Historic Lakewood Gender Freedom Policy Passes Unanimously
Despite rollbacks of LGBTQ rights & protections from the US Federal and Ohio State governments, the city of Lakewood has established itself as a model sanctuary for the state to follow.
Alexandria Rose, Structures In The Wild. Lakewood City Council President Sarah Kepple, joined by Lakewood City Council, flanked by local Pride Club students & families, and DSA activists, holds the approved Lakewood Gender Freedom Policy.
Since the start of the year 2024, exacerbated in 2025 by the rise of the Trump Administration, the Transgender community has experienced a stark rollback of rights in the state of Ohio. The whiplash in the wake of anti-trans healthcare legislation, the repeal of Federal Affirmative Action, and Ohio State sports and restroom apartheid has sent panic and fear rippling through the state. Transgender Ohioans and their families have had little choice but to watch as the State government ushered in yet another era of bigotry against a marginalized community. All over the state, Trans community, Trans rights organizations, families, and allies pushed back, ultimately culminating in the introduction of legislation from a Northeast Ohio city.
Background
The road of events leading to Lakewood’s Gender Freedom Policy is extensive and winding. Ohio House Bill 68, also known as the SAFE Act and Save Women’s Sports Act, introduced sweeping rollbacks of transgender rights. Its passing has led to a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, including puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and sex reassignment surgery. HB 68 also banned transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports throughout the state of Ohio. Governor Mike DeWine vetoed the bill, stating that his administrative actions went further than HB 68, negating the need for the veto override. The State Legislature disagreed, rallied against the veto, and pushed House Bill 68 through.
Rights rollbacks have not stopped with HB 68. The Ohio State Government also passed Senate Bill 104, AKA the “Protect All Students Act”. Senate Bill 104 is a two-part bill that updates the College Credit Plus Program to increase student access to college credit and also mandates single-sex use of restrooms, locker rooms, shower rooms, and changing rooms in Ohio’s K-12 schools and higher education institutions, based on a person’s sex assigned at birth.
Key Provisions of Senate Bill 104
College Credit Plus (CCP) Program: The bill expands opportunities for students to earn college credit while in high school by improving access and awareness of the CCP program.
Single-Sex Facilities: SB 104 requires K-12 schools and public and private higher education institutions to maintain single-sex facilities, requiring people to use the facility corresponding to their sex assigned at birth.
Prohibition of All-Gender Facilities: The bill bans the creation or maintenance of all-gender restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms.
Application: The law applies to primary and secondary schools, as well as public and private colleges and universities in Ohio.
Family Facilities: The law does not eliminate single-occupancy restrooms, family restrooms, or family locker rooms.
In other words, extensive restrictions on Transgender students’ access to public facilities, and restrictions on the creation of accessible facilities, were put into place and made enforceable by law. Senate Bill 104 was signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine in November 2024 and went into effect on February 25, 2025.
These harsh and restrictive measures immediately put Transgender Folx across the state in the crosshairs of their government as it marched headlong into a sweeping campaign against the rights of its constituents. Not only did many Ohioans feel these legislative actions were perpetrated in bad faith, but multiple LGBTQ, Trans, and Civil rights agencies have openly declared HB 68 and SB 104 to be detrimental, ignorant, and unscientific. The US Trans Survey’s 2022 findings have indicated years before these two pieces of legislation have come to pass, that “98% Respondents who had socially and/or medically transitioned showed substantially higher levels of happiness, thriving, and satisfaction.” Critical to this happiness and satisfaction has been the support of Trans families, as well as the recognition and protection of Transgender rights and human dignity by local, State, and Federal governments.
Despite these findings, and the ongoing research of the scientific and medical communities into Transgender healthcare & neurobiology, Ohio’s government has made a series of decisions that needlessly placed the lives of vulnerable children and adults in harm’s way. Lakewood’s City Government declared “Enough is enough.”
“Enough Is Enough.”
Enter The Lakewood Gender Freedom Policy, which according to a press release by Cleveland DSA, was spearheaded by the Democratic Socialists of America in cooperation with Lakewood Council President Sarah Kepple and Councilwoman Cindy Strebig of Ward 3.
Cleveland DSA Press Release:
“The Gender Freedom Policy, originally drafted by the Cleveland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and recently passed by Lakewood City Council on Monday, October 6th, 2025, will primarily de-prioritize the enforcement of state and federal anti-trans laws in Lakewood.”
The press release states that Lakewood City Council: “after consulting with the ACLU and Equality Ohio, transformed Cleveland DSA’s original draft into a Gender Freedom Policy which enshrines and upholds transgender rights in Lakewood.”
Navigating around State legislation is tricky for cities, but as Lakewood have demonstrated, not impossible. This trailblazing measure, as reported Sept. 16th by Alexandria Rose of Structures In The Wild, must “thread the needle” between permissible local legislation and the will of Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Legislature. Despite these barriers, Sarah Kepple, Cindy Strebig, and Lakewood City Council have found plenty of wiggle room.
Ken Schneck of The Buckeye Flame summarized the Lakewood Gender Freedom Policy’s pledges on September 29, 2025 into the following points:
No city resources will be used for “detaining or investigating persons for solely seeking or providing gender-affirming care.”
No city resources will be used for “cooperating with or providing information to any individual, in or out-of-state agency or department” on gender-affirming healthcare or gender-affirming mental healthcare performed in Lakewood, a response to reports of the U.S. Department of Justice asking hospitals to turn over “sensitive information about transgender patients younger than 19.”
Investigations of individuals, organizations and businesses performing or hosting drag performances or non-obscene entertainment involving gender identity or expression will be the “lowest possible priority.”
Investigations of individuals, organizations and healthcare providers in Lakewood facilitating gender-affirming care will be the “lowest possible priority.”
Facilitation of other policies and laws aimed to harm transgender and gender-diverse people will be the “lowest possible priority.”
City employees will be trained to protect confidential health information and not collect unnecessary health information related to gender-affirming care.
The city will continue to provide medical coverage for employees and covered family members who seek gender-affirming care, “even if such care must legally be provided outside the State of Ohio.”
While this historic legislation is important for the protection of the rights and dignity of LGBTQ people, the Gender Freedom Policy also represents a much-needed reprieve for a misunderstood group that has endured harsh discrimination for decades, including difficulty finding employment, the threat of homelessness, the rejection of family and peers, and the loss of civil rights and protections.
Many residents took to the podium to speak on what the legislation means for them.
Sean M: “I cannot express how appreciative I am as a transgender person — me and my family and other queer people are -- of you guys. Trans people in Ohio are very scared, and it’s been very hard for me and my family in Ohio. We appreciate you guys so much, thank you!”
Mackenzie F: “I am happy to see many members of the pride club here. I was involved in the pride club in school. You can do this, too! You can make this happen 10 years from now, when 10 years have passed for you. I just really wanted to thank the council for their commitment to our neighbors’ joy, happiness, and safety. Thank you.”
AJ: “You see, Lakewood is more than just a city. It is the unofficial gay capitol of Ohio. Our streets are home to queer businesses and incredible drag performances. Our community is a mosaic of different people and LGBTQ identities. So many of us, allies included, come here for that very reason, drawn in by the feeling of belonging, safety, community, and opportunity that this city offers. This policy isn’t about telling anyone what to believe. It’s about how we as a diverse community govern ourselves and ensure no one is discriminated against based on who they are.”
Lakewood City Council President Sarah Kepple informed this publication on October 6th 2025, that “Many Ohio cities have reached out to [Lakewood City Council] for guidance on how to build their own Gender Freedom Policies.” The legislative advocacy and optimism of President Kepple, the ACLU of Ohio, Equality Ohio, and Cleveland DSA might indeed prove to be contagious, as local rights groups begin lobbying efforts in more Northeast Ohio cities.
Cleveland DSA, joined by LGBTQ and Civil Rights organizations, aims to expand the civil protections of Trans Folx in Cleveland next. These groups seek to capitalize on the moment of victory and protect vulnerable Ohioans from the ever-increasing restrictions of the state government. Lakewood City Council has shown Ohio the way forward. It is the hope of the LGBTQ community that its culture, identity, and humanity will now be protected and preserved by local governments, where the State and Federal government have failed.
Thank you Lakewood 😁 from Youngstown Ohio. Watching my red state fight back against this regime has made me proud to be from Ohio again!