They shared the same Christian values, they shared a love of children and Jonathan Zeng was ready to start as a music teacher at his new school. But 15 minutes after accepting the offer, Zeng received a phone call from a school board representative because something was weighing on his mind — whether or not Zeng is gay.   

The phrase, ‘Cincinnati’s first openly gay council member’ has been regularly linked to Chris Seelbach’s name in media reports ever since his November election. In an interview last week, Seelbach told CityBeat that this label helped him win his seat on council and is an integral part of his identity as a man and a city leader, but it’s far from a complete picture of who he is.  

The constant reminders are all around Michele Hobbs' Prospect Hill home — a puppy named Leo, a half-finished garden. Lucy's room is still just the way she left it, the fish she caught in a neighbor's pond still in the fishbowl. At times, says Hobbs, it's overwhelming.