Swissvale Borough Adopts Nondiscrimination Protections, Creates Human Relations Commission

I just learned that the Borough of Swissvale passed a comprehensive human relations act that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity on January 4, 2023. Ordinance #23-01 to add a Chapter to the Code of Ordinances to provide for the creation of the Swissvale Human Relations Commission and […]

Mt. Lebanon Approves LGBT Nondiscrimination Ordinance, 4th in Western PA

In December 2016, residents of Mt. Lebanon gathered for a ‘Unity Rally’ in response to multiple incidents of crimes targeting vulnerable members of the community. One year later, seeds planted at this rally led to the passage of a municipal ordinance protecting the LGBTQ community from nondiscrimination. Similar to one enacted eight years ago in […]

Pittsburgh Municipal Equality Index Score Increases for 2014

Municipal Equality Index

The 2014 HRC Municipal Equality Index has been released. Pittsburgh residents have gained significant benefit from the 2014 court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania, but has only made slight actual gains in terms of municipal initiated efforts to address equality. Pittsburgh’s most noticeable ongoing weakness is evident in the “gender identity” indicators. The scoring […]

Pgh City Council Votes to Update Trans Non-Discrimination Protections

  Something very interesting took place in Pittsburgh City Council today – they directly addressed a matter of transgender municipal equality for the first time in history. The issue is non-discrimination which Pittsburgh City Council first took up as far back as the late 1980’s. In 1990, the City amended the Human Relations Ordinance to […]

Allegheny County Extends Existing DP Benefits Until June 30, 2015

domestic partner benefit Pittsburgh

This morning, Allegheny County announced plans to revise their deadline for the termination of domestic partner benefits from July 31, 2014 to June 30, 2015. “Now that same sex marriage is legal in Pennsylvania, I believe that it is important to continue to keep our employees on equal footing and that means requiring proof of […]

Pgh Human Relations Commission Describes LGBTQ as “Lifestyle,” Claims This Blog Has Porn Content

UPDATE: If you want to take action, please sign my petition via change.org.  I just reviewed the official minutes from the March 4, 2013 meeting of the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations. Commissioner Beth Pittinger expressed concern that this blog was blocked by the City web filters based on the word “lesbian” in the URL, […]

Anti-Discrimination Protections in Whitemarsh Township

Anti-Discrimination Protections in Whitemarsh Township

Congratulations to the residents, elected officials and advocates in Montgomery County’s Whitemarsh Township for establishing discrimination protections for their residents.  Springfield and Lower Merion also recently enacted such ordinances for the protections of their residents’ rights to housing, employment and public accomodation. I believe that brings the statewide total up to 18 municipalities?  Here’s a […]