“March for Queer & Trans Youth Autonomy” Will Take Place in 7 Ohio Cities on Friday, March 31

Billed as “one of the largest queer & trans youth marches in history,” the March for Queer and Trans Youth Autonomy will take place in all 50 states on March 31, including in seven different Ohio cities.

Multiple Ohio organizations are hosting marches and rallies to support the nationwide action sponsored by Queer Youth Assemble, a queer youth-led nonprofit serving queer youth under 25 in the United States.

The marches and rallies across the country are united by a list of demands created by queer and trans youth from across the country. The demands were gathered by Queer Youth Assemble over the span of two months via listening sessions, social media interactions and in-person conversations. The demands include:

• Codify Title IX to include sexuality, gender identity and gender expression
• An end to outing and ask for teachers, parents and peers to maintain confidentiality in regard to others’ gender, sexuality and other aspects of our identities
• Ban all forms of conversion therapy on people of all ages nationwide
• An end to all state-sponsored misinformation on transitioning and gender-affirming health care
• Allow transgender athletes to participate on the sports team that corresponds with their identity, and provide middle and high schools with state funding for co-ed sports teams

Here in Ohio, multiple bills are currently moving through the state legislature aimed at limiting the autonomy of queer and trans youth addressed in these demands. These bills include HB 6 (banning trans females from sports), HB 8 (mandatory outing of LGBTQ+ students in schools) and HB 68 (banning gender-affirming care in Ohio).

Marches and rallies will be held in the following cities:

• Cincinnati: 5:30 p.m., Rally at Hoffner Park (4101 Hamilton Ave.) followed by march
• Cleveland Heights: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Rally at Cleveland Heights Community Center (1 Monticello Blvd.)
• Cleveland: 4 p.m., March from Willard Park (Free Stamp) to City Hall
• Columbus: 5 p.m., March at Goodale Park
• Dayton: 4 p.m.-6 p.m., March from Lily’s Dayton (329 E. Fifth St.) to Courthouse Square (23 N. Main St.)
• Lakewood: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., March at Lakewood Park (14532 Lake Ave.)
• Madison: 3:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Madison Village Square Park