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Equality Advocates PA Commends the Reading City Council for Passage of a Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

Philadelphia, PA – Equality Advocates Pennsylvania today applauds Reading Township and its City Council for passing a fully inclusive and comprehensive anti-discrimination ordinance last night that will prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.  The ordinance, which passed with a 6-1 vote, amends the township’s anti-discrimination law to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression, and is effective immediately. ReadingTownship becomes the 16^th municipality in Pennsylvania to include sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in its anti-discrimination law.

“With the Reading Council’s vote last night, another municipality stood up for basic fairness and equality for all of its citizens,” said Lynn Zeitlin, Executive Director of Equality Advocates Pennsylvania. “Reading is the second municipality to vote on such protections in just three months’ time. We are hoping to leverage this exciting momentum toward equality into the passage of statewide non-discrimination protections for all people.”

The ordinance passed thanks to the tireless work of countless organizations, activists, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, which has been working on this issue for more than two and a half years.  The ordinance received staunch support from Reading Mayor Tom McMahon, City Council president Vaughn Spencer, as well as Councilwoman Maria Bayez, the prime sponsor of the ordinance.

“After two and a half years of hard work by local activists, we are excited to add Reading to the list of municipalities that prohibit discrimination against LGBT people,” said Stephen Glassman, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. “It’s an exciting day for Reading and the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

The city of Reading has approximately 90,000 residents although the 2010 census is expected to add a considerable number of immigrants to the population base. Reading has one of the largest Hispanic populations in the state of Pennsylvania and a school district that is more than 76% Hispanic, the largest percentage of Spanish-speaking students in the state.

With the passage of the ordinance, the City of Reading has now mandated protections for its LGBT population and increases the percentage of Pennsylvanians protected from discrimination in employment, housing, education, and public accommodations to more than thirty percent.

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Equality Advocates Pennsylvania is dedicated to achieving equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pennsylvanians through direct legal services, education and policy reform.