More than 270,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people live in Pennsylvania, and at least one sixth of them are couples raising children. Their families and loved ones matter to them just as much as anyone’s family—and they deserve the same basic dignity, respect, and protection as any other family.
Because of last year’s court decision, marriage equality is now the law in the Commonwealth, and same sex couples can marry. But a fundamental problem remains. LGBT people may marry on Sunday, but they can legally be fired from their jobs on Monday just for displaying their wedding picture on their desk.
Like many Pennsylvanians, I was surprised when I found out that current state and federal laws don’t offer the same protection for sexual orientation and gender identity or expression as they do for race, color, familial status, religious creed, ancestry, handicap or disability, age, sex, and national origin.
Over the past year, I’ve met people living in our region who were fired because they were gay. I’ve heard stories of people evicted when landlords found out they were gay and others who were turned down when they tried to rent an apartment. A few doctors have refused to treat LGBT people or their children. Under current law, this is perfectly legal.
Many people of faith, from different religions and denominations, believe that LGBT people should be treated fairly. They often cite the Golden Rule – treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves.
Recently, all three bishops of the United Methodist Church in Pennsylvania came out strongly in support of changing state law to prohibit discrimination against LGBT people:
It is long past time to acknowledge that l esbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have experienced routine discrimination because of who they are. … We must act to protect them by updating the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. … We encourage United Methodist business owners and landlords to treat LGBT employees, customers, and tenants with the same love, respect, and hospitality that Jesus offered to all he encountered.
These Methodist leaders joined other faith leaders who had already announced their support for fairness legislation, including all four Episcopal Bishops of Pennsylvania; the Rev. Kurt F. Kusserow, Bishop of Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and Rabbi Carl Choper, President of the Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania.
Rabbi Choper recently spoke of the interfaith alliance that has been working to promote fairness: “There is a strong consensus in the official moral teachings of the great majority of faith traditions and religious denominations in Pennsylvania that discrimination against gay and transgender people is immoral. There are about 600 clergy and more than 1000 lay faith leaders from more than 31 denominations in our faith network who are clear on that and willing to speak up, including bishops and other regional denominational leaders. This level of statewide faith support for LGBT equality is unprecedented. In addition to raising awareness and taking action to end legal discrimination, they are organizing local interfaith coalitions to make lives better for LGBT people in their own community in practical ways.”
Local interfaith coalitions have formed in Bloomsburg and Williamsport, and many local churches are now “open and affirming” toward all.
Many successful businesses, large and small, have nondiscrimination policies in place. Small business owners, in particular, understand the importance of both a thriving customer base and employing the most qualified employees. Limiting either employees or customers based on nothing more than sexual orientation or gender identity is bad for business.
Our country was established with a firm belief in the free exercise of religion, along with a belief in equality for all under the law. Fairness laws barring discrimination in other states protect all—Christians and Jews, straight and gay people. They protect intellectually disabled people, people of color, and transgender people.
Individuals shouldn’t be denied the ability to work, live, shop, and use services in our communities just because of who they are. We need legislation that updates current Pennsylvania law to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people—legislation that ensures fundamental fairness for all.
Alison Hirsch is the north-central organizer for Keystone Progress Education Fund and member of the steering committee for Susquehanna Valley Progressives.