News Release
For Immediate Release: September 2, 2020
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078
Shippensburg Borough Moves to Discriminate Against Majority of Residents
(Harrisburg) — With a 5 to 1 vote Shippensburg Boro Council has voted to discriminate against the majority of its residents by passing a homosexual special rights ordinance which, beginning on January 1, 2021, will impact employment, housing and public accommodations. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide advocacy group, still contends the ordinance was not properly advertised and citizens, who were not permitted to physically attend the council meetings due to COVID, were not informed of the complete content of the ordinance, nor the full ramifications of its passage.
In an August 27th letter sent to the Mayor and each Shippensburg Boro Council Member, the AFA of PA pointed out: “How many borough residents even know of the existence of this proposed ordinance? It is my understanding, this ordinance is supposed to be advertised for 30 days, but unless residents attended the council meeting via phone, since council is not allowing the public to attend in person because of COVID, or read the July 30th article in the local weekly paper, The Shippensburg News-Chronicle, residents know nothing about this effort. It was not until August 20th that anymore was mentioned in the paper about the ordinance. Residents have not had the full 30 days to be made aware of and digest the impact of this ordinance on their daily lives. This is a great disservice to your constituents.”
“Shippensburg Boro Council has bowed to the complaints of one homosexual! The Council acted as if they had never heard about problems in other municipalities that have passed these type ordinances. The AFA of PA provided them with multiple examples, including businesses in Bethlehem and Philadelphia being sued because their employees alleged misgendered a former transgender employee and not allowing him to use the women’s bathroom. Those are the type situations the businesses in Shippensburg Boro now face,” commented Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.
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