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Teen urges Gahanna to adopt protections for LGBTQ+ youth during council public comment
Summary
A 14‑year‑old resident urged Gahanna City Council to adopt local protections for LGBTQ+ youth, including prohibiting conversion therapy and protecting gender‑affirming care; the mayor said she had met the teen previously and sent follow‑up information.
A 14‑year‑old Gahanna resident urged the City Council to adopt local protections for LGBTQ+ residents and youth during the hearing of visitors, asking the council to pass ordinances condemning conversion therapy and ensuring access to gender‑affirming care.
Connor Waltman Frelini identified himself as a resident of 625 Waterbury Boulevard and spoke about what he described as a worsening mental‑health crisis among LGBTQ+ youth. He urged the council to be "a beacon of hope" and to adopt protections similar to measures he said other nearby municipalities had passed.
"Let's make Gahanna a beacon of hope in these dark times," Connor said in his three‑minute public comment. He referred to ordinances or resolutions in nearby jurisdictions — mentioning Whitehall's resolution "11 20 25" as an example — and asked council to consider local measures to protect LGBTQ+ students, tenants and workplaces and to prohibit conversion therapy within Gahanna.
The mayor and council response
Council allowed the teen to finish his three minutes and advised him of the standard time limit; there was no formal council action tied to his remarks that night. Mayor Jagwin later said she had met Connor previously and had sent him an email outlining existing local protections, noting Gahanna's early adoption of nondiscrimination language and a 2001 charter amendment approved by voters.
What was said and what it means
Connor cited a range of national statistics and program impacts (for example, a claimed spike in calls to crisis hotlines and a drop in shelter bed availability for LGBTQ+ youth); those figures were presented as part of his appeal and are reported here as his statements during public comment. He urged the council to adopt a local ordinance mirroring protections other cities have enacted.
No ordinance or referral was introduced during the meeting. The mayor indicated follow‑up communication had been sent to Connor and that the administration would continue to engage on community inclusivity issues.
Quote
"We have to acknowledge that this is happening and get off of our rear ends and take a stand," Connor said, urging the council to act on protections for LGBTQ+ youth.
Reporting notes
This report summarizes public comment made during the hearing of visitors. The transcript captures Connor's remarks and the mayor's later reference to prior outreach; no council motion, referral or ordinance on the matter was recorded at the meeting.
