The Autonomy Project

HB 249 passed the Ohio House today.

Let’s ground ourselves before the panic spiral kicks in:

This is not law yet, and there are still multiple points where it can be slowed, challenged, or stopped.

But it is moving, and this is the window where community action really matters. A large contingent of performers in Columbus and organizers have fought to this point, it's time for the rest of the community to show up behind them.

What this bill does, in real terms:

HB 249 expands how “adult performance” is defined in Ohio in a way that is vague enough to impact drag, trans expression, and gender nonconforming performers. Further, it creates a vague enforcement tool that can be used to target people for how they present in public.

Vague laws don’t create safety, they create selective enforcement and we know how selective enforcement always lands hardest on marginalized communities.

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Here’s what happens next:

1. Senate Committee Assignment
The bill moves to the Ohio Senate and gets assigned to a committee.

2. Hearings + Testimony
There will be hearings. This is where community voices, organizers, performers, and business owners can speak directly to impact.

3. Committee Vote
If it passes committee, it moves forward. If it stalls here, progress slows significantly.

4. Full Senate Vote

5. Governor’s Desk

6. Bills like this are often challenged in court before they fully take effect.

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Why does this matter for our community?

So legislation like this doesn’t just affect performers (even though that's certainly bad enough)!

It affects:
- community events
- educational programming
- creative expression
- the ability to gather safely and openly

This is about whether our communities get to exist in public without being mislabeled, restricted, or targeted with violence.

What you can do right now:

1. Contact your Ohio State Senator. Keep it simple and grounded:
“I’m a constituent and I oppose HB 249. It’s vague, overreaching, and will harm community spaces and local businesses.”

Find your senator: legislature.ohio.gov

2. Prepare to show up for testimony. Hearings may be scheduled with very little notice.

If you are part of this community in any way, your voice matters. We will share details as soon as they are available and help coordinate those who want to participate.

3. Stay connected and informed
Organizations like TransOhio and Equality Ohio are actively tracking this and will share updates and action steps.

4. Keep conversations rooted in real impact..
This is not abstract policy, this is about people, spaces, and your community.

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The Autonomy Project exists to create space for expression, education, and connection.

We believe in creating spaces where people can exist fully and safely, and we will continue to do that no matter what.

This is one of those moments where staying informed, staying grounded, and showing up for each other makes a real difference.

February Lavender Library

"Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches" by Audre Lorde

Lavender Library is a q***r book club centered on thoughtful reading, deep conversation, and shared reflection. In February, we’ll be reading Sister Outsider, Audre Lorde’s essential collection of essays on identity, power, anger, silence, difference, and survival.

Lorde’s writing is sharp, poetic, and deeply human - asking us to examine how systems of oppression shape our lives, and how honesty, care, and self-definition can become acts of resistance. These essays invite reflection not just on the world as it is, but on how we show up for ourselves and one another within it.

This gathering is designed to be discussion-forward, accessible, and gentle while making space for hard, necessary conversations. You don’t need to be an academic, a theorist, or an expert- just someone willing to listen, think, and share in community. Come ready for thoughtful conversation, moments of recognition, and the kind of dialogue that lingers long after the night ends.

As always, Lavender Library prioritizes psychological safety, respect, and curiosity. Whether you’re revisiting Sister Outsider or encountering it for the first time, you’re warmly invited to join us.

DETAILS
📅 Date: February 19th

⏰ Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

📍 Location: Wicked Eden, 2912 South High ST, Columbus Ohio 43207

Door tickets available unless event sells out.