Statewide March and Rally for LGBTQ+ Equal Rights and Equal Care Announced for October 26th in Harrisburg

HARRISBURG, Pa. (Oct. 14, 2025) - For the first time in over ten years, LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians and allies will rally at the Pennsylvania State Capitol to demand action from federal, state, and local leaders to ensure equal protection under the law. This statewide mobilization comes at a time of unprecedented assaults against the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ people. The event will begin at 1pm with a march around the State Capitol complex which will be followed by a rally on the Main Capitol steps. Events of the day are supported by LGBTQ+ community and partner organizations throughout the commonwealth.

Organizers and community members are focusing their demands on the following key areas, including but not limited to:

• Equal Rights - Demanding lawmakers take action to protect the right of LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians to have equal access to housing, employment, healthcare and public accommodation.
• Equal and Equitable Healthcare Access - Demanding that lawmakers and healthcare networks take immediate action to protect and provide life-saving and affirming healthcare services for members of the transgender community, plus fully fund HIV prevention and care programs.
• Equal Protections - Demanding that lawmakers take action to move legislation that would affirm same sex marriage, ban conversion therapy, and add LGBTQ+ status to the state's hate crime laws.

"The basic rights of LGBTQ+ people are under vicious attack every day across our state and nation," said Jason Landau Goodman, Board Chair of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress. "That is why we are coming together to demand action from our government officials."

"Transgender people - and especially transgender youth - are the focus of political attacks coming from across the political spectrum," said Corinne Goodwin, Executive Director of Eastern PA Trans Equity Project. "But we know that this is just the beginning. The appetite for harming marginalized and at-risk populations seems insatiable and we need to activate our communities to fight back."

"Pennsylvania is the only state in the Northeast that doesn't have explicit legal protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ people," said Kyle McIntyre of UDTJ, a Delaware County- based community center. "We have been actively working to get protections implemented in our local communities, but it is time for our Pennsylvania officials to step up as they hear our message loud and clear."

Dena Stanley, Executive Director of TransYOUniting in Pittsburgh, has been leading the charge against the denial of trans-affirming healthcare to youth and adults under age 19 by multiple healthcare networks. She stated that, "Through pre-compliance with illegal Trump administration Executive Orders that threaten their funding, these healthcare networks are putting their bottom-lines ahead of the safety and well-being of their patients and we will be relentless in broadcasting this message."

Cat Cook, Executive Director of Centre LGBT+ in State College reiterated "Transgender people are the initial target of many anti-LGBTQ+ policies being issued by schools, healthcare systems, local governments, and the federal administration, but anti-LGBTQ+ extremist forces will not stop there. There have already been further attacks against our communities, including cuts to funding for HIV-related services and threats to roll back the rights of all Americans to marriage equality. Now more than ever, we need everyone - LGBTQ+ people, our allies and loved ones, our elected officials - to raise their voice and work together to put a stop to these anti-LGBTQ+ actions."

Members of the public can register to attend the march and rally here: https://tinyurl.com/lgbtqpa25

Buses and carpool networks are being organized across the state to ensure Pennsylvanians who want to attend can participate in the day.

Organizational partners for the march and rally include: the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, Centre LGBT+, Clinton County Pride Alliance, Eastern PA Trans Equity Project, Free Mom Hugs - Pennsylvania, LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County, Montgomery County LGBT Business Council

Pennsylvania Equality Project, Pennsylvania Youth Congress, UDTJ, and more.

More information will be released closer to the event regarding logistics and speakers. For inquiries, please contact:

• Greater Philadelphia: Kyle McIntyre at 717-918-7014 or kmcintyre@udtj.org
• Eastern PA: Corinne Goodwin at 484-602-5918 or corinne.goodwin@PATransEquity.org Central PA: Cat Cook at 814-308-9670 or cat@centrelgbtplus.org
• Western PA: Dena Stanley at 412-346-1324 or dstanley@transyounitingpgh.org
• Other Inquiries: Jason Landau Goodman at 717-743-1035 or jgoodman@payouthcongress.org