action & petitions
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When you sign and share our petitions via social media, please contact your PA State Representative and Senator and tell them that PA Equality Project suggested that you contact them. For more details about the legislation we are tracking, keep scrolling to the table below.
PASS THE FAIRNESS ACT (HB 300, SB 150)
Although marriage equality is legal, we still need everyone to support this important petition to the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Senate to protect people from discrimination for all public accommodations based on sexual or gender identity. The people of Pennsylvania must be treated equally in terms of, but not limited to, employment, education, and housing regardless of real or perceived sexual or gender identity. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community should not be relegated to second class citizenry solely because of who we love or how we portray ourselves. All Pennsylvanians are worthy of equal treatment under the law. Call, email, or write to your legislature and tell them to support HB 300 & SB 570.
BAN CONVERSION THERAPY (HEALTH & hUMAN SERVICES)
Conversion therapy, or “ex-gay” or “reparative” therapy is a discredited technique used by some mental health practitioners in an attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Although talk therapy is frequently used, some practitioners still use outdated and harmful methods such as electroshock therapy. People who have undergone conversion therapy report high rates of depression, anxiety, and even suicidal attempts. Numerous organizations including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and the National Education Association have condemned its use particularly on minors. We seek a statewide prohibition on conversion therapy on minors as practiced by mental health professionals.
PASS COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION (EDUCATION)
Computer-savvy adolescents and teens glued to their smartphones have easy access to pornography. Whether curious or anxious to present themselves as cool, they receive and sometimes share sexually explicit texts and photos on social media. Kids often lack the information, self-esteem, and tools to navigate this world.
Introduced by Brian Sims, House Bill 1335 would be a lifeline for countless children to get informed, recognize the agency of consent, and stay safe. For elementary school students, concepts such as “good touch vs. bad touch” would be introduced. For older students, curricula would include contraception methods, and help teens identify and avoid risky behaviors and harmful relationships.
INCLUDE SOGIE IN HATE CRIMES LAW (JUDICIARY)
In Pennsylvania, hate crimes are termed ethnic intimidation. According to Pennsylvania Criminal Code Title 18, Section 2710, “A person commits the offense of ethnic intimidation if, with malicious intention toward the race, color, religion or national origin of another individual or group of individuals, he commits an offense under any other provision of this article or under Chapter 33 (relating to arson, criminal mischief and other property destruction) exclusive of section 3307 (relating to institutional vandalism) or under section 3503 (relating to criminal trespass) with respect to such individual or his or her property or with respect to one or more members of such group or to their property.”
In 2002, an amendment to the code included ancestry, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. Unfortunately, the law was challenged in 2007, and found that the 2002 amendment was unconstitutional on a technicality. We seek to restore the amendment.
PASS THE FEDERAL EQUALITY ACT
In the United States, based on SOGIE, it is legal for a hotel to deny a room to a same-sex couple. It is legal for a restaurant to deny entry to someone who is openly a part of the LGBTQ+ community. It is legal to be denied any public accommodations, because federal law does not provide protection from discrimination based on SOGIE. To the contrary, federal law protects religious freedoms but not people who happen to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or in any way not cisgender or heterosexual. We need to win passage of the Equality Act to prevent an increase in discrimination cases. Ardent supporters of conservative social values will continue to deny people goods and services simply because of their SOGIE. They can be denied jobs, transportation, lodging, perhaps even life-saving medical care, if some states continue down their current paths.
Provide Access to Puberty Blockers… (Petition from Trans Minor Rights)
We are Trans Minors Rights; an organization in Pennsylvania advocating for and empowering transgender youth. We are pushing for legislation that would allow young people to make their own decisions regarding puberty blockers.
By signing this petition, you move us one step closer to introducing a new bill to congress that would allow minors (14+) in Pennsylvania to be able to access puberty blockers without the requirement of consent from a parent or legal guardian. This will give them time to explore their gender identities and discuss the next steps in their transitions with their loved ones. Our dream is to start at the state level and eventually get similar bills passed across the U.S. These protections for transgender youth could save hundreds of lives.
SIGN THE PETITION
If you would like to reach out to Senator John Fetterman’s office to share your concerns about the removal of $1 Million from the federal budget for the William Way Center, please reach out to him via one of these means:
Washington, D.C. Office:
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Pittsburgh Office:
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Erie Office:
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Philadelphia Office:
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Wilkes-Barre Office:
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Harrisburg Office:
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NEW PETITION: STOP BOOK BANS AT SCHOOL DISTRICT & PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN PA
Since mid-2022, three different school districts have implemented bans on LGBTQ+ themed materials, including flags, pins, posters, books, CDs, and other materials. Each of these districts claim to want to “empower lifelong learners,” but the only lessons their students are being taught is that it is OK to hate people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. The bans seem neutral on their face in that they seek to keep school districts politically neutral but have the net effect of telling LGBTQ+ youth that they are less than their peers. Instead of being welcoming and open environments, many schools in Pennsylvania have become even more hostile.
Book bans are not new to the United States nor the world. As a means of suppressing opposing or contrary opinions to Nazi-dogma, party rallies were held across Germany during the 1930s during which piles of books related to sexual orientation and gender identity were cast into the flames. School districts across Pennsylvania are actively considering tossing aside books related to these same topics at the behest of school board members actively promoting an agenda of intolerance to the LGBTQ+ community and our allies. Pennsylvania Equality Project cannot sit idle while districts push out LGBTQ+ themed materials all in the name of “remaining neutral on social issues.”
This petition seeks to stop local school districts and public libraries from discarding books and other materials whose content is based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, particularly if state-based taxpayer dollars were used to acquire the books. We call on Governor Josh Shapiro and the General Assembly of the Commonwealth to implement such a ban on this type of censorship and promote fairness and acceptance within schools and libraries across Pennsylvania.
UPDATES: PA Representative Paul Friel introduced PA House Bill 1506 that defines book bans as anti-democratic and prohibits such bans based in part on the sexual orientation, gender identity or expression of the author or any of the book’s characters. Meanwhile, PA State Senator Amanda Cappelletti has introduced PA Senate Bill 926 that would prohibit book bans in Pennsylvania’s public libraries and public schools. In her co-sponsorship memorandum, she writes,
“The idea of banning books is a direct contradiction to First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press, integral elements of democracy. Americans have a right to explore and engage with differing perspectives to form their own views. Public libraries are places where young people should be able to learn about themselves and people who are different from them, not denied access to the diverse perspectives that books and art offer us all.
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pending legislation in the PA house & senate
As of February 27, 2024, shown in order in which bills were introduced