Let’s return ‘All Hallows’ Eve to the Church where it belongs and has meaning, “witch” is not about candy, costumes, and ghouls. It’s religious to honor the “saints” who have gone to heaven, not hell.
The religious holiday has always belonged to them anyway.
The secular Halloween is a 2000-year-old pagan festival that celebrated Summer’s end by believing the dead could walk among us.
We 2022 pagans and heathens celebrate Halloween by walking like the dead or otherwise scaring little innocent children ghoulishly and then ease our guilt by rewarding them with sugary or chocolatey treats. And, it works because we in turn allow our children to enter a fantasy world of costume play by going house to house begging to be scared and being rewarded for it.
All Hallows’ Eve, the religious event, is always on October 31, and November 1 is All Saints Day.
Halloween (Trick or Treat) is “officially” declared by local governments between certain hours each year on October 31, and six out of seven years the day is either on a work or school day or when the next morning is either a work or school day. They choose dangerous dark hours when children should not be walking the streets in hard-to-see costumes many of “witch” are hard to see out of.
Celebrating Halloween on the last Saturday of October would allow the traditional parades through subdivisions. And, let children and pets “trick or treat” in other neighborhoods, begging between the hours of 4-6 PM. It would allow the backyard unveiling of the bucket contents around a bonfire complete with hotdogs and smores.
Then when the children pass out from exhaustion and their sugar highs, the adults can continue partying late into the night acquiring the hangover every pagan will have in the morning. The difference is that the next day is not a school or a work day. The non-heathens will still be in good shape to attend church in the morning.
Saturday Halloweens would allow trick-or-treating to begin in the daylight hours, eliminating the need for costume safety alterations and flashlights.
It eliminates the stress of hastily heading home from school and work preparing or buying dinner, doing homework, and preparing school lunches. Who needs cranky children and their parents?
Gets children off the street before most drivers begin drinking.
A developmental disability friendlier day.
You can throw more elaborate neighborhood parties.
Halloween deserves its own full-blown witching day brewed with more family fun.
An interesting fact is that Halloween began in this country when folks went door to door asking for prayers. Let’s make this year the day we go door to door praying that “Halloween Saturday” becomes a new tradition by urging our local governments to wake up from the dead. And since Election Day follows so soon, treat them with a “NO” vote if they don’t agree.
Former Loveland Magazine sports writer Willie Lutz is now writing for Last Word On Sports. Here is what he says about Jessie Bates III being honored as Second-Team All-Pro.
As playoff weekend arrives with the Bengals sitting at home, an emerging member of the team’s core received exciting news. Finding his footing well in the NFL so far, Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III was named to the AP All-Pro Second Team as a Safety.
After a 4-11-1 season with a crash ending, Cincinnati Bengals fans have a reason to celebrate their campaign. Third-year safety Jessie Bates III was selected as an AP All-Pro safety on their Second Team. This news comes as the team heads towards an incredibly important offseason that includes augmenting the defense around Bates. Earlier, Bates was named a first-team All-Pro by Pro Football Focus, who graded him the fourth-best defender of the 2020 season, earning a 90.1 grade on the season.
Barberton, Ohio – “We have recently introduced a new product to assist many Market Segments with the re-opening of their businesses from the COVID-19 Pandemic, including Restaurants, Hospitality, Retail, etc. This is a clear vinyl shade to use in any guest/employee contact area,” said Don Burgstahler from Mason.
MAG Resources – A small business in Barberton, OH has introduced a product to help small businesses open safely. MAG has come out with a protective shield solution, MAG Shield, to provide safety for your customers and employees. MAG being a national supplier to many major National Accounts across the United States, quickly realized a product would be needed to help many market segments including Hospitality, Restaurants, Health Care, Offices, Retail, and many others that experience Customer/ Employee contact.
MAG has come up with a product that is certified to be in your commercial buildings. “Our product carriers a fire-retardant certificate (NFPA 701), which is required in the commercial atmosphere. We have implemented these in our own office building to help separate shared working environments to maintain employee/customer safety,” said Burgstahler. “The MAG shield is a clear vinyl shade that unlike many of the solutions now has many design options to help integrate with your facilities design.”
“We are offering three different systems to assist with different installation requirements and budgets. Each product doing their part to help provide ultimate safety.”
Columnist Cassie Mattia lives in Historic Downtown Loveland
Loveland, Ohio – The speed and the accuracy when receiving a 911 call are top priorities to any 911 dispatcher. Although these 911 dispatchers do their best to focus on speed and accuracy one fact that many people may not know is that 80 percent of 911 calls are made from a cell phone meaning no matter how quickly a dispatcher works to alert first responders that dispatcher is only able to identify the caller’s phone number and a VERY vague sense of their location. If a 911 caller is unable to speak due to their emergency situation how is a 911 dispatcher able to effectively get emergency personnel to where they need be quick? This is a problem that emergency responders have been working hard for a very long time to make better or even fix permanently.
Smart911
Recently the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department and Northeast Communications came across a solution that many police and fire departments have adopted due to the 911 issue. It’s called “Smart911,” and it’s a national 911 database that ensures when you dial 9-1-1 your information is readily available. According to Smart911’s website when you download the Smart911 application to your phone, “you can provide 9-1-1 call takers and first responders critical information you want them to know in any kind of emergency.
A Mobile App For A Mobile Community
You can now download the Smart911 app for free to create a Safety Profile and receive targeted alerts.
When you call 9-1-1, your Smart911 Safety Profile displays on the 9-1-1 screen and the call takers can view your addresses, medical information, home information, description of pets and vehicles, and emergency contacts. You can provide as much or as little information as you like.
Smart911 is a national service meaning your Smart911 Safety Profile travels with you and is visible to any participating 9-1-1 center nationwide.”
Jon D. Frye, Deputy Chief of Loveland-Symmes Fire Department couldn’t hold back his excitement for the Smart911 partnership with Northeast Communications.
“We are so excited to announce that Northeast Communications has partnered with Smart 911, a National 911 Database to ensure your information is available at the time of need. Please register yourself and your family at www.smart911.com or download the Smart911 app on your smartphone. You can list all your information about your home, medical history, medications, best door to access and much more. Anytime you call 911 within our community your information will automatically be available to our dispatchers,” Frye explained, “Smart911 is free, all we ask is our residents and businesses register online. Wherever you travel your information goes with you, as long as the nearest 911 center are subscribers of the Smart911 product,” Frye added, “Smart 911 has many other features, such as reverse text 911 if a caller dials 911 but is unable to speak due to the situation, language barrier or medical issues the dispatcher can immediately send a text to your phone number and start a text conversation. Smart 911 instantly accesses all of the information that you have put into the system to ensure the quickest, most appropriate information is passed along to first responders.”
If you would like more information on how you can get your loved ones signed up for Smart911 visit www.smart911.com or download the Smart911 app on your smartphone.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded a total of $163,811 to two Clermont County fire departments for operations and safety through the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program.The funds include:
$135,239 to the Wayne Township Fire and Rescue
$28,572 to the Goshen Township Fire and EMS
“Ohio firefighters and first-responders work every day to protect our families,” said Brown.“We must support our first-responder organizations so that communities in Clermont County have the resources to shield families and homes from fire hazards.”
The AFG Program supports fire departments across the country to ensure the safety of both first-responders and the public. The program provides funds for supplemental training, upgrades to protective equipment, facility modifications, and other supplies that protect firefighters and first-responders in moments of crisis. Grants are awarded to fire department-based and non-affiliated EMS organizations that best address the priorities of the AFG Program. More information about the AFG Program can be found here.
Interested fire departments can contact Brown’s grant coordinator to receive information about federal grant opportunities by clicking here.
Advertisement Sangha is a place to experience skillfully designed, fun, and inspirational hatha yoga classes close to home.
Schools will have the flexibility to use these grants for things like training for school resource officers, safety and security materials, and programs to identify and help students who may be struggling with their mental health.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has announced that he is awarding $12 million in grants to help enhance safety and security at schools across the state.
All of Ohio’s public schools, chartered nonpublic schools, and schools operated by county boards of developmental disabilities will receive the greater of $2,500 or $5.65 per student to spend toward school safety programs and training.
“Schools will have the flexibility to use these grants for things like training for school resource officers, safety and security materials, and programs to identify and help students who may be struggling with their mental health,” said DeWine
The grants are funded with appropriations made by the Ohio legislature as part of House Bill 318. The bill, which was sponsored by state representatives Sarah LaTourette (R-Chesterland) and John Patterson (D-Jefferson), appointed the Ohio Attorney General’s Office to develop the school safety training grant program in consultation with the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
The law requires that participating schools and county boards work with law enforcement in their jurisdictions to determine the best use of the grant funding.
Active Shooter Response: An Educator’s Guide: This 25-part video series was produced by the Attorney General’s Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA) to aid educators in preparing for and reacting to a potentially violent school incident, such as a school shooting. The brief videos are an update to the training offered by OPOTA beginning in 2013 that provided guidance to nearly 15,000 educators on how to intervene with students who could pose a danger and how to respond in a crisis situation.
Emergency Management Plan Aerial Photographs: Special agents with the Attorney General’s Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) are available to take free aerial photographs of school buildings for inclusion in school emergency management plans. BCI currently has six drones that are used primarily to document crime scenes and assist in missing persons cases, but BCI is offering to use its drones to take aerial photos of school campuses to help law enforcement plan for and respond to an emergency. School administrators, in coordination with local law enforcement, can request photographs by calling 855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446).
Attorney General DeWine also worked with schools across the state to achieve greater compliance on school safety plans and convened a School Safety Task Force that issued dozens of school safety recommendations. The task force recognized that mental health awareness was essential for schools to identify and intervene with students who may be at risk.
This group will focus on the social and emotional needs of adolescents of any gender expression, identity or cultural background who identify as LGBTO+
I’ve just downloaded the Best Wallpaper Ever. This free app turns my sleek and shiny smartphone into a miniature aquarium, complete with on/off bubble aerator, ten underwater scenes to choose from, and a selection of tropical fish that allows me to click not only which ones I want, but how many of each. It’s eye candy, especially on my extra-large screen; I’m pretty sure it’s better than the real thing. A beautiful, stress-relieving undersea scene, with me at all times – and, unlike our old clunky aquarium, doesn’t even need to be cleaned.
Also “with me at all times,” are google search, an infinite store of apps to shop, and, most powerful, all of my friends are reachable with just a tap or a text. Kindle, Nook, Netflix – this is by far the best toy I have ever had. I could become addicted.
Maybe you can feel the possibility of addiction, too. It definitely happens to kids, and the age that it happens keeps dropping.
Providing the support your daughter needs requires you to feel all right – good, even – about setting limits and, at times, saying no.
It’s obvious that I love my smartphone. And my laptop, my tablet, my Kindle, and yes, Facebook. They provide access to a wealth of knowledge and entertainment, a way of connecting with friends whom I might otherwise lose track of — and they play an important part in my safety. The problem is that we’ve swung so far in the direction of “Why not, what harm could it do?” — the habit of saying “yes” to pleas for today’s electronic gadgets – that we have lost track of what these gifts can take away.
Everyone’s got one. How can it hurt?
As much as smart phones and tablets give, they also, without doubt, take away. Used excessively, they can compromise self-reliance, responsibility, participation in activities that grow strength and character, face-to-face relationships, confidence, and, not least, sleep.
Not so long ago, when kids headed off to school in the morning, they were on their own in their “workplace”. There might have been a pay phone or two, and in a pinch the office would allow a phone call, but other than that, children had the responsibility to manage independently. Without a doubt, at times that was too harsh and isolating. But we’ve now moved to the opposite end of the continuum, and it’s also damaging. If homework is forgotten – or the required equipment for an after-school activity is still on the bedroom floor– just text mom. In a moment of angst, quickly text a friend. Kids – and adults, too – stand to become dependent on being constantly connected to a source of back-up and reassurance. The result: kids lose the the chance to learn that they are whole on their own. They lose the opportunity to develop clear boundaries of responsibility — yours vs. hers — and the sense of competence and confidence that result when those boundaries take hold. Even independent, responsible teens are at risk, because they’re more likely to take on responsibility for the well-being of one or more peers by feeling ethically obligated to be present “24/7” for their friends who are having a hard time – and that hurts both.
Join me for a Facebook Livestream on this this topic!
Got questions?
I’ve been looking at a different back-to-school concerns each week for the past three weeks. Please join me at www.facebook.com/franhendrick for a Facebook Live Stream on Fridays (8/3-8/24) at 11:00 AM Eastern Time.
Post your questions about that week’s back-to-school issue in the comment section of the live stream post — or private message me on Facebook. I love helping you work out these answers.
See you there!
But it doesn’t end there.
Designed to addict
Smart phones provide nonstop access to a sometimes malicious grapevine. It’s not at all unusual for girls to be texting a friend to critique a text conversation that is occurring simultaneously with another friend. It’s as if the mail carrier now comes every five seconds instead of once a day. Without a doubt, the intermittent reinforcement of finding a new messages is addicting — so are the truly cool visual and auditory notifications. If you doubt that, just watch people, adults and teens alike, checking their phones and sneaking in a text response right in the middle of absolutely any other activity. There is no doubt that this raises stress and anxiety — and a sometimes obsessive fear of missing out (FOMO). How many teens are having a hard time stepping away from all of this breaking news in order to get a full night’s sleep?
The reality is that smart phones are deliberately, calculatedly designed to addict. This is like leaving kids 24 hours a day in a candy shop with an ever-changing, overwhelmingly tantalizing selection. At every turn, there’s a new colorful, delicious concoction packaged so attractively as to be irresistible. It’s unrealistic to expect kids to manage this level of enticement without adult support.
Start with your own fears
But your own fears can get in the way of providing that needed support. What if your daughter’s friends are allowed to do things she’s not? What if everyone else has the latest gadget and your daughter feels left out? What if she can’t reach out to you when she wants to? What if she’s devastated by a cutting remark and she really, really needs to connect with her best friend right now? What if she’s excluded from the weekend social agenda because she doesn’t respond instantly to a text?
Put your goal into words
Providing the support your daughter needs requires you to feel all right – good, even – about setting limits and, at times, saying no. It takes your own gut level realization that over-dependence on electronic devices is harmful. When you feel that, limiting the harm is natural. Technology should enhance your daughter’s life without impeding her growth.
Cell Phone Safe Use Resource Sheet
Getting her electronics usage back on track and keeping your daughter safe online doesn’t have to feel like boot camp to your daughter. I’ve created a Cell Phone Resource Page for you (you can download below) to help you put together a simple, but powerful, agreement. In it, I’ll show you some of the ways to help your girls enjoy that amazing candy store without staying up all night or becoming dependent. It takes a dash of structure combined with a large measure empathy and accurate understanding. As one mom so aptly observed, possibly because she had experienced this in her own childhood, “Structure without empathy results in an absence of joy.” So, instead of talking solely about “laying down the law,” begin a constructive conversation with your daughter that you can continue over time.
About Fran Hendrick, P.C.C.
Professional clinical counselor, parenting columnist, and teacher Fran Hendrick has provided coaching and counseling for hundreds of women and girls for twenty-five years. She is a member of the International Association for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology. In addition to her therapy practice, Fran provides consultation online and by phone for moms participating in the Joyful Rebels process.
Fran divides her time among working with clients, kayaking with her husband, and scampering up jungle gyms with her granddaughters. Clients appreciate Fran’s calm, empathic style, her practical strategies and solid advice, and her playful spirit.
Wildflower House, Fran’s cozy personal development studio in charming, historic Loveland, Ohio provides a space for women and girls to become exactly who they’re meant to be.
Located in downtown Loveland Ohio at 111 N. Wall Street, Wildflower House is a cozy studio to support your personal development, a place to bloom.
The Step-by-Step Approach to Raising Confident Girls
An interactive, online course — coming in September!
If your daughter’s reaching (or has reached) the age when you feel it’s time she had a phone, you know you’re entering into a challenge.
by Fran Hendrick, PCC
Getting a cell phone warrants a celebration, right? Of course! But like any rite of passage, there is both responsibility and risk attached to it. Having a phone in her possession raises a number of very real health and safety issues because cell phone use is implicated in anxiety, stress, depression, cyberbullying, addiction, and emotional dependency (that’s right, cell phones can erode confidence!) — for starters. Like driving later on, handing your daughter her first phone merits some planning.
Join me Friday for a Facebook Livestream on this this topic!
Got questions?
I’ve been looking at a different back-to-school concerns each week for the past three weeks. Please join me at www.facebook.com/franhendrick for a Facebook Live Stream on Fridays (8/3-8/24) at 11:00 AM Eastern Time.
Post your questions about that week’s back-to-school issue in the comment section of the live stream post — or private message me on Facebook. I love helping you work out these answers.
See you there!
I’ve got three things for you on this topic:
1. The Cell Phone Safe Use Resource Sheet
I’ve put this together to help you create an informed plan — and yes, I really do think it’s that important. The research is coming in and it’s disturbing. But along with the research, we’ve now got more strategies and guidelines to help having a phone be a constructive experience for kids.
In this Resource Sheet, I cover:
Links to information you need to educate yourself in order to plan for your daughter.
Links to information on Parental Controls — super important.
How your own fears can get in the way of taking steps to protect your daughter.
How to structure a conversation with your daughter on this delicate topic.
How to respond to her feelings about implementing some structure around cell phone use.
2. From the Blog Archives
This issue of emotional dependency cuts right to the heart of what so many moms want for their daughters — and that’s confidence. In the post below, I’ve explained how cell phones can erode confidence. It’s not a small thing.
I’ll be talking about this topic and other questions, as well, Friday August 24 at 11:00 AM Eastern Time in a Facebook Live. You can join this event on my Facebook Page. (By the way — previous topics are also there for you to view. Just click the Video tab and you’ll see them.)
Professional clinical counselor, parenting columnist, and teacher Fran Hendrick has provided coaching and counseling for hundreds of women and girls for twenty-five years. She is a member of the International Association for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology. In addition to her therapy practice, Fran provides consultation online and by phone for moms participating in her Helping Confidence Bloom classes and upcoming ecourse.
Fran divides her time among working with clients, kayaking with her husband, and scampering up jungle gyms with her granddaughters. Clients appreciate Fran’s calm, empathic style, her practical strategies and solid advice, and her playful spirit. Wildflower House, Fran’s cozy personal development studio in charming, historic Loveland, Ohio provides a space for women and girls to grow the confidence to become exactly who they’re meant to be.
Cassie Mattia lives in Historic Downtown Loveland, Ohio.
If we don’t protect our youth who will? In May, Ohio Paul Zeltwanger and Thomas Brinkman proposed House Bill 658, which states:
“If a government agent or entity has knowledge that a child under its care or supervision has exhibited symptoms of gender dysphoria or otherwise demonstrates a desire to be treated in a manner opposite of the child’s biological sex, the government agent or entity with knowledge of that circumstance shall immediately notify, in writing, each of the child’s parents and the child’s guardian or custodian. The notice shall describe the total circumstances with reasonable specificity.”
gen·der dys·pho·ri·a
ˈjendər disˈfôrēə/
noun
MEDICINE
The condition of feeling one’s emotional and psychological identity as male or female to be opposite to one’s biological sex. How to pronounce gender dysphoria.
In plainer language House Bill 658, also known as the “Parent’s Rights Bill,” would make any school administrator or teacher who allows or offers gender dysphoria (the condition of feeling one’s emotional and psychological identity as male or female to be opposite to one’s biological sex) treatment, including resources on sex and gender or counseling, for a minor “without the written, informed consent of each of the child’s parents and the child’s guardian or custodian” they could be charged with a felony in the fourth degree. The parents of the student according to the bill would get the ultimate decision whether their child gets access to treatment, including educational materials, counseling or medical services.
If this House Bill is implemented it could have detrimental consequences for teachers and even more importantly for those students affected. Teachers are there to lend their students a helping hand educationally and emotionally in order to prepare them for what’s to come once they are out on their own, why take this from them?
A teacher’s take on House Bill 658
I spoke to one Loveland teacher who wishes to remain anonymous, a mom of a teenager. I’ll call her Susan. She told me that for many students their home life is a wreck and out of control with issues of poverty, broken families, and domestic abuse. “For many of my students, the only adult in their life that can be trusted may be their teacher. Teachers who lend an ear and can be trusted can be an enormous help that often reflects on their academic achievement. We care for the whole child.”
Susan told me that for many students their home life is a wreck and out of control with issues of poverty, broken families, and domestic abuse. “For many of my students, the only adult in their life that can be trusted may be their teacher.”
Susan told me that she just overheard a conversation between her daughter and a friend about a classmate they thought was transgender. “I wondered, do they know what that means? Are they friends with this young person? How do my kid and others treat her? Because I am a teacher, would I be required to file a report with the District? These are all questions that ran through my head as a mom and a teacher.”
Susan said she wants to protect and support all of her kids, her biological ones and the ones that are “her’s” for a school year. “I want to be able to do that freely and openly and with my heart.” She said that some of her students desperately need someone they can trust in their life and the last thing they need is another person that will let them down because politicians want school staff charged as felons if they don’t report that the student herself, or a classroom teacher, principal, gym teacher, bus driver, or classmate may be questioning her gender identity.
Susan asked, “Just what stereotypes am I going to be expected to police?
HB 658 is a harmful bill that takes aim at some of our most vulnerable — transgender youth — by forcing school officials to serve as ‘gender police’ and out them or risk getting a felony.” – Alana Jochum
LGBTQ advocacy
“HB 658 is a harmful bill that takes aim at some of our most vulnerable — transgender youth — by forcing school officials to serve as ‘gender police’ and out them or risk getting a felony,” said Alana Jochum, executive director of LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Ohio. Jochum told NBC News. “This exposes young people to discrimination, harassment, and bullying.”
Jochum couldn’t be more correct if you really take a look at the alarming statistics. One study done by the Cincinnati Enquirer showed that 64% of LGBTQ youth in Ohio heard “negative comments” about their gender identity or sexual orientation from their family and in result, according to another study done by National Transgender Discrimination, 41% attempted suicide. Though many transgender students
75% of transgender youth have felt unsafe at school after being outed and have lower GPA’s due to missing school in fear of their safety.
have experienced negative comments, violence has become the most popular form of dealing with transgender youth. Disturbingly enough 19% of transgender youth, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality, experience the majority of violent abuse in their home from their own family members. Along with dealing with all the dissension from family members 75% of transgender youth, according to a national survey done by GLSEN (pronounced “glisten”), have felt unsafe at school after being outed and in result have lower GPA’s due to missing school in fear of their safety. With all the facts at hand, The Ohio Education Association who represents 125,000 teachers and support professionals, have openly opposed the bill.
Violence has become the most popular form of dealing with transgender youth.
Kathryn Lorenz is the Loveland Board of Education Vice President
While researching House Bill 658 I managed to only get a response from two local representatives of the Loveland School Board, one being Kathryn Lorenz, the Board Vice President and the other being Loveland School Board Member, Ned Portune. Lorenz’s response was, “In the case of House bill 658, we would have to say that we do not yet have enough information, nor have we met as a board for a few weeks, so we do not yet have a Board statement to make.”
Ned Portune is a member of the Loveland School Board
Portune added that he, “…simply has not been fully informed at this point on HB 658 to have an educated opinion. There are several items in your statement that would certainly give me a gut reaction, and opinion on, if true as presented. But I need time to fully review the Bill, its implications and existing laws to have any formal statement.”
School Superintendent Amy Crouse, High School Principal Peggy Johnson, and assistant principals at the High School did not respond.
Studies show most transgender youth are fully aware of their gender identity by age 4.
After attempting several times to contact both Representatives Paul Zeltwanger and Thomas Brinkman through email and phone about House Bill 658, I, unfortunately, got no response. It wasn’t hard to find Brinkman’s opinion on the issue in several other publications though, voicing to WCPO, “Parents have the right to decide what is best for their children,” and telling WOSU Public Media, “And if somebody doesn’t like it, you’re emancipated at age 18 and you can go do whatever the heck you want.” Seems pretty harsh considering the transgender population represents about 0.3% (700,000) of Americans and studies show most transgender youth are fully aware of their gender identity by age 4. Are we encouraging parents and administrators to discard their students or child’s gender identity in fear of social rejection? Do these children not deserve to live an authentic life?
Fran Hendrick, PCC has offices at Wildflower House in the West Loveland Historic District.
House Bill 658 is expected to be presented to the Ohio General Assembly in the Fall and will be without a doubt one of the most controversial bills to date. Many have opinions on this issue one being Fran Hendrick, a respected and highly educated clinical counselor who specializes in assisting women and girls who are experiencing depression or anxiety triggered by a crisis or major life change. When I presented Fran with House Bill 658 and asked what her opinion was she had a lot to say and rightfully so considering one of her life missions, according to Fran’s website franhendrick.com, is to “gently help you find and shelter your spark (the essence of who you are at your core) and grow it so that it illuminates your person and is radiated through words, actions and decisions, big and small, that make up your daily life.”
In a culture such as ours, it is a matter of life and death for transgender youth to decide if and when to trust another person with their reality. – Fran Hendrick, PCC
“Being a parent takes great courage, even more so when your child presents you with something that you’re unfamiliar with – or even afraid of. In a perfect world, a child who feels somehow ‘different’ from their peers (‘their’ is deliberately gender-neutral), they could consult their parents, who would strive to deeply understand the child’s experience, would provide accurate empathy, and would go on a crash course to learn everything they could about the unfamiliar issue. And, so very fortunate for their children, there are many parents like these.
But in the real world, an adolescent boy saying to his father, ‘Dad, I think I’m a girl’ is very likely to encounter disgust, rejection, rage, or even violence, not empathy and understanding.
While the intent of this bill, giving benefit to grave doubt, could be a deeply uninformed and misguided attempt to protect children, that seems unlikely. My sense is that in truth it is more about attempting to hand parents the power to say no to their child’s gender identity,” Hendrick said, “But gender identity – and sexual orientation, for that matter – are not matters of choice. And in a culture where transgender people are assaulted and even murdered at a rate higher than their cisgender counterparts,where transgender youth are summarily shunned and rejected by their own parents (the rate of homelessness is, not surprisingly, very high), where the suicide rate that results from these atrocious facts is far higher than for other youth – in a culture such as ours, it is a matter of life and death for transgender youth to decide if and when to trust another person with their reality, and, most importantly, whom to trust.
To be “outed” for the choice to trust; or to be prosecuted for trying to be help – these are not protections. Actions like these support bigotry, and increase isolation and despair. – Fran Hendrick, PCC
To be “outed” for the choice to trust; or to be prosecuted for trying to be help – these are not protections. Actions like these support bigotry, and increase isolation and despair. Stopping a teacher from helping such a student, one who is likely alone with the reality of their gender identity, who stands to be emotionally and psychologically rejected, or even physically abused, by their own family is, quite simply, a cruelty. This, I strongly believe, is not what the overwhelming majority of parents want for their own or anyone else’s children. This is bad enough. However, this bill opens the door to much more far-reaching damage than this.”
Is he to be turned in to the gender police?
The talented young male artist who despises sports – is he to be turned in to the gender police? The girl who chooses overalls and a t-shirt rather than a dress and a mani-pedi –what of her? The sponsors of the bill have explicitly said that teachers should be required to inform on them, as well. We have an essential responsibility to ensure that proposed legislation protects vulnerable people from the bigotry endemic in our society.This legislation explicitly deprives them of protection.”
Ultimately what it comes down to is ensuring that our children are and feel safe when going to school. Teachers and administrators are the ones that take on the responsibility of creating that fun, loving and supportive atmosphere so that our children get the best opportunities in life. Passing a bill such as House Bill 658 only presents another obstacle that both teachers and administrators have to overcome. Don’t these professionals have enough obstacles to conquer as is?
Both Justin Haake and Tonya Schaeffer who are Professional Clinical Counselors for Hope Restored Counseling Services in Loveland couldn’t agree more.
Justin Haake is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Hope Restored Counseling Services in Loveland and works primarily with adolescents and adults, specifically during transitional periods in life.
Haake said, “For some, teachers and school administrators may be the only people in schools that feel safe for students to reach out to.Imagine the fear of asking for support, knowing that you’ll either be outed or put the teacher or administrator at risk of a felony.”
Schaeffer said, “From my perspective, this would most likely increase the level of bullying and possible harm to these students.There is already so much shame and stigma attached with Transgender people, and they need as much support as they can get,”
Tonya Schaeffer is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and co-owner of Hope Restored Counseling Services in Loveland.
Schaeffer added, “Support is out there.In fact, we are offering a psycho-educational group starting in September that offers education, support and a safe environment for Transgender students to express themselves.” She said they hope to offer a similar group to parents who are trying to understand what their child is going through, explore what the parents are experiencing and provide support. “We currently serve the LGBTQ community, and we are expanding those services.I recently read a statement that it is estimated that 41% of trans men and women have attempted suicide. I don’t believe this bill would help–it seems like it could only hurt.”
Susan, the mom and teacher said, “I am thankful I live in a community where support services like those provided by Hope Restored, and Fran Hendrick at Wildflower House are nearby for my students and their families.”
Transgender youth have so many mountains to climb within their own scientific makeup and allowing a bill like House Bill 658 to go through in hindsight is taking away their basic rights as Americans and human beings.
“GLSEN (pronounced “glisten”) was founded in 1990 by a small, but dedicated group of teachers in Massachusetts who came together to improve an education system that too frequently allows its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students to be bullied, discriminated against, or fall through the cracks.”
We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.
You can #BeThe1To help someone in crisis.
You don’t have to be a mental health professional to help someone in your life that may be struggling. Learn the Lifeline’s 5 steps that you can use to help a loved one that may be in crisis.
CAPS 24 hour Consultation and Crisis Helpline: Evenings, weekends, and other times when we are closed, you may call our direct number at 513-556-0648 and press 1, to speak with a counselor 24/7. For more information on services for students in crisis
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness is the largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with mental health concerns. www.nami.org
Suicide Prevention Phone Apps
LifeBuoy – This unique app is designed specifically to assist suicide survivors after a recent attempt. It offers a daily mood diary, suggestions for decreasing social isolation, and other ways to monitor increased warning signs of suicidality. (iP)
Virtual Hope Box – This app provides help with emotional regulation and coping with stress via personalized supportive audio, video, pictures, games, mindfullness exercises, positive messages and activity planning, inspirational quotes, coping statements, and other tools. (iP,A)
ReliefLink – This award-winning suicide prevention app assists users with tracking daily mood/thoughts, creating a safety plan, locating the nearest hospitals, and obtaining quick-access to coping methods. (iP)
National Hotlines
A Friend Asks – This app offers tips for getting help for a friend (or yourself). Helpful information includes what to do RIGHT NOW as well as what NOT to do. (iP,A)
by Fran Hendrick, PCC
Everyone’s got one. How can it hurt?
by Fran Hendrick, PCC
Located in downtown Loveland Ohio at 111 N. Wall Street, Wildflower House is a place to bloom.
If you would like to explore the topic of Transgender youth and adults even further please check out “
