By Michael Colglazier, Staff Writer

The International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) was celebrated on Monday, but recent actions in state legislatures in Ohio and Kentucky cast a shadow over local celebrations.

In Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine signed S.B. 1 into law last Friday. This law prohibits all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and scholarships at public colleges and universities. S.B. 1 will go into effect 90 days from its signing, before the start of the fall semester.

As a private institution, Xavier will not be directly impacted by this law. However, local public institutions such as the University of Cincinnati will have to implement changes. The law will regulate how professors and universities can discuss “controversial issues” like climate change, immigration and abortion.

Proponents of the law argue that it prevents colleges from pushing a single ideology on students, while its opponents argue that it does the opposite and will stifle minority voices on college campuses.

Ohio Democrats had urged DeWine to veto the bill, but he ultimately decided to sign the bill despite showing some signs of reservation.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio stated that the “legislation is unconstitutional and cannot stand” and is considering mounting legal challenges to the law.

Last week, Kentucky Republican legislators overrode several of Governor Andy Beshear’s vetoes of bills that aim to eliminate DEI initiatives, protect conversion therapy and prohibit Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care, among other measures.

Some have criticized Governor Beshear’s restriction on conversion therapy. Nick Spencer, policy director of the Family Foundation, stated that Beshear’s order limited free speech and that people should be free to choose the therapy of their choice. 

“You need to explain to me how you reconcile that with the addition to this bill banning Medicaid from covering transgender treatment for adults,” Democratic Kentucky Senator Karen Berg said.

Republican Senate President Robert Stivers slammed Beshear for not working with lawmakers and instead attempting to counter them. 

“By constitution, it is this body and the one down the hall who makes the laws,” Stivers said. 

 “People who see us — if they want to change the policy in this state, then they will change the makeup of this body,” he said, referring to the fact that Republicans hold 31 of the 38 Senate seats and 80 of the 100 House seats.

These overrides occurred just days before TDOV, a global celebration of transgender and non-binary people, which was this Monday. Xavier had its own TDOV celebration on Monday in the Gallagher Student Center, hosted by LGBTQ+ Alliance. 

“A lot of times, trans individuals are not seen or are just viewed as less than even within the (LGBTQ+) community, so this is a really important day just to highlight that they exist and that they can just live normal lives just like anyone else,” junior education major and president of Alliance Georgia Larive said.

Larive believes that it is important to stay up to date with bills that are being passed around Ohio, not just laws which directly affect Xavier. 

“Last week SB 1 got signed into law, which is not affecting Xavier currently, but could potentially affect Xavier in the near future. That is a direct target to all diversity, but also trans individuals,” Larive said.

The reversal of the ban on conversion therapy has led to fear among Xavier students as well.  

“It definitely feels like it’s a time of the past,” Larive said. “It kind of felt like we were on a track of moving this country forward and just being more equal. But in actuality, many states still allow and have conversion therapy.”