In recent years, the LGBTQ+ community has faced growing uncertainty about the future of their rights, especially following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The ruling not only removed abortion access as a constitutional right but also raised concerns about the stability of other landmark decisions, including Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage. With the Court’s conservative shift, many worry that other precedents, like marriage equality, could be under threat. In response to these fears, community organizer Sam Bowling took action, organizing a resource-sharing event in Cincinnati to help LGBTQ+ individuals secure crucial documents like wills and powers of attorney. This article will explore Bowling’s journey in organizing this event, preview a similar upcoming event in Louisville, and provide background on the legal landscape that has fueled such uncertainty for the LGBTQ+ community.

Legally Wed in November 2024: A National Model for Grassroots Organizing

After Roe was overturned in 2022, Sam Bowling found herself uncertain, confused, and concerned about whether this could lead to the overturning of Obergefell v. Hodges. A community organizer, Bowling finds comfort in action. She began researching protections available to her and her wife outside of marriage, but found conflicting advice. Feeling overwhelmed, she thought, “If I’m this overwhelmed, I can’t imagine how other people are feeling too. If I’m already going to do this work to figure this out for me and my family, why not make this information as accessible and widely available as possible?”

Sam Bowling

She organized a successful yet intimate event at a queer bar in Cincinnati, bringing together volunteer notaries, lawyers, and other professionals to assist with important paperwork, including wills and powers of attorney. Bowling witnessed firsthand how the event made a difference for people, and as feelings of uncertainty, confusion, and concern grew within her community following Trump’s 2024 win, she knew it was time to act again, this time on a larger scale.

Initially booking a free room at the library, Bowling responded to an overwhelming social media response and offers from professionals like bakers, photographers, and officiants–alongside notaries and lawyers–by reserving multiple rooms, expanding the event’s capacity. The community pitched in with $800 in donations to cover printing costs for essential legal documents like wills, powers of attorney, and medical proxies.

The Legally Wed event hosted 500+ people, 30+ volunteers, and 11 weddings, complete with 10 wedding cakes from a volunteer baker. Bowling says, “It really rapidly bloomed into this community resource event that we tried to make as accessible as possible.” Despite concerns that it would be a somber occasion in the face of another Trump election, the event turned out to be joyful, loving, and celebratory.

Bowling, now the first out LGBTQ+ Norwood City Council member, explains, “I have a background in community organizing, but that’s not why this event was a success. Anybody could do this event anywhere. All you need is to be able to put the right people in the same room at the same time. I’m not a lawyer, I’m not a notary, and I can’t marry you. But I can find all those people and put them together.”

Even without all the answers, Bowling demonstrated the power of community in the face of fear and uncertainty. She says, “We’ve got to help ourselves. We have to look out for each other.”

Upcoming Event: Continued Support for the LGBTQ+ Community

Building on the momentum of November’s successful event, another gathering is scheduled for February 9th, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky–the 2025 LGBTQ+ Legal Rights Day at Mandala House. With the ongoing fear of challenges to Obergefell and the continuing conservative influence on the courts, this event promises to be another important opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community to come together, share experiences, and access the legal services they need.

This six-hour event offers a breadth of resources including a coping skill workshop, crafts, legal assistance with volunteer attorneys, a panel on financial and housing resources, a panel on legal rights (non-healthcare topics), a panel on gender-affirming physicians, and a sharing of advocacy opportunities heading into 2025. The full schedule and FAQs can be found here.