The Autonomy Project

1 DAY LEFT UNTIL WICKED WONDERS! 😍

It's almost time! Are you looking for something wicked, or a wonderful new trinket? Our market this weekend may have just what you're hoping for.

With over a dozen local vendors - you won't want to miss what they have to share!

Saturday April 18th
Free for Members, $5 for Non-Members
The Autonomy Project, 2912 S High St Columbus OH 43207

2 DAYS LEFT UNTIL WICKED WONDERS! 😍

Looking for a reason to get out of the house this weekend? But you still want to be comfy and amongst friends? Wicked Wonders Market will be just that.

With more than a dozen local artists and vendors, there's sure to be something for everyone.

12p to 5pm
Saturday April 18th
Free for Members, $5 for Non-Members
The Autonomy Project, 2912 S High St Columbus OH 43207

5 DAYS LEFT UNTIL WICKED WONDERS! 😍

Could you use the chance to get out of the house and see shiny new trinkets? Our local vendors have you covered.

12p to 5pm
Saturday April 18th
Free for Members, $5 for Non-Members
The Autonomy Project, 2912 S High St Columbus OH 43207

Midweek can feel… like a lot.

Wicked Munch is a place to step out of that for a bit.

No pressure, no performance - just a casual space to sit, snack, and talk with people who actually get what consent-forward, community-centered space feels like.

You don’t need to know anyone.
You don’t need to have the “right” words.
You can show up exactly as you are.

If you’ve been thinking about coming to something, this is one of the easiest places to start.

Wednesday. We’ll be here.

👉 Details + registration in the comments

👇🏻👇🏻

HB 249 passed the Ohio House today.

Let’s ground ourselves before the panic spiral kicks in:

This is not law yet, and there are still multiple points where it can be slowed, challenged, or stopped.

But it is moving, and this is the window where community action really matters. A large contingent of performers in Columbus and organizers have fought to this point, it's time for the rest of the community to show up behind them.

What this bill does, in real terms:

HB 249 expands how “adult performance” is defined in Ohio in a way that is vague enough to impact drag, trans expression, and gender nonconforming performers. Further, it creates a vague enforcement tool that can be used to target people for how they present in public.

Vague laws don’t create safety, they create selective enforcement and we know how selective enforcement always lands hardest on marginalized communities.

—

Here’s what happens next:

1. Senate Committee Assignment
The bill moves to the Ohio Senate and gets assigned to a committee.

2. Hearings + Testimony
There will be hearings. This is where community voices, organizers, performers, and business owners can speak directly to impact.

3. Committee Vote
If it passes committee, it moves forward. If it stalls here, progress slows significantly.

4. Full Senate Vote

5. Governor’s Desk

6. Bills like this are often challenged in court before they fully take effect.

—

Why does this matter for our community?

So legislation like this doesn’t just affect performers (even though that's certainly bad enough)!

It affects:
- community events
- educational programming
- creative expression
- the ability to gather safely and openly

This is about whether our communities get to exist in public without being mislabeled, restricted, or targeted with violence.

What you can do right now:

1. Contact your Ohio State Senator. Keep it simple and grounded:
“I’m a constituent and I oppose HB 249. It’s vague, overreaching, and will harm community spaces and local businesses.”

Find your senator: legislature.ohio.gov

2. Prepare to show up for testimony. Hearings may be scheduled with very little notice.

If you are part of this community in any way, your voice matters. We will share details as soon as they are available and help coordinate those who want to participate.

3. Stay connected and informed
Organizations like TransOhio and Equality Ohio are actively tracking this and will share updates and action steps.

4. Keep conversations rooted in real impact..
This is not abstract policy, this is about people, spaces, and your community.

—
The Autonomy Project exists to create space for expression, education, and connection.

We believe in creating spaces where people can exist fully and safely, and we will continue to do that no matter what.

This is one of those moments where staying informed, staying grounded, and showing up for each other makes a real difference.

https://www.autonomyproject.org/myths-about-sex-work-and-the-realities-behind-them

10 Myths About S*x Work and the Realities Behind Them SW has always carried stigma but modern arguments only disguise old stereotypes and the damage they create.

Q***r Magical Gatherings

Seeking fellow planeswalkers? Great. Don't know what a planeswalker is? Even better! Cross the threshold into a magical gathering where MTG newbies and epic deck-wielders are equals. We're setting the table (literally) for a night of gaming at Wicked Eden and you (yes you, boo) are invited.

Always wanted to learn how to play Magic: The Gathering but didn't have a safe, inclusive space to learn in? You do now. Want an appreciative audience for that big, impressive deck of yours? They'll be coming too! No gatekeeping, no bad vibes—just combos, spells, and new friends letting their nerd flag fly with Pride. Cloaks optional. Sparkle encouraged.

About the Event

This is a casual, open Magic: The Gathering night. All experience levels are welcome. We do ask that you sign up in advance so we know how many folks to expect.

Doors open when event starts, at 7pm. Parking available in the front and back lot. If parking in the neighborhood, please be mindful of driveways and respectful of our neighbors.

DETAILS

📅 Date: March 20th

⏰ Time: 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm

📍 Location: Wicked Eden, 2912 South High ST, Columbus Ohio 43207

Tickets may be available at the door, unless event has sold out.

Shared with permission from .
This hit home for us. Q***r spaces don’t appear out of thin air. Someone fights for them. Someone protects them. Someone keeps the lights on for the next generation.

The lineage of q***r spaces is real, and the work of keeping them alive continues.

---

We stepped out tonight to rep Autonomy Project and pay homage to our elders and where we came from. We laughed, we cried, we held hands as we watched the world premiere of .

This hometown documentary tells the stories of the little le***an bar that could. It takes you through a time capsule of being a le***an and finding a place where you could love, find community, build relationships, choose family, dress how you wanted, identify however you chose… sound familiar?

It was heartwarming seeing the stories of some of the thousands of women that would have passed through the doors of Logans / Jacks / Summit Station looking for a place to belong. It showed women as they were and as they are now: out, loud, and proud. It reminded us that we truly must choose the life that will make us happy. F**k the haters. We love who we love.

My great aunt was mentioned more than once in the doc, and I have begun to see myself as carrying on some of her legacy with .project. We’re the next generation building safe spaces and community, and we’re choosing to say yes. We choose to create this for everyone around us who needs it.

If you have the option to see this film or support it, please do. Little movies like this have big impact.

February Lavender Library

"Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches" by Audre Lorde

Lavender Library is a q***r book club centered on thoughtful reading, deep conversation, and shared reflection. In February, we’ll be reading Sister Outsider, Audre Lorde’s essential collection of essays on identity, power, anger, silence, difference, and survival.

Lorde’s writing is sharp, poetic, and deeply human - asking us to examine how systems of oppression shape our lives, and how honesty, care, and self-definition can become acts of resistance. These essays invite reflection not just on the world as it is, but on how we show up for ourselves and one another within it.

This gathering is designed to be discussion-forward, accessible, and gentle while making space for hard, necessary conversations. You don’t need to be an academic, a theorist, or an expert- just someone willing to listen, think, and share in community. Come ready for thoughtful conversation, moments of recognition, and the kind of dialogue that lingers long after the night ends.

As always, Lavender Library prioritizes psychological safety, respect, and curiosity. Whether you’re revisiting Sister Outsider or encountering it for the first time, you’re warmly invited to join us.

DETAILS
📅 Date: February 19th

⏰ Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

📍 Location: Wicked Eden, 2912 South High ST, Columbus Ohio 43207

Door tickets available unless event sells out.

Wicked Munch:

Curious about our Members Only events like "Bodice Ripper", but not sure how they work, or who to attend with? Or maybe you're just looking for an excuse to eat some good food in better company? Either way, we've got you covered, boo. Ain't no pre-party like a Munch pre-party, and it just so happens we've got one coming right up!

The Autonomy Project's Wicked Munch is your invitation to a casual social gathering of like-minded kinksters, a welcoming space for new and returning community members to meet, connect, and learn more about our values and the more intimate details of our upcoming events. Join us!

DETAILS
Date: February 4th
Time: 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Location: Wicked Eden, 2912 South High ST, Columbus Ohio 43207
Tickets must be purchased in advance, this event always sells out!

Tickets and More Info Here:

February Wicked Munch The Autonomy Project's Wicked Munch is your invitation to a casual social gathering of like-minded kinksters, a welcoming space for new and returning community members to meet, connect, and learn more about our values and the more intimate details of our upcoming events. Join us!