Pride Season to Overlap with Fairness Act Advocacy

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, but it is also the time of year that Harrisburg lawmakers focus on passing a budget and making other legislative deals before their summer recess. Those two traditions are meeting in an important way for LGBTQ+ rights this year.

Last month the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed the Fairness Act, a comprehensive non-discrimination bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity as characteristics protected by Pennsylvania's non-discrimination laws. Now it is up to the Pennsylvania Senate to take action on the Fairness Act and send it to Governor Shapiro for signature.

The Fairness Act is a simple but important law that would allow the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to hear complaints about discrimination against LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians in employment, housing, and public accommodations. It is supported by broad coalitions of business and religious groups and would bring Pennsylvania into alignment with its neighbors in the Northeast, as today it is the only state in the region that doesn't protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in state law.

At pride booths across the state this year and at events at the Capitol, campaigners will be asking pro-equality Pennsylvanians to contact their State Senators and tell them they want to see the Fairness Act passed. When you see them, follow their lead and ask your Senator - especially Erie County's Senator Dan Laughlin - to support the Fairness Act and send it to the Governor for signature.