Frankel Introduces Bill For Protection of LGBT Rights

State Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) is introducing legislation to prevent discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation for anyone who lives and works in Pennsylvania.

Frankel says that in the 21st century, such discrimination is unthinkable.

“Did you know that you can be fired for being gay in Pennsylvania? Did you know that a landlord can evict you for being gay in Pennsylvania? This is an embarrassment, this is a disgrace, and most importantly we cannot continue to tolerate or sanction discrimination in the state of Pennsylvania,” Frankel says.

In addition to Rep. Frankel’s bill in the House, State Sen. Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia) also brought forward a similar bill in the Senate. The two joined together with other lawmakers to present a case for protection of LGBT citizens who face discrimination in employment and housing.

Both bills would add gender orientation and sexual identity to ethnicity, race, gender, age, etc. as things that cannot be discriminated against when looking for a home, acquiring credit, or applying for a job.

State Rep. Eugene Depasquale (D-York) spoke at the State Capitol where the bill will be introduced and says all people should hold equal rights that cannot be infringed upon.

“If someone is working hard, doing their job. Or if they are living in their apartment or a house, they should not be under threat of eviction or losing their home or losing their job because of sexual preference. That is simply un-American,” Depasquale says.

Farnese says an economic benefit can come from such legislation as Pennsylvania will be recognized as an open, accepting state where people will want to live.

Gay Marriage Proponent to Speak at ACLU Event

Pittsburgh native Evan Wolfson will return to the city this Sunday for a discussion on gay marriage legislation. Wolfson earned his JD at Harvard Law School and went on to work for the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund before founding Freedom to Marry. The lecture is sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union and takes place Sunday evening at the University of Pittsburgh. Wolfson says that being "for" gay marriage is not enough to help people that are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. He says it's important that supporters speak out about the issue and not sit quietly on the sidelines. For those opposed to gay marriage, Wolfson says it's still possible to find common ground because everyone understands the desire for love, family and commitment - "people of every party affiliation and every outlook should be able to agree that we don't want the law discriminating in a free country. And we want to do what's right for other people and their families - even if we don't agree with them them. People don't have to dance at my wedding, but they shouldn't be using the government as a weapon to keep me from getting married." He says Pennsylvania excludes gay people from marriage and doesn't provide protection for gay couples or their children. The talk takes place at 7 p.m. at the Teplitz Moot Courtroom at Pitt on March 27.

Meeting to Discuss LGBT Issues in PA

Members and supporters of Pittsburgh’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community will meet tonight to discuss the status and future of LGBT rights in Pennsylvania.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and Equality Pennsylvania have already held five of such sessions across the state, discussing possible legislation affecting LGBT rights during this legislative session.

ACLU of PA Legislative Director Andy Hoover says the LGBT community has faced adversity in the state legislature for several sessions and he doesn’t expect that to change.

“For this coming session, I certainly expect that the anti-gay side will again try to pass a Constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage,” says Hoover. “We’ve defeated that three times and I’m confident we can defeat it again.”
However, Hoover says pro-LGBT legislation, such as an anti-discrimination bill, has also failed in the past.

Hoover says there are many “swing voters” from Western Pennsylvania, so he hopes the local LGBT population can convince them to pass such a measure.

The meeting is open to the public and will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the East Liberty Presbyterian Church.

Sestak. Toomey Agree On "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak says he’s disappointed the Obama Administration is appealing a federal court order halting the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.
Sestak, a retired three-star admiral, estimates he had to discharge about a dozen service members during his career, because of the policy barring gays from openly serving in the military.
He says he’s frustrated by the amount of time it’s taken to overturn the guidelines.

"We were able to pivot and get our troops over to Afghanistan on short notice. We’re able to -- we have lessons learned from the integration of women into combat. Why do we have to wait a year for something that has to do with our integrity? We’re asking people and the institution to live a lie."

The House has voted to end “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” once a Pentagon review is complete, but a Senate vote has been held up.
The military has announced it will follow the federal court order, even though the Obama Administration is appealing the decision, and has asked the judge to stay the ruling.
Repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is the rare issue where Sestak and Republican Pat Toomey see eye-to-eye.
Toomey says he’d “welcome” a policy change, if military leaders gave their approval.

"That’s what this should be all about. Not various people’s preferred social policy. So if our military leadership says we can execute our mission as well or better in the absence of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” then I’m in favor of repealing it."

The Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have both said they’d support a change.

Pride Rally to Highlight Gap in LGBT Protections

A rally set for this evening on the steps of the City County Building in downtown Pittsburgh will feature speakers, signs and flags in support of equal rights for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Gary Van Horn heads the Delta Foundation and says while Pittsburgh and Allegheny County have come a long way in barring discrimination based on sexual orientation, the rest of the state has yet to pass protective laws. Specifically, Van Horn says they want inclusion in hate crimes laws and the barring of housing and employment discrimination; in Pennsylvania a person can still be evicted or fired based on their sexual orientation. He says the rally is for everyone and goes from 6 p.m to 7 p.m. at 414 Grant Sreet.

Gay Marriage Debate

A State Senator pushing for legalized same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania took on a staunch opponent of the issue in a Harrisburg debate last night.
Democrat Daylin Leach, who represents parts of Delaware and Montgomery Counties, wants Pennsylvania to join states like Connecticut and New Hampshire in legalizing same-sex marriage.
He discussed the issue with Maggie Gallagher, who heads the National Organization for Marriage.
Gallagher argued legalized gay marriage would lead to government crackdowns on institutions like the Catholic Church who oppose same-sex unions, drawing parallels to anti-racist statutes.

"The government gets involved to repress racism in a wide variety of ways. Professional licenses – can you be a doctor, a teacher, a social worker, a lawyer, if you openly advocate for racism or try to conduct your practice on racist lines? Well, probably not."

Gallagher says children ideally need to be raised in two-parent households, with both a mom and a dad. Senator Leach argues that logic should lead to support for same-sex marriage.

"You can’t say that there will be fragmented families, and fragmented families are a bad thing, but they’re not bad for gay people. I don’t want gay people’s families to be fragmented, either. I want their families to be as stable and committed and monogamous – all things that Maggie has written – that marriage encourages."

Gallagher made it clear she supports government efforts to repress racism – she just thinks opposition to same-sex marriage doesn’t belong in the same category. Leach said he’s open to strengthening religious protection language in future versions of same-sex marriage bills.

Pennsylvania law defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. There is legislation in the General Assembly that would amend the state constitution to include that definition of marriage so as to head off any court challenges to the current law.

Rendell, Senator Disagree Over Chances for Same Sex Marriage

New Jersey's Senate defeated a same-sex marriage bill last week, a few months after similar legislation failed to pass New York's upper chamber.
Governor Ed Rendell says he doesn't expect to see gay marriage any time soon in Pennsylvania, either.
When asked whether the General Assembly could pass a gay marriage bill any time soon, Rendell said "don't hold your breath."
He says Pennsylvania is essentially a "rural state," and that he doesn't think same sex marriage goes with the mores of the majority of commonwealth residents.
Democratic State Senator Daylin Leach, the legislature's top supporter of a gay marriage bill disagrees.

"Is it going to pass this year? Probably not. If you came back fifteen years from now will Pennsylvania still be discriminating against gays and lesbians? I don't think there's a chance in the world that's going to happen. And I think we'll wonder why this was controversial."


Rendell says the focus should be on expanding same-sex partner benefits, and passing nondiscrimination measures like House Bill 300, which is currently before the House.
Leach is hoping to hold a Senate hearing on same-sex marriage later this year.

Gay Marriage Supporters Rally at Capitol

Supporters of a bill to legalize gay marriage in Pennsylvania made their case at a Harrisburg rally Wednesday.
Delaware County Senator Daylin Leach’s bill would make Pennsylvania the seventh state to legalize gay marriage, but it faces an uphill battle in the chamber, where Republicans have a ten-seat edge.
Among the 60 people at the rally was Tom Hair of Northampton County, who’s been with his partner Earl for 33 years. He says they got married in Canada in 2003.

"27 years we were engaged to be married. That’s a long engagement. I don’t know of any heterosexual in our families, our friends, our communities, that would accept that indignity."

Leach, a Democrat, has said he’s hoping for hearings on the bill this fall.
A Constitutional amendment put forward by Blair County Republican John Eichelberger would ban gay marriage. 30 states have passed constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage.
There’s also a House bill in circulation that would re-write Pennsylvania’s anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation, as well as race, ethnicity and religion.

Senator Proposes Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

A state senator from Montgomery County wants to legalize same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania. Senator Daylin Leach says since same-sex marriage has been legalized in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and Iowa either through legislation or court rulings, there has never been a better time "for Pennsylvania to embrace equality and enshrine the civil rights of all Pennsylvanians to marry."
In 1996, the Pennsylvania legislature passed the Defense of Marriage Act which defines marriage as a union of a man and a woman. Because of a few court rulings overturning similar laws in other states, some legislators want to strengthen Pennsylvania's marriage law. Senator John Eichelberger of Blair County says he will introduce legislation calling for a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage and polygamy. Thirty states and their voters have approved similar constitutional bans.
However, Senator Leach called the current Pennsylvania marriage law "archaic" and says maintaining it "denies the reality of same-sex families."
Leach says his measure cannot require a religious institution to perform or sanction a same-sex marriage. Under Leach's bill, Pennsylvania would also recognize same-sex marriages conducted in other states.

Vote On PA Gay Rights Bill Not Likely This Summer

The sponsor of a bill to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation says recent votes for gay marriage in New York, Maine and New Hampshire show the tide is turning, when it comes to support for gay rights.
But Democrat Dan Frankel of Pittsburgh doesn’t think his measure will get a House vote before the summer recess. Frankel says a grassroots effort is underway to convince lawmakers to support House Bill 300, which amends Pennsylvania law to include sexual orientation in the commonwealth’s ant-discrimination statutes.
He says he’s confident the gay rights issue is gaining ground with the majority of Americans and Pennsylvanians.

"When you look at polling about same-sex marriage, there’s a real differential when you look at age. People under the age of 40, don’t think is a particularly tough issue. Many of them don’t understand why we would not support same-sex marriage."

But Frankel’s bill has strong opponents, including Butler County Republican Daryl Metcalfe, who calls it an attempt to legitimize “choices that…are not normal and are sinful.”
"Those individuals who have fought so hard to gain those civil rights really should be insulted by the left, who’s trying to grasp hold of their victories. To use it to advance their own agenda, to use it to advance the homosexual agenda."

But Frankel insists discrimination against gays is akin to bigotry based on race, ethnicity or religion. He says the tide is turning when it comes to gay rights, and predicts gay marriage will be legal in Pennsylvania at some point.

Discrimination Ban Supporters Rally in Harrisburg

Supporters of a measure to ban discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Pennsylvania residents packed the Capitol yesterday to show support for the measure. Now that the equal rights bill is in front of the full House, advocates say they're optimistic it can be signed into law before the year is done. Supporters lined the Rotunda steps and cheered as lawmakers made the case that Pennsylvania is behind the times, when it comes to guaranteeing equal rights based on sexual preference. Sponsor Dan Frankel of Squirrel Hill dismissed opponents of the measure, noting 20 states have already passed similar legislation. “The sky will not fall. The world will not end if we stop discriminating against gay, lesbian bisexual and transgendered people. It will not happen.” Opponents say the bill would force some religious groups to hire gay employees against their will. A spokesman for House Majority Leader Todd Eachus says there's no set time frame for bringing the measure to a vote. A similar bill died in committee last year.

No-Name Calling Week Underway

If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. That's the basic principle behind No-Name Calling Week, a national movement created by the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The week focuses on starting dialogue among elementary and middle schoolers about the abuse and effects of name-calling and bullying. Participating teachers utilize exercises and projects from GLSEN's website to motivate students to start talking about the issue. GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard says one of the biggest projects of the week is a creative expression contest. She says the real goal of the week is to stop name-calling in elementary and middle schools before it becomes a larger issue in high schools. The week began on Monday, January 26th and runs through Friday, January 30th.

Gay Rights Activist Randall Forrester Dies

Randal Forrester, a leading gay rights and human rights activist in the Pittsburgh area for more than 35 years, has died. Mr. Forrester died yesterday of cancer at age 60. Betty Hill, the executive director of the Persad Center, said that Mr. Forrester was "a legend...arguably the most influential gay rights figure in the Pittsburgh region." At age 24 in 1972, Mr. Forrester co-founded the Persad Center, a counseling center serving the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community. Ms. Hill said at that time, most people still considered homosexuality "a mental illness." She said starting a center that was "gay affirming" that was a safe place to go "that didn't try to change" gays and lesbians ...a center where "they were not told they were bad or sick" was visionary.
Ms. Hill says in the early 1980's when the AIDS crisis hit most of the victims were gay men, unlike today, and Mr. Forrester and Persad were were at the forefront providing education and services. Ms. Hill said Mr. Forrester believed that gay rights, civil rights and human rights were all the same and that he made the whole Pittsburgh community "more sensitive and less discriminating" and he had an extraordinary impact. Mr. Hill said Mr. Forrester had an extraordinary sense of humor and personality and Pittsburgh "needs more leaders like him."