By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The mass shooting at the gay nightclub in Colorado Springs last month has motivated the local LGBTQ community to make Bowling Green a sanctuary.
The day after the shooting that killed five and injured up to 25, the BGO Pride organization held a vigil to honor transgender individuals whose lives have been taken by anti-transgender violence.
Last week, the BGO Pride group started taking action with a community discussion about engaging local businesses to become safe spaces for LGBTQ citizens. Kenny Sheets, of BGO Pride, brought up the topic at last week’s meeting of Not In Our Town BG.
“We’re looking to approach the city and local bar owners,” Sheets said. The goal would be to find businesses willing to learn how to provide safe spaces, bars with bouncers and security that won’t tolerate violence against LGBTQ patrons, and identify those businesses with window decals.
“It’s a really sad state that we’re in,” Sheets said, noting the rise in violence against the trans community.
Sheets asked how Not In Our Town went about posting its decals at certain downtown businesses.
Not In Our Town members Gary Saunders and Ana Brown described the effort to go door-to-door to the businesses, asking them to support the organization’s anti-discrimination beliefs. The conversations were sometime lengthy and required the businesses to agree to stand up to discrimination, both Brown and Saunders said.
Sheets said he would like to approach Bowling Green City Council with the proposal. Saunders suggested that the group also introduce the plan to the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce.
Brown said BGO Pride may want to seek sponsorships from community members to help cover the costs of the decals.
Emily Dunipace, of Not In Our Town, said a grant proposal has been submitted by BGSU officials to help create safe spaces for the LGBTQ community in places such as bars. If awarded, the grant could help with intervention strategy training of bar staff.
“This would be an opportunity to bring awareness,” Dunipace said.
Bowling Green Police Lt. Adam Skaff said the police division is working to add strategies in its training for late night establishments on how to handle discrimination or potential violence against LGBTQ patrons.
“We continue to expand it,” Skaff said of the training. As with other discrimination, bar staff will be advised to call police immediately for any concerns, he said.
