Ben Jodway

I swear a lot in this episode

Ohio school district bans ‘Hate Has No Home Here’ poster over inclusion of rainbow, trans flags Little Miami School Board deemed the flags to be "sexuality content."

Ohio school district bans ‘Hate Has No Home Here’ poster over inclusion of rainbow, trans flags.

Little Miami School Board deemed the flags to be "sexuality content."

thebuckeyeflame.com/2026/02/28/l...

Students at an Ohio private Christian university hosted a drag show for over 10 years. This year could be the last. University of Findlay’s LGBTQ+ student organizers worry Ohio’s proposed drag ban would jeopardize their main source of funding.

Students at an Ohio private Christian university hosted a drag show for over 10 years. This year could be the last.

University of Findlay’s LGBTQ+ student organizers worry Ohio’s proposed drag ban would jeopardize their main source of funding.

✏️ @bjodway.com via @reportforamerica.bsky.social

laura doppelgänger from the black lodge

happy twin peaks day :)

Worked with @hcomeriato.bsky.social and @kenschneck.bsky.social to get this one out.

There's a lot of parts to this bill. We tried our best to break it down, show how legislators discussed it, and the resulting response from LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations and leaders.

Give it a read.

It took me months, about 495 rides, recovering from a shattered right foot and hacking a folding scooter, but I finally own a Nintendo Switch 2 using points obtained from Citi Bike. Afterwards, it left me questioning the very nature of work. For @aftermath.site.

aftermath.site/switch-2-cit...

A trans candidate in rural Ohio lost two elections, was doxxed, and she’s running again in 2026 Arienne Chidlrey failed in 2023 to unseat a Republican incumbent in rural Ohio. But that's not stopping her in 2026.

"I am in the most red district in rural Ohio, and we are fighting like hell."

A trans candidate in rural Ohio lost two elections and was doxxed. She’s running again for "a better path forward."

✏️ @bjodway.com via @reportforamerica.bsky.social

thebuckeyeflame.com/2026/02/10/o...

Trans-owned plant shop The Leaf Lounge takes root in rural Ohio By collaborating with other local businesses, Kayden Warner sows the seeds of a greener community space in Fremont.

Trans-owned plant shop The Leaf Lounge takes root in rural Ohio.

By collaborating with other local businesses, Kayden Warner sows the seeds of a greener community space in Fremont.

✏️ @bjodway.com via @reportforamerica.bsky.social

thebuckeyeflame.com/2026/02/04/t...

Many LGBTQ-advocacy organizations in rural Ohio have been stepping up to meet a persistent demand for safe discussion spaces.

I’m thrilled to cover one such space in Knox County!

Been working on this one with my editor @kenschneck.bsky.social for a while.

We found only 4 out of 16 bans were even searchable on municipalities' websites.

As federal anti-smoking programs get cut, who’s looking out for LGBTQ+ adults? Amid cuts to national smoking programs, researchers are taking matters into their own hands. They worry LGBTQ+ adults will get left behind.

1 in 6 queer and 1 in 3 trans U.S. adults smoke cigarettes. That’s compared with 1 in 9 straight adults.

Recent federal cuts mean fewer people and resources are available to address this disparity — and researchers are starting to take matters into their own hands.

Read more of my latest here:

Oberlin becomes 15th Ohio city to ban conversion therapy on minors The Ohio college town passed the ordinance after some modifications reacting to a federal appeals court decision that struck down Michigan’s statewide ban.

PROGRESS! - Oberlin becomes 15th Ohio city to ban conversion therapy on minors.

✏️ @bjodway.com via @reportforamerica.bsky.social

thebuckeyeflame.com/2026/01/21/o...

Happy to see RFA highlight my story! Give it a read if you haven't already!

I'm Not That Nicole Carpenter I got a corrections request for a story I didn't write, and it pulled me down a journalism rabbit hole.

Last week, I got a corrections request for a story I didn't write, on a publication I don't write for. It sent me down a very strange rabbit hole involving a mysterious content publisher. There's a lot I don't understand, but here's what I know:

aftermath.site/nicole-carpe...

Loved writing this story!

Put another way: the FBI now has full jurisdiction over the case, with no local/state government involvement.

This News is So Gay (1/7/26): Carrying Stories into 2026 and Covering Rainbow Crosswalks Featuring: Leo Cusimano (Dallas Voice), Ryan Williams-Jent (Watermark Out News) & Kate Sosin (The 19th)

Ken did an amazing job. Take a listen and share LGBTQ news.

thebuckeyeflame.com/2026/01/07/t...

The newspaper of record of my entire childhood would literally rather die than pay its unionized workers the wages and benefits that the actual Supreme Court of the United States of America decided were owed to them.

i was always scared speaking French to people who were conversational or spoke it as their first language! in my friend's case her group asked whether she want to be corrected on stuff or just fumble through a convo which i think really helped her nerves and thought that was cool of them

my friend had a similar thing with Duolingo after a huge Spanish language streak of like 900 days. she found going to a Spanish conversation group helpful because it rounded out a lot of the gaps - is there anything like that for Irish?

hey, I'm a reporter looking to talk with other LGBTQ+ folks about their relationship to smoking (cigarettes). are you trying to quit? did you pick it back up again recently? do all your friends smoke? let's talk! DM me or Signal me @orionr.80

porco rosso is my favorite miyazaki but I think whisper of the heart is my favorite ghibli

there’s still some good queer news out there folks!

Headline: ProPublica management wants 100% discretion over when and how to use AI Supplementary text: The organization rejected our proposal that ensures staff will not be replaced by AI and requires labeling AI-generated content

1/ At bargaining yesterday, @propublica.org management said that they should have 100% discretion to replace workers with AI and would not commit to labeling future AI-generated content.

ICYMI

Rural Ohio trans candidate nearly drops out of race after being targeted online, wins seat in Republican stronghold Amy Heutmaker pledges to heal political divide in her rural Ohio township

INCREDIBLE STORY: Rural Ohio trans candidate nearly drops out of race after being targeted online, wins seat in Republican stronghold.

✏️ @bjodway.com via @reportforamerica.bsky.social

thebuckeyeflame.com/2025/12/15/a...

Breaking News Reporter

Are you someone who's Very Online, early in your reporting career, and eager to get clips? We're hiring a Breaking News Reporter at @motherjones.com. $65k-$75k salary. www.motherjones.com/careers/brea...

We met our fundraising goal!! Thank you so much to everyone who donated!

Ohio Attorney General weighs in on City Club of Cleveland’s decision to host anti-LGBTQ+ hate group City Club CEO tells conservative outlet: 'We're not canceling.'

Ohio Attorney General weighs in on City Club of Cleveland’s decision to host anti-LGBTQ+ hate group.

City Club CEO tells conservative outlet: ‘We’re not canceling.’

thebuckeyeflame.com/2025/12/11/o...

EXTRA! EXTRA! The Columbus Dispatch is unionizing!

cwalocals.org/columbusdisp...