COVINGTON, Ky. — While northern Kentucky has been a hub for progress and inclusivity, a woman who’s played a big part in achieving that status says there’s still a lot of work left to do.
As president and co-founder of the NKY Pride Center, Bonnie Meyer has been trying to help push the LGBTQ community forward for 13 years.
She said she’s proud of what she and her fellow volunteers have been able to accomplish and yet; she said they need to keep pushing.
“We had a slew of attacks against our LGBTQIA+ community in Frankfort this past legislative session,” Meyer said. “In some ways, we have some of the worst anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation in the country in place currently here in Kentucky, but you also have some really thriving communities. The city of Covington has been incredibly supportive.”
Covington was the third Kentucky city to pass a fairness ordinance, and the first to pass a ban on conversion therapy for minors.
“They’ve really encouraged other cities across northern Kentucky to pass fairness ordinances as well,” Meyer said. “It teaches us that we matter here, that show of support from the city.”
Meyer said northern Kentucky is now home to half of all Kentucky cities that have fairness ordinances.
As an education professor, one of Meyer’s main focuses as head of northern Kentucky pride is on schools, particularly, she said, supporting trans youth.
The center is launching a youth leadership council.
“When we are so restricted in how we’re able to talk about identity in our schools, and how we can or cannot address certain topics,” she said. “I think it’s always important to remember that pride was born of an uprising.”
Tens of thousands of people showed up to northern Kentucky’s pride festival on June 2. Meyer said she thinks support for her community is stronger than ever.
“The statistics show that more people are out than ever before. And that more individuals know people who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community than ever before,” she said.
Meyer said she wants to continue to lead that community and make life better for people in it. She always has.
“I have a calling to do what I can to make the world a better place. I have experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation,” she said. “I am able to be out and to actively be an advocate because of the experiences I’ve had.”
Meyer said young professionals want to live in inclusive communities. She said LGBTQ support isn’t just the right thing to do, it can help communities grow.
Meyer said the pride center is also partnering with Transform Cincy, a nonprofit that will put on pop up closets once a month to help give clothes to trans youth in the community.