News Release
For Immediate Release: November 10, 2010
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355
Will Lower Merion Vote to Protect Women and Children or Not?
(Philadelphia) – Lower Merion Township faces a proposed 12.7 % real estate tax increase, but is still seeking to create a township-level human relations commission to enforce the so-called ‘anti-discrimination’ ordinance with ‘sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression’ language they will be voting on tonight. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA) has contacted each member of the Township Board of Commissioners outlining concerns about the proposed ordinance. The information provided included the fact that Lancaster County and the Mayor of the City of York are questioning the money they spend on a local human relations commission.
“The Lower Merion Township Commissioners need to take a hard look at the ramifications in passing such an ordinance. Not only is it fiscally irresponsible, but it will place a stamp of approval upon a dangerous lifestyle and place the women and young girls in their township in danger because men who think they are women will demand to use women’s restrooms and the locker/shower facilities at the local pool or Y,” commented Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.
The township is trying to hide behind Section 93:2 I which states in the definition of “Public Accommodation”, “but shall not include any accommodations which are in their nature distinctly private.” The AFA of PA assured them that this will be challenged by transgender activists.
The e-mail to each commissioner noted that the American Psychology Association still lists ‘gender identity’ as a mental disorder and that Section 93:1-D states, “This chapter shall be deemed an exercise of the police power of Lower Merion Township for the protection of the public welfare, prosperity, health and peace of the Township, its residents and the Lower Merion Township community. “ The AFA of PA then asked them to explain how promoting homosexuality will lead to the protection of the ‘health’ of the Township. The following Centers for Disease Control statistics were provided:
- MSM (men who have sex with men) represent approximately 2% of the US population. However, MSM have an HIV diagnosis rate more than 44 times that of other men, and more than 40 times that of women
- MSM account for more than half of all new HIV infections in the United States and nearly 30,000 MSM are newly infected with HIV each year
- MSM is the only risk group with increasing annual numbers of new HIV infections
“We asked the township to consider the ramifications on not only their citizens, but on the businesses which they have contracts. Will they be permitted to contract with businesses which don’t have ‘sexual orientation, gender identity or expression language’? This is simply a feel good ordinance while no proof has been presented that homosexuals, bisexuals or transgenders have lost their jobs or are homeless because of the lifestyle they have chosen to live,” further commented Gramley.
# # #
Loading ...