County commissioners show their colors in rejecting Pride

A$9 million renovation means the Licking County Courthouse will be lit in a rainbow of colors throughout the year — but not the diversity-celebrating rainbow some would like to see during the first Newark Pride celebration on June 9. And that’s a real shame.

Licking County commissioners showed their colors recently in how they treated reasonable requests to show more acceptance of LGBTQ residents. They were asked to join in the Pride festivities by deploying the courthouse’s new computerized lighting system in the red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple rainbow colors celebrating those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.

But following the formal request in March, the three commissioners disallowed the Pride rainbow display by enacting a policy in April that identifies just 19 celebrations — 10 federal holidays, five health causes, three patriotic days and the Spring Equinox — on which the courthouse will be lit in colors relevant to those events. The commissioners’ list includes lesser-known occasions such as Patriots Day (third Monday in April) and Constitution Day (Sept. 17).

Even more hurtful was Board of Commissioners President Duane Flowers’ initial rejection of calls for a public hearing to reconsider the policy. Flowers was quoted in a local newspaper as saying, “I try not to do public forums. . . I do not operate on public opinion.”

The commissioners eventually held a hearing in which opinion was heavily in favor of a welcoming embrace of the LGBTQ community, but it did not sway the commissioners to relent.

Public funds paid for the lighting system; the commissioners should be open to making their courthouse a vehicle for celebrating more causes, not restricting this community-owned asset to their own limited views.

Ironically, the commissioners also rejected green lights to celebrate 4-H, a youth organization now working to welcome LGBTQ members.

It makes perfect sense. A service organization for young people that values Head, Heart, Hands and Health is making a point to embrace those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.

The Ohio 4-H LGBTQ+ Summit held recently on Ohio State’s campus included a day of professional development for 4-H adults and a youth day for middle- and high-school students.

More than 158,000 Ohioans ages 5 to 19 participate in 4-H clubs, camps and programs annually, and it is unknown how many are LGBTQ. Though many people identify 4-H with raising livestock, other projects include nutrition, health, science and scrapbooking.

Discussion for 4-H adults included how to navigate coming-out conversations and creating inclusive learning environments. What about parents who don’t want their straight kids mingling with gay kids at camp? “Then we are not the program for them,” said Kirk Bloir, associate state 4-H leader. “We are not going to shirk from our responsibility of ensuring that our program is a safe space for all.”

More kids are coming out and 4-H wants to be there for them. LGBTQ children in 4-H who live in rural counties might feel isolated and not know other kids like them or adults they can talk to.

4-H, with a lot of heart, is telling those youngsters they will be accepted for themselves.