The neo-Nazi who attempted to burn a church to the ground after learning the church was holding multiple drag show events was sentenced Monday to 18 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for attempting to burn down a church because of its support for the LGBTQ community.

Aimenn D. Penny, 20, of Alliance, Ohio, was arrested and charged last year with one count of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, one count of using fire to commit a federal felony, one count of malicious use of explosive materials and one count of possessing a destructive device. On Oct. 23, 2023, Penny pleaded guilty to the church arson hate crime and using fire and explosives to commit a felony. 

“Aimenn Penny will spend the next 18 years in prison because he committed crimes fueled by hate, attempting to burn down a church because its members supported the LGBTQI+ community,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Hate crimes like Penny’s hurt not only the individual target, but the entire community, causing people to fear attack based on who they love and undermining the sense of safety within places of worship. Violent, bias-motivated extremism has no place in our country, and our office will aggressively prosecute those who commit such crimes.” 

According to court documents, Penny attempted to burn the church to the ground after learning the Community Church of Chesterland in Chesterland, Ohio, was holding multiple drag show events the following weekend. He was initially arrested and charged with federal offenses on March 31, 2023.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland Field Office, which is investigating the case, found a Nazi flag, a White Lives Matter of Ohio T-shirt and other hateful memorabilia in Penny’s home. During the interviews with the FBI, he told FBI agents his only regret was that the church didn’t burn to the ground.

“We hope this significant sentence sends a clear and resounding message that this type of hate-fueled attack against a church will not be tolerated in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This defendant tried to burn down a church simply because its members created space for and provided support to the LGBTQ+ community. The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute such senseless, bias-motivated violence against people exercising their constitutionally protected right to practice their religion and express their beliefs.”

The FBI Cleveland Field Office investigated the case.

“Aimenn Penny is being held accountable for trying to burn down a house of worship because he disagreed with the church hosting certain events,” said Larissa L. Knapp, executive assistant director of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “Individuals who commit acts of violence, destroy property and interfere with the free exercise of religion will face justice for those crimes. As in this case, the FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will use our lawful authorities to protect our communities from such violence and ensure those responsible pay the price.”

During a press conference Friday, Gov. Mike DeWine announced that he had signed a far-reaching executive order that banned gender transition surgeries for anyone under the age of 18 in the state.

“Although I vetoed Substitute House Bill 68, I stated clearly in my veto message that I agreed with the General Assembly that no gender transition surgeries should be performed on anyone under the age of 18 and I directed agencies under my purview to draft rules to ban this practice in Ohio,” the governor told reporters.

DeWine also told reporters that he had spoken with families ahead of his veto, and said none of them advocated for transition surgery for their children.

“There’s a broad, broad consensus against surgeries for minors, so let’s put that into a law so we can move on and talk about other things,” the governor said.

The governor also announced that he was requiring state health officials to implement rules that included transgender Ohioan adults. The rule would include require a comprehensive care plan for trans adults and children that ensures they see an endocrinologist, psychiatrist and bioethicist.

That portion of the governor’s remarks prompted a fast rebuke from LGBTQ advocacy groups and trans activists.

Shannon Minter, the legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, told the Washington Blade in an emailed statement: “Governor DeWine should be applauded for attempting to prevent a legislative override of his veto of a complete ban on medical care for transgender youth. That said, he has made a grave mistake by proposing restrictions on adult care. Adults must be free to make decisions about their own lives. There is no place for governments to tell adult transgender people how to live or what healthcare they undergo. What DeWine has proposed is dangerous government overreach and it must be stopped at all costs.”

Journalist Erin Reed noted that “these restrictions would all but eliminate trans care, slowing it to a trickle.”

“There are only two states in the United States that have imposed similar restrictions on adults to what DeWine is calling — Florida and Missouri. Missouri was a disaster for the two weeks it was in effect, but it got overturned in court. Florida has seen massive trans adult healthcare losses,” Reed said, adding: “Even if the restrictions are as simple as closing down Nurse Practitioners from providing care, like Florida did, that was disastrous as it led to a massive glut in care and kicked most trans adults off. MOST adult care is done via NPs. Especially in underserved areas.”

The governor told reporters that he’s not aware of any complaints filed with the Ohio Medical Board over pop-up clinics. But he said he’s concerned that there are facilities prescribing hormones without counseling, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

“As I spent time looking at this and listening to people, it’s clear that the most important part is the mental health counseling,” DeWine said. “It needs to be lengthy, and it needs to be comprehensive.”

Maria Bruno, public policy director for Equality Ohio, told the Columbus Dispatch in an emailed statement that DeWine’s executive order is unnecessary because Ohio clinics already do not perform gender transition surgery on minors. The organization is waiting to review the other measures before staking out a position.

“Equality Ohio will defend unequivocally the right of adults to seek the medical care of their choosing,” Bruno said in a statement. “Issue 1’s decisive victory in November was proof that Ohioans do not want politicians in their doctor’s office, period.”

Friday, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine took the extraordinary step of vetoing a bill that would have banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth in Ohio. 

His move will be remembered alongside famous vetoes by Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah, who opposed anti-transgender measures proposed by Republican legislatures in their states. Due to DeWine’s veto, the bill must now return to the Ohio legislature, where a three-fifths vote is required to override the veto and pass the bill over the governor’s objections.

“Parents have looked me in the eye and told me that but for this treatment, their child would be dead,” DeWine said to reporters in a press briefing. “And youth who are transgender have told me they are thriving today because of their transition.”

He then spoke about his individual discussions with those parents: “What so many of these young people and their families have also told me was that nothing they’ve ever faced in their life could prepare them for this tough journey. Parents are making decisions for the most precious thing in their life: their child. These are gut wrenching decisions that should be made by parents, and should be informed by teams of doctors that are advising them.”

He then reiterated the importance parents rights, “While the parents doctors inform those decisions, it is the parents who know their child best … Were Ohio to pass HB 68, Ohio would be saying that the state knows what is better, what is medically best for the child, than the two people who love that child the most: The parents.”

When asked what was the biggest influence on his decision, he cited his conversation with parents as well as testimony from directors and doctors of Ohio’s Children’s Hospitals, which rank #1 in the U.S.

He closed, “I cannot sign this bill as it is currently written. Just a few minutes ago, I vetoed this bill.”

The bill, House Bill 68, sponsored by Rep. Gary Click, a right-wing pastor, combines both a gender affirming care ban and a sports ban. Click has acknowledged practicing conversion therapy.

Under the proposed law, gender-affirming care for trans youth would be prohibited, and trans individuals would be excluded from a wide range of sports, from dance to darts, in both high schools and colleges. If Ohio enacts this bill, it will become the 22nd state to explicitly outlaw gender-affirming care for minors. Notably, all these states have seen such legislation driven by Republican supermajorities.

The legislation received swift and strong opposition in the state. Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson, a Democratic senator sitting on the committee that passed the bill, noted that there were 525 opponents to only 43 proponents that submitted testimony. 

Most of the proponents of the legislation came from out of state and included high profile right-wing figures like Riley Gaines and Chloe Cole. Testifying against the bill, however, were leading representatives from most major medical organizations in the U.S. and Ohio, including the Ohio Children’s Hospitals. 

Others who testified included parents of trans youth in the state, the trans kids themselves, business leaders, therapists and local activists. Significantly, even many detransitioners — individuals who previously identified as trans but have since returned to a cisgender identity — spoke out against the bill. This fact is particularly noteworthy considering the right wing’s use of detransition narratives as a tool to target trans individuals, despite detransitioning being a relatively rare occurrence among trans people.

Despite widespread opposition, Republicans gave attention to conservative supporters of the bill who argued that rejecting trans individuals was the appropriate approach. “Partners for Ethical Care,” an organization comprising parents who oppose their trans children’s gender identities, likened being trans to an addiction that needs treatment.

Furthermore, the Alliance Defending Freedom, known for its involvement in drafting and defending such bills, also advocated in favor of the legislation. This stance aligns with the organization’s history of association with the “ex-gay” movement and its ongoing defense of conversion therapy for both gay and trans individuals

This veto is crucial as it grants trans youth in Ohio additional time to access medical care and provides families the opportunity to exert further pressure on Republican legislators. Some may interpret DeWine’s veto as an indication to reassess the bill. DeWine, a popular governor with a 57 percent approval rating in Ohio, wields significant influence within the state’s Republican Party. His position could signal that the bill may not enjoy the level of popularity its Republican sponsors have claimed.

Gender affirming care, the kind banned by this bill, saves lives. There is extraordinary amounts of evidence backing that up: some studies have reported up to 73 percent decreases in suicidality among trans youth who are allowed to obtain it. 

These findings were replicated as early two weeks ago, when a journal article was published in the prestigious Journal of Adolescent Health, puberty blockers were associated with a significant reduction in depression and anxiety. The endorsement of gender affirming care is supported by a collection of over 50 journal articles compiled by Cornell University, all of which underscore its beneficial effects.

The veto statement included some caveats. DeWine announced his intention to use administrative processes to prohibit surgeries in the state and to gather data on trans care for both youth and adults. However, the most concerning aspect of DeWine’s announcement was the potential for increased scrutiny of trans adults in Ohio. The specifics of these administrative processes and rules are yet to be determined.

Now, the bill returns to the legislature, offering a temporary reprieve for families and parents of trans youth. Meanwhile, Republicans face a pivotal decision: Prioritize the welfare of Ohio families and adhere to best medical practices, or yield to conservative influencers who advocate for policies detrimental to trans youth for political gain.

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Erin Reed is a transgender woman (she/her pronouns) and researcher who tracks anti-LGBTQ+ legislation around the world and helps people become better advocates for their queer family, friends, colleagues, and community. Reed also is a social media consultant and public speaker.

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Website here: https://www.erininthemorning.com/

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The preceding article was first published at Erin In The Morning and is republished with permission.