After Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren announced at the June 1 Progress Pride Flag raising at city hall that he would introduce policy changes to ensure inclusivity and equity among LGBTQ+ residents, Cleveland Heights City Council subsequently passed three new policy changes at its Tuesday, June 21 meeting.

The ordinances were  introduced at the June 6 council meeting before passing two weeks later and signed into law.

The three ordinances are:

• ORDINANCE 75-2022, co-sponsored by Councilor Josie Moore, to update the City of Cleveland Heights' parental and family leave policy to make it gender-neutral and ensure the parental and family leave benefit is available to employees who are LGBTQ+.

• ORDINANCE 79-2022, co-sponsored by Councilman Anthony Mattox, Jr., banning conversion therapy in Cleveland Heights.

• ORDINANCE 77-2022, mandating the inclusion of expansive anti-discrimination language in every City contract and requiring companies entering into contracts with the City or benefiting from public incentives to affirm they will not discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation.

Cleveland Heights City Council passed all three proposals unanimously, and following the City Council meeting, Mayor Kahlil Seren signed them into law.

"Here in Cleveland Heights, we turn our values into action," Seren said in a statement. "We fly the Progress Pride Flag as a symbol of our support, but these policies create real change behind the symbolism.”

In his statement, Seren expressed his gratitude to Mattox and Moore for their support in parental leave and protections against conversion therapy.