New PFLAG Group (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Support Meetings held on the. 4th Thursday of each month, 7 pm at Central United Methodist Church, 2108 Collingwood Blvd. (inside Collingwood Presbyterian Church) More info at www.PFLAGToledo.org
Rainbow Families Support Group Forming - Fall 2010 Same-sex families with kids are invited to join Rainbow Families Support and Playgroup. Monthly meetings and get-togethers for kids and their families are planned. A networking list is also being created for parents and families. Even if you cannot come to gatherings, contact Rainbow Families so you can become part of the citywide networking list. The founders are parents of 4-year-old twins and want to connect with as many same-sex families as possible in the Toledo area. Email JoAnn joannhalbig@hotmail.com or call 419-478-7272.
Welcome!
This
site is your key to the network hub of a vibrant and active
gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (including gender identity
and gender expression) and allied community in Northwest Ohio, including
the major cities of Toledo, Bowling Green and Findlay.
Whether your interest is civil rights, marriage equality, HIV/AIDS support, religious support, coming out, bars and local entertainment,
counseling, allied supporters or purely social,
we hope you find what you are looking for here at TAGALA.
Exploratory Committee for Community Center Formed Several area LGBT groups held a meeting on January 16 at the Village Church to discuss the feasibility of a Community Center in the Toledo area. Melissa Goldblatt convened the meeting. Last year the need for a center was expressed at several Leadership Summit meetings hosted by Equality Toledo. The community is experiencing continued closing of several LGBT friendly communities such as St. Marks Episcopal Church. At the end of the meeting an exploratory committee was formed.
Statement on Senate Bill 5 Equality Ohio has received many questions concerning Ohio Senate Bill 5. It is a long and complicated bill, and the actual impact – both direct and indirect – of Senate Bill 5 on the LGBT community cannot be fully determined in advance. Senate Bill 5 strikes some existing language in Ohio Revised Code Section 3101.01 that recognizes the right of public employees who are in same sex relationships to collectively bargain for health benefits. Accordingly, collective bargaining will no longer be a tool available to the LGBT community to negotiate for domestic partner benefits for public employees, a tool that has had some success at public universities in Ohio. Senate Bill 5 does not directly strip these domestic partner benefits, but it sets up a mechanism for current collective bargaining agreements granting these rights to be dissolved, and it prohibits future collective bargaining, particularly for health benefits. Article excerpted from Equality Ohio Web Page
Toledo Domestic Partner Declaration For Toledo Domestic Partner Declaration forms, go to www.equalitytoledo.org. These must be notarized and taken to the Clerk of Council's office or mailed in with a $25 check or cash.
One Government Center
640 Jackson
Suite 2120
Toledo, Ohio 43604
Office hours are M-F 8:00 a.m - 4:45 p.m.
***
Ohio Changes Driver's License Gender Marker Policy Effective Monday, September 14, 2009, transgender Ohioans can change the gender marker on their driver's license without having full sex reassignment surgery. The Ohio Department of Public Safety plans to update its online access to the new form. Until then the Department asks interested parties to contact them at 1-614-752-7500 for more information. This policy change is the direct result of grassroots activism with support from statewide organizations including Equality Ohio, TransOhio and TransFamily.
***
Resource Updates:
Elder Care Support Group Forming Many LGBT persons find themselves caregivers for elder parents, other relatives, or a partner. A new local support group is forming to help such LGBT folks cope with the day-to-day stress this can cause. If you are interested to such a support group meeting once a month over coffee give Adela a call at 419-206-7218.
New Location for People Called Women Toledo’s feminist bookstore, has a new location as of April 13, 2010 at 6060 Renaissance Place, corner of Holland-Sylvania Road and Renaissance Place next to Hungry I restaurant.
Local Transgender Support Group The new Toledo Transgender Support Group meets at The Village Church, 3992 Monroe Street, located at the corner of West Central Avenue & Monroe Street in Toledo. The initial meetings will be peer led. The support group is open to everybody - FtM, MtF, Cross Dressers, Gender Queer, Intersexed, etc. Initial meetings will be facilitated by TransOhio board members. Drop-ins are welcomed. Email TransOhio at TransOhio@gmail.com if you have questions, additional information at www.transohio.org or call 614-441-8167. The new group is a collaboration between TransOhio, Equality Toledo and The Village Church.
New Location For ARC Ohio (AIDS Resource Center of Ohio) 3450 W. Central Ave., Suite 210, Toledo, 43606 419-241-9444 or 1-800-252-0827, M-F, 9am to 5pm
Adult Enrichment Education Opportunity
GOOD GIRLS, BAD GIRLS: TRANSGRESSIVE FEMALE SEXUALITY IN EARLY 20th CENTURY LITERATURE- an exciting 10 week class meeting at People Called Women beginning Tuesday, February 7th. For more information or to enroll please contact Holly Burnside at hlburnside@yahoo.com. Enrollment deadline is January 24th, 2012.
BGLW Dance and Social Event, January 27
Bowling Green Lavender Women will host a combination dance and game night to welcome the new year. The dance, with fabulous dj Amy, will be in one room, with the game night in the adjacent room. Come and enjoy one or both activities!
When: Friday, January 27, 7:30-11 p.m.
Where: Stadium View Apartments Party Room, Bowling Green. Suggested donation for the dj: $5-$10
To bring: Your beverage of choice (alcohol is permitted if you are 21 or over), snacks of choice, plus any board or card games you would like to play.
This is a non-smoking and women-only event.
Directions: Take I-75 to Bowling Green and get off at Bowling Green exit 181. Turn right towards Bowling Green. You will be on Wooster St. Turn left at the first stoplight, which is Campbell Hill Road. Turn left at the first stop sign, which is Clough St. Almost immediately, you will see a sign for Stadium View Apartments on the right. Turn right immediately onto the road/drive that leads into the complex. Follow it until the road bends to the left. At that point, it becomes Juniper Drive. You are looking for the office,1700 Juniper. It has a large flag in front of it. The party room is just to the left of the office, in the same building. Park anywhere you see a space. Come on in and enjoy!
Bullied documentary showing at Owens Community College, February 9
A free screening of the documentary “Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case that Made History” will be held on Thursday, February 9th at Owens Community College. The showing starts at 2 pm at Owens Community College Center for Performing Arts Theatre, 30335 Oregon Road. There will be a discussion following the film. The film chronicles the powerful story of a student who stood up to his anti-gay tormentors and filed a federal lawsuit against his school district. The suit led to a landmark federal court decision holding that school officials could be held accountable for not stopping the harassment and abuse of gay students. The screening is hosted by Equality Ohio and Owens Community College Student Activities, The Office of Service Learning, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Teacher Education and Human Services.
Gen Silent screening February 26
Equality Toledo is hosting a screening of Gen Silent at the Maumee Indoor Theater on Sunday, February 26 at 3:00 pm. The theater is located at 601 Conant Street. Gen Silent is a film about the lives of aging Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people, many of whom fought for equality in their youth and who now face fear, discrimination, bullying and abuse and are forced back into the closet to survive. The screening is free and open to the public. A discussion will follow the film. Find out how you can assist to end the discrimination our elder LBGT community faces.
