This blog originally appeared at LGBTQ Nation.
“If you choose to target our communities, be prepared to face competition from within our community.”
A transgender woman is seeking to replace an Ohio legislator who endorsed the state’s anti-drag bill. If successful, she would also become the first openly transgender individual to hold a position in the state’s House of Representatives.
Arienne Childrey is presently the sole candidate in the unopposed March 19 Democratic primary election for the representation of Ohio’s District 84. The 40-year-old shared with the local Cincinnati outlet CityBeat that her decision to run was driven by the intention to challenge state Rep. Angela King (R).
During the previous summer, King and her fellow Republican state Rep. Josh Williams presented House Bill 245. This bill aimed to alter the legal definition of “adult cabaret performances” in the state, encompassing “performers or entertainers who exhibit a gender identity that is different from the performer’s or entertainer’s gender assigned at birth using clothing, makeup, prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts, or other physical markers.”
The introduced legislation is among numerous bills in state legislatures nationwide that seek to prohibit drag performances in the presence of children. During testimony last month, King referenced a video of a drag performance that occurred in her community.
While King asserted that under HB 245, transgender individuals would still have the freedom to “express their gender as they go to a grocery store, the post office, and live their daily lives,” critics argue that the bill would disproportionately impact the transgender community. In a statement during the summer, Densil Porteus, the executive director of Stonewall Columbus, mentioned that the proposed law “aims to give power to others as to when they believe gender impersonation/drag is being performed.”
As highlighted by writer Joy Ellison in an August editorial for Matter, the current version of the bill explicitly states that transgender entertainers would face a prohibition on performing in locations other than adult venues in Ohio.
Childrey, a resident of Ohio since 2014 and the founder of Northwest Ohio Trans Advocacy, expressed to CityBeat that she couldn’t passively observe King running unopposed in the imminent November election.
“If you’re going to target our communities, then you’ll need to contend with someone from within our community,” she asserted.
“It’s long overdue for us to have someone at the Statehouse genuinely dedicated to addressing those issues—matters that truly affect people and can enhance our lives—rather than someone more focused on causing harm rather than providing assistance,” she added.
Childrey stands against Ohio’s recently enacted prohibition on gender-affirming care. Additionally, her campaign emphasizes education-related matters such as boosting teacher salaries, expanding broadband access in rural areas, and fortifying unions throughout the state.
“Arienne’s dedication to public service and her ability to persevere in the face of challenges set a compelling example for everyone,” stated the transgender advocacy organization TransOhio. “As she confronts the hurdles that come with this groundbreaking journey, we also want to recognize the importance of her candidacy and the influence it will have in paving the way for future generations of trans leaders.”
“The only thing that could bring me more joy than being the first trans woman elected in the state of Ohio,” Childrey expressed, “is to not be the only trans person elected in the state of Ohio.”
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