Despite smear campaign involving false allegations of child sexual abuse, an Ohio LGBTQ+ friendly bar is determined to thrive

Last June, 27-year-old Teddy Valinski experienced a panic attack for the first time.

The New Jersey native owns and operates Walking Distance Brewing Co. in Marysville, Ohio – a sleepy, politically conservative city about 25 miles northwest of Columbus.

Early that summer, Valinski hosted a drag performance to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

The event both cemented the brewery’s reputation as a safe space for LGBTQ+ residents across Union County and sparked false, unfounded allegations of child sexual abuse.

“My heart just sank,” Valinksi said, recalling the moment he first heard the allegations. “That’s when I had my first panic attack.”

After a difficult year – and with a renewed focus on community, education and civic engagement – Valinki is working with the Union County Rainbow Coalition (UCRC)and dozens of Maryville residents to help change the narrative around drag performance and LGBTQ+ culture in the small Ohio locale. 

Unfounded allegations of sexual abuse

Several weeks after Walking Distance hosted its first drag performance, Leslie Reams – wife of Marysville City Council member Mark Reams – used her personal account on Facebook to publicly accuse Valinksi and his staff of grooming and sexually abusing children.

In the post, Reams called the brewery “little Epstein Island,” an apparent reference to convicted child sex trafficker Jeffery Epstein’s notorious property in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Additionally, Reams accused Valinski of pedophilia in her post on the  Facebook page “Respect Life Rally Marysville.”

Reams told reporters at The Columbus Dispatch that she owns and operates the page.

The Buckeye Flame did not find any arrest records, criminal charges or incident reports that link Teddy Valinski to any alleged sexual misconduct in Marysville or Union County. Nor did it  find any arrest records, criminal charges or incident reports indicating that authorities have investigated child sex crimes or child sexual abuse at Walking Distance Brewing Co.’s registered address.

Leslie Reams did not respond to requests for comment via Facebook messenger.

Councilmember Mark Reams did not respond to The Buckeye Flame’s request for comment via official government email.

Marysville Council President and Mayor Donald Boerger declined to comment further on the allegations made by Leslie Reams.

However, Boerger told The Buckeye Flame via official email that businesses and groups that host and promote drag performances and events for LGBTQ+ residents are “absolutely” welcome in Marysville.

Anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment on City Council

Union County Rainbow Coalition  co-chair Betty Elswick said her organization became aware of the anti-LGBTQ+ group Union County Faith Family Coalition soon after the group formed in May 2023.

In an email to then-City Council member Deborah Groat, UCFFC co-founder Michael Matthews confirmed the existence of the group and identified City Council member Mark Reams and his wife, Leslie Reams, as members.

In a message dated June 22, Matthews said he and Groat had previously discussed “some of the material being exposed to children at the pride fest” – UCRC’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride celebration, now in its fourth year.

“I took your advice and decided to start my own organiza [sic] devoted to pushing family values and influencing our local governments. We’ve already got quite a following fast, councilman Reams and his wife are apart [sic] of our group,” Matthews told Groat, in a message dated June 22. “We also have some pretty big concerns about the library content as well I’d love to discuss.”

Targeting Marysville Public Library

Several weeks later – while still an active councilmember – Groat emailed Marysville Public Library director Nieca Nowels regarding an LGBTQ+ Pride Month-themed library display.

Groat alleged that the display contained sexually explicit material and implied that the library would risk its funding by having Pride displays.

The Buckeye Flame could not find evidence that the display contained sexually explicit content.

“The library may well want to pass a levy in the future, or have input in a community TIF,” Groat said in the email, referencing a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) agreement, which allows cities to help fund public infrastructure over a period of years.

“Do not make the mistake of misreading the demographics of this community or of trying to influence your patrons in this way,” she told Nowels.

Before Groat lost her seat to newcomer Scott Hunter in the 2024 general election, she and Reams voted in favor of extending a TIF that diverts tax dollars away from the library, schools and other public services and instead toward infrastructure improvements in business districts.

During a City Council meeting on June 10, Reams denied allegations that he voted in favor of extending the TIF as a means of punishing the library for its 2023 LGBTQ+ Pride Month displays.

‘What is Drag?’

Walking Distance Brewing spent more money on marketing in summer 2023 than ever before,  “but people were staying away,” Valinski said. “We knew we had to keep doing drag shows, but we also knew we had to keep our community safe.”

He and his staff devised a plan to host another drag performance – this time, with the specific goal of educating patrons and critics alike.

“We were really nervous come September,” Valinski said. “We lost a lot of customers, but I realized that if we were able to keep these people who are still coming back to us, then we could make it.”

“We’ve always been community-oriented, but we really needed to dial in on our community,” he added. “That’s when we decided to have a drag show anyway.”

Valinski titled the show, “What is Drag?” and billed the event as a space to “demystify drag and foster understanding of the LGBTQIA+ community.”

In addition to the show itself, performers mingled with first-time attendees, answering questions about drag culture and the LGBTQ+ performers who shaped and created it.

“It was a big moment in finding our way again,” Valinski said. “People really showed up.”

What happens next?

Before City Council meetings, UCRC members and local allies meet at Walking Distance to socialize and strategize.

“[UCRC] and Walking Distance kind of work hand-in-hand together,” said first-year UCRC board member Nina Lomdardo. “We all have the same concerns and we’re all pretty aligned in wanting the same things: We want everyone to be safe and we want this community to not just revolt against every single thing that we do.”

At recent City Council meetings, community members have called on Mark Reams to resign from his position.

Now, Lombardo and Valinski are focused on pushing council members to adopt a non-discrimination ordinance that extends legal protections to Marysville residents based on their gender identity and sexual orientation.

“What we’re presenting is not just the inclusion of queer people. It was an inclusion of queer people, but also people of color and people with disabilities,” Valinski said. “We wanted to have it truly include everybody.”

While Valinski said a working ordinance draft and plans for a citizen-review board fell through at the last minute, he and Lombardo are still hopeful the lies leveled against Walking Distance can at least help spur change in their rural community.

“We’ve been coming to City Council and we’re going to keep coming to City Council,” Valinski said, addressing City Council members directly. “But if you want to talk outside of City Council, let’s talk.”

“And if any of you want to show up to a drag show,” he added, “tickets for you and a plus one are on me.”