By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Miranda Allysen Douglas was afraid she’d be alone on the northeast corner of Wooster and Main in Bowling Green.
She organized the Saturday demonstration around the theme that the “T” in LBGTQ+ is not silent. The rest of the gay community is heard from more than transgender individuals, she said. “We need to be seen and heard.”
Other rallies were being held around the state in cities, but Douglas wanted Bowling Green to have its own.
“I thought I’d be here by myself,” the Rudolph resident said. “But I’m happy with the turnout.”
The two dozen demonstrators included trans individuals and supporters, including families.
That pleased Clara Krofft of Bowling Green, who was handing out gay pride flags and stickers.
“It’s easy to just look at the data and see these small numbers of the population,” she said. “Visibility is what helps us understand that we not only exist in good numbers, but that we’re also here.”
Trans individuals can feel isolated. “It can make you feel like the world doesn’t want you.
But the rally at the crossroads of her adopted home shows “we’re not alone.”
Krofft came to Bowling Green State University from “a small regressive town” about 10 years ago. Bowling Green may not be large, but it is homey, kind place where’s she’s happy to live.
Krofft said it was two and a half years ago that she realized she was trans and “started socially transitioning.”
Douglas, who lives in Rudolph, is active with BGO Pride. “We have the university, and there are a lot of students who identify as trans, so we need to be seen and heard.”
And despite what some say, identifying as trans is not “a trend,” she said. “Trans people have been around for thousands of years. It’s nothing new. We’re just visible now.”
Lauren and Patrick Reinagel of Bowling Green were at the rally with their children.
They were there to show support for the cause, she said.
He said they wanted to stand up for those they know in the gay community.
When the government restricts rights, it starts with minorities and vulnerable groups such as the gay community and women, he said. That’s why it’s important to take a stand now.
Douglas said the rallies around the state are driven by opposition to three bills now before the Ohio House –HB 327, HB 454 and HB 616 – that will be acted on when the legislators return from summer recess. Each in some way restricts the rights of LBGTQ+ people.
“We’re standing against this,” she said. “We’re standing for our rights. We need to been seen in the community.”
