COLUMBUS, OH – Today, during Pride Month, Friends of Sherrod Brown launched “LGBTQ+ Ohioans for Sherrod,” a coalition of LGBTQ+ Ohioans backing Sherrod’s reelection.
“I’ve spent my career fighting for the dignity of every Ohioan – no matter who you are or who you love,” said Senator Sherrod Brown. “While too many politicians want to divide and distract us, I believe our state is stronger when we treat every Ohioan with the dignity and the respect they deserve. That’s what I’ve always believed and why I’m grateful to have Jim, Shannon, and LGBTQ+ Ohioans by my side in this fight.”
“LGBTQ+ Ohioans for Sherrod” co-chairs, Jim Obergefell, whose Supreme Court case legalized gay marriage in the United States, and Shannon Hardin, the first openly-gay Columbus City Council President, cited Sherrod’s longtime support for marriage equality and his leadership on the Equality Act.
LGBTQ+ OHIOANS FOR SHERROD CO-CHAIRS
“Sherrod always fights for Ohio, including the LGBTQ+ community,” said LGBTQ+ Leader Jim Obergefell. “Reelecting Sherrod is critical to ensuring LGBTQ+ Ohioans and all Ohioans have the equal rights we deserve. We need someone who represents Ohioans – that’s why we need to reelect Sherrod Brown. I am honored to support Sherrod and help ensure all Ohio voters know what’s at stake this year.”
“Sherrod has always looked out for, protected, and provided opportunities for Ohio’s LGBTQ+ community,” said Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin. “Sherrod has stood with us and marched with us, for decades, before it was politically popular, from his courageous vote against the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act to his introduction of the first Senate Resolution to recognize Pride Month. I am proud to stand by Sherrod because he fights for fairness and equality for every Ohioan and he will stand up to anyone who gets in the way.”
Sherrod has always fought for LGBTQ+ Ohioans to make sure they get the equal rights they deserve:
- Sherrod has been a longtime supporter of marriage equality and voted against the Defense of Marriage Act and helped pass the Respect for Marriage Act.
- Brown led the Equality Act, which would expand federal civil rights protections and fight LGBTQ+ discrimination in housing and the workplace.
- Sherrod has introduced a Senate resolution every year since 2017 to recognize June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month to highlight the contributions LGBTQ+ individuals have made to our communities and recommit to the fight for equality.
- Sherrod urged the VA to improve data collection for LGBTQ+ veterans so health disparities in LGBTQ+ veteran populations can be identified, analyzed, and addressed.
- The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization endorsed Sherrod for Senate.
- The Advocate: “If you looked LGBTQ+ ally up in the dictionary, there would surely be a picture of Sen. Sherrod Brown.”
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