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An Ohio cafe owner isn’t backing down after an online hate campaign targeting an upcoming drag story hour at her space.
Owner of Giovanna Lora Coterie Lounge and Cafe In West Chester, Ohio, 18 miles north of Cincinnati. She opened this black- and woman-owned spot in 2024 as a place where patrons could always feel welcome.
“I just wanted to mimic that feeling that people get when they walk into a place and immediately feel like they’re at home,” Lora told The Buckeye Flame.
Despite the conservative and Republican precincts skewing — Butler County voted more than 62% for President Trump in 2024 — Lora is committed to the Coterie’s welcome to the LGBTQ+ community. The cafe has signs declaring that it is a safe space, and rainbow pins and stickers are for sale alongside items that amplify a variety of cultures.
“When we say everyone is welcome here we really mean it,” said Lora.
Over the past two years, the cafe has hosted a variety of events, from book clubs to live music to community gatherings. Lora said the success of multiple drag shows in the space convinced her to host a family-friendly Drag Story Hour event on April 16, featuring Hamilton-area performers. Roxy D. Democracy.
“We just wanted to do something a little different because we’ve had so much participation in drag shows,” Lora said.
Then the online hate started. The pushback stemmed from a post by Darby Boddy, founder of Access Ohio. West Chester-based non-profit Focuses on “preserving traditional American values.”
in him postBoddy called Drag Story Hour “a breeding ground for would-be pedophiles wrapped in glitz and sin, and it’s actively corrupting our children.”
He also describes the coterie as “drenched in the occult vibe and downright monstrous”.
Lora said Bodi shared her post in dozens of different groups, which then sparked more hateful comments and people called the cafe, saying they were going to boycott the coterie.
Lora was worried about blowback at first when she heard about Bodie’s post.
“My stomach dropped and I didn’t know what was going to happen,” she said.
physical problems
Bodie previously served on the Lakota Local School Board but was Moved in 2024 For violating the Board’s attendance policy. She was unable to attend meetings as another Republican on the board — with whom she previously campaigned — filed an order of protection against her for harassment and stalking.
His tenure on the board was marked by controversy, including being issued a notice for trespassing on school property, being reprimanded for posting links to sexual content, and repeatedly yelling and disrupting meetings. When children were present.
When ousted, Boddy compared his predicament to “the kind of thing they’re trying to do with (President) Trump.”
In an email to The Buckeye Flame, Boddy denounced the drag story hour as “adult sexual performance art aimed at corrupting the innocent minds of adults.”
“This exposure to inappropriate sexual deviance and deviance confuses children, corrupts their young minds, and exposes them to evils they should not be exposed to,” Boddy said.
opposite effect
Although Lora was initially concerned about the hateful comments stirring up Bodie’s post, the tide of comments quickly turned positive: posts were flooded with social media users expressing support for the coterie.
“The love from our community has been tremendous,” Lora said.
That online support quickly transferred directly to the cafe: The day after Bodie’s post, the coterie had one of its highest sales days in recent memory. They had to add a second drag story hour to accommodate the requested ticket sales.
“Our community has seen hate and come back with love,” says Lora.
Lora said the outpouring of support vindicates her cafe’s name – “kotari” means a small, close-knit gathering of people with shared tastes and interests – and even strengthens her determination to create a safe space.
As the owner of a shop “drenched in the vibe of the occult, and downright monstrous,” Lora is turning it into a positive, too: she’s printing the words on T-shirts to sell at the cafe, and she has the derby body to thank.
“I would honestly say ‘thank you’ to Darby because he introduced so many new people to my cafe and gave us so many great ideas for new t-shirts and new events,” said Lora. “We couldn’t have done it without him.” 🔥
Ignite action
- Learn more about Coterie Lounge and Cafe by visiting their website here. Give them a follow Facebook or Instagram.
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D Buckeye flame It is an online platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ Ohioans to support community and civic empowerment by creating engaging content that chronicles their triumphs, struggles and lived experiences.
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Photo credit: thebuckeyeflame
