LGBTQ Advocates Laud Introduction of Fairness Act

By Amanda B. Gillooly
The Tube City Almanac
June 30, 2021
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf joined members of the state legislature and LGBTQ advocates on June 15 to unveil the PA Fairness Act. (Photo courtesy state Rep. Dan Frankel’s office)

As a Pittsburgh-area LGBTQ rights advocate, Ciora Thomas has heard too many stories about how members of that community are discriminated against — from medical maltreatment to housing and employment discrimination.

As a Black trans woman, she’s had those experiences herself.

But Thomas — founder of Sisters PGH, a Black and trans-led nonprofit based in Swissvale which provides resources for the transgender and gender non-conforming community — is hopeful that a piece of legislation introduced this month in the state House will help those stories and experiences be a thing of the past.

Introduced June 11 by state Rep. Dan Frankel, Democrat from Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, the PA Fairness Act would enshrine protections for LGBTQ individuals into state law.

If approved and signed into law, the bill would prohibit discrimination against an individual based on their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in the commonwealth.

“These are basic things we are looking for but it needs to happen for the LGBTQIA community to begin to thrive outside of marginalization,” said Thomas, who joined Frankel, state Gov. Tom Wolf and other supporters of the legislation at a press conference June 15 at the state capitol. “This needs to be a stepping stone.”

The more than 60 legislative co-sponsors of the bill include, from the Mon-Yough area, state Reps. Austin Davis of McKeesport, Summer Lee of Swissvale, Brandon Markosek of Monroeville and Nick Pisciottano of West Mifflin.

Pennsylvania is the only state in the northeastern U.S., according to Spotlight PA, that does not provide protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Lacking those protections, LGBTQ individuals can be denied housing, education and public accommodations based on who they are or who they love.

“Pennsylvania’s lack of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law is an embarrassment to this commonwealth and a deterrent for workers and businesses who could help grow our economy,” Frankel wrote in his co-sponsorship memo.

Thomas, who serves as co-vice chair of the state’s Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, agreed.

She thanked Frankel for his sustained efforts to bring the issue to light and the bill to the House floor and said she was honored to be invited to speak at a news conference held on the steps of the Capitol building regarding the bill’s introduction.

Passing the bill through Pennsylvania’s General Assembly will be a challenge. The bill has been referred to the House State Government Committee, chaired by state Rep. Seth M. Grove, Republican of York County.

Frankel has introduced the PA Fairness Act before, during the 2015-16 legislative session, but past Republican leaders of the state House of Representatives have refused to put it to a vote.

Thomas encouraged members of the LGTBQIA community and their allies to do their part to ensure the bill is widely supported.

“Call your legislative representatives,” she said. “And just don’t call them one time — call them 100 times if you have to.”

The bill is deeply personal to her, Thomas said, who added that the LGBTQ community — especially members of the Black community and under-represented minorities — needs to be part of the state’s decision-making process.

“We need to be in these rooms,” she said. “These are voices that need to be heard.”

Thomas said she attended the June 15 event because lawmakers “would never go to the hood and talk to a trans woman.”

One of the bill’s co-sponsors, state Rep. Jessica Benham, Democrat from Pittsburgh’s South Side, agreed, adding that bill was personal to her, as well.

“Passing the Pennsylvania Fairness Act will provide long-needed protections and affirmation to our communities who have, for so long, fought to be recognized, accepted, and protected by the Commonwealth,” she said. “As one of the few openly LGBTQIA+ legislators, this issue is personal for me. The introduction of this act is the first step in what I am hopeful will be a swift legislative process to assure equal rights under the PA Constitution.”

Amanda B. Gillooly is a freelance writer from Neville Twp. whose work has also appeared at Patch.com, the Beaver County Times and the Observer-Reporter of Washington, Pa. She may be reached at amandabgillooly@gmail.com.

Originally published June 30, 2021.

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