Antonio Rebukes DOGE Cancellation of LGBTQ+ History Grant in Ohio

Today, Senate Democratic Leader Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) responded to reports that an Ohio grant to install LGBTQ+ historical markers has been canceled by the Elon Musk-led, so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

“This is another attempt at rendering our LGBTQ+ existence, our history, and our contributions to society invisible,” said Antonio, the first member of the LGBTQ+ community ever elected to the Ohio General Assembly. “Let me be clear – there is no closet big enough to force all of us back into, and no government agency can erase our existence. We are a part of the fabric of this state and country – past, present, and future.”

The Ohio History Connection received roughly $250,000 in 2022 to fund the Marking Diverse Ohio project, which aimed to commemorate various noteworthy locations important to the history of the LGBTQ+ community. DOGE announced that this grant funding, along with $25 million of other awards from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, had been cut.