or check your voting status in Ohio, click here.
- To find contact information for your Ohio State Representative, click here.
- To find the contact information for an Ohio State Senator, click here.
