Municipalities that have added (or considered adding) ‘sexual orientation’ and/or ‘gender identity’ to their Human Relations ordinance:

PA Cities or Counties with Non-discrimination Policies (Human Relations Ordinances) with ‘Gender Identity’ and/or ‘Sexual Orientation’:  (282 total throughout the nation)

(March, 28, 2006 — AFA of PA asks Governor Rendell to rein in PA Human Rights Commission chair Stephen Glassman who has been actively working to get municipalities to add ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity to their Human Relations ordinances.  State law DOES NOT require this addition!  Read what the Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission is supposed to do.)

Remember:

n      adding ‘gender identity’ to any law or ordinance will require employers to allow men who think they are women to use the women restroom and shower facilities in the workplace.  But it also means allowing men who think they are women to use the women’s fitting room in your local K-Mart and the women’s locker room at your local city pool.

n      Adding ‘sexual orientation’ to laws and ordinances gives homosexuals special protections simply because of the sexual activity in which they engage.  Homosexuality is NOT an immutable or unchangeable characteristic such as age, sex or race.

Allegheny County — on July 1, 2009 by a vote of 8-6 the County Council chose to ignore hundreds of phone calls — which Council members admit the majority opposed Ordinance 4201-08 and vote to give special protections to homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders.

Allentown   — Timeline (Lehigh County) (2002) – Human Relations Ordinance and employee handbooks/manuals – both gender identity and sexual orientation.

Berks County – no laws only employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation.

Township of Cheltenham (Montgomery County) – (2000) – no laws only employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation.

Easton (Northampton County) (2006) – Human Relations Ordinance and employee handbooks/manuals – both gender identity and sexual orientation.

Erie County (2002) – Human Relations Ordinance and employee handbooks/manuals – both gender identity and sexual orientation.

Harrisburg (Dauphin County) (1983/84) – Human Relations Ordinance and employee handbooks/manuals –both gender identity and sexual orientation.

Lancaster (Lancaster County) (1991) – Human Relations Ordinance and employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation only

Landsdowne Borough (Delaware County) — (2004) – no laws only employee handbooks/manuals – gender identity and sexual orientation AND domestic partner benefits; (March 16, 2006) – added to Human Relations Ordinance both gender identity and sexual orientation .

New Hope Borough (Bucks County) (2002) – Human Relations Ordinance and employee handbooks/manuals – both gender identity and sexual orientation

Northampton County —  no laws only employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation

Borough of Oxford (Chester County) — no laws only employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation.

Philadelphia (Philadelphia County) (1982) – sexual orientation in non-discrimination policy; (2002) – gender identity in non-discrimination policy; (1998) – domestic partner registry; (?) — employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation; (2002) – gender identity in employee handbooks/manuals; (2004) – domestic partner benefits

Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) (1990) – sexual orientation in non-discrimination policy; (1997) – gender identity in non-discrimination policy; (?) — employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation; (1997) gender identity in employee handbooks/manuals; (1999) – domestic partner benefits; (June 18, 2003 — Pittsburgh Pride Fest); (June 17, 2008) created domestic partner registry for same-sex and opposite sex partners [at this time companies doing business with City of Pittsburgh are not required to offer domestic partner benefits]

Scranton (Lackawanna County) (2005) – Human Relations Ordinance and employee handbooks/manuals—both gender identity and sexual orientation.  Stephen Glassman, chairman of the PA Human Relations Commission confirms that these changes can directly affect the Boy Scouts ability to use city parks because of their ban on homosexual leaders and members.

Borough of State College (Centre County) (1994) — no laws only employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation; (December 17, 2007) adds ‘sexual orientation or gender identity or expression’ to employment ordinance [According to Stephen Glassman, Chairman of the PA Human Relations Commission, this will mean businesses must allow men who think they are women to use the women’s restroom, locker room and workplace shower facilities]; 2008 – adds same language to ‘housing’ ordinance.  News Release

Swarthmore Borough (Delaware County) (March 14, 2006) – Human Relations Ordinance including both gender identity and sexual orientation.

West Chester Borough (Chester County) (September 20, 2006) – Human Relations Ordinance including both gender identity and sexual orientation.; (?) employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation

City of York (York County) (1993) – Human Relations Ordinance with sexual orientation; (1998) – laws with gender identity; (?) — employee handbooks/manuals – sexual orientation.; (1998) employee handbooks/manuals – gender identity

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