Why Pennsylvania Needs a Change to the Anti-Discimination Law
Today starts a multi-day series looking at the talking points about why the changes, HB 300 would bring to Pennsylvania are important. A link to the legislation is below.
#1 Current Law Provides Basic Protections
Current Pennsylvania law provides basic legal protection against discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, handicap or disability, education and the use of a guide dog, but not sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Amending the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression would provide basic protection to ensure fairness for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pennsylvanians.
But not only does it provide protection to GLBTQ pennsylvanians, but to those people who are not GLBTQ, but who are perceived to be. Many hate crimes, some that end in death, are perpetrated against people, not based upon a known identity, but baased upon a split second perception. This was the case in a recent Neww York hate crime that resulted in the death of a man from South America. Here, legally, and working to send money home to raise his family, a man was targeted because he had his arms around another man. The men turned out to be brothers, and were trying to keep warm in the cold. Today, a man’s widow and children, already very poor, are without their breadwinner because of a false perception.
Perceived to be GLBTQ or actually identified as GLBTQ, all residents of the state deserve these basic protections.
If you appreciate reading my posts, would you like to thank me with a coffee?
