thomascwaters.com

The linked story below is actually about the state of Virginia where the current Attorney General is trying to deny LGBT’s rights, and the Governor has come out issuing an order against discrimination. Here is a clip from the story:

One thing having an impact is that Northrup Grumman is looking to relocate its headquarters to the DC metro area.  The company has a clear non-discrimination policy and offers benefits to domestic partners.  People in Maryland were using Cuccinelli’s approach on the issue to try to get the company to disqualify Virginia as a location.

Does Pennsylvania want to be attracting large corporations like Northrup Grumman? Seems like a silly question, yet the reality is that companies make choices based on a number of factors, bit at least a part of it, is selecting states and locations consistent with their internal policies regarding non-discrimination and domestic partnership benefits.

Wake up Pennsylvania! We are already slipping behind and are less competitive than many other states, stop that decline and bring companies and jobs to our state by making Pennsylvania a state free from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations. Pass PA HB 300, and stop discriminatory legislation such as SB 707!

via Daily Kos: BREAKING – Gov. McDonnell separates from AG, issues order against discrimination.

On Monday, March 8, 2010 The Lancaster City Human Relations Commission is sponsoring a community discussion about Pennsylvania HB300

7:00-9:00PM at the Southern Market Center, City Council Chambers, 100
South Queen St., Lancaster, PA.

The public is invited to attend.

Participating in this panel discussion/question/answer forum will be Stephen A. Glassman, Chairperson of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, P. Michael Sturla, State Representative of Lancaster City, Representative Dan Frankel of Pittsburgh, who introduced this legislation, and Representative Babette Josephs of Philadelphia, the chairperson of the Pennsylvania House State Government Committee which approved the bill. Also taking part in the discussion will be Rev. Susan Minasian, College Chaplain, Franklin and Marshall College, and Franklin A. Miles, Jr., Esquire, VP, Secretary & General Counsel of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company. J. Richard Gray, Mayor of Lancaster & Louise Williams, President of The Lancaster City Council will also participate.

Co-Sponsors of this event are the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, SEIU Healthcare PA, the ACLU of Pennsylvania, and the Central Pennsylvania Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. For more information on the forum, please contact Linda Martin at 717-393-2883.

There are two videos here from Myspace about a Pennsylvania man who was fired for being gay.

Today in the State of Pennsylvania, there are a handful of cities and counties that offer nondiscrimination protections, but within the rest of the state, there is no protection whatsoever. The solution? Pass PA HB 300.

Got this from the blog called Above Average Jane:

Joe Hoeffel called on Attorney General (and GOP candidate) Tom Corbett to support “HB 300 and HB 745 today so that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens of Pennsylvania can have equal protection under the law.”

Above Average Jane: Gubernatorial Candidates’ Updates.

Now that I’ve been back in Pittsburgh for a day, I’m mostly recuperated from yesterday’s trip to State College for the PA Equality Summit. Sponsored by the ACLU of PA and Equality Advocates PA, the gathering was designed to join existing social justice groups as well as individuals together and lay out a plan for advocacy work this fall on issues related the the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer communities. The summit was also the location for the Equality Advocates Board of Directors meeting, and was my first meeting since being invited to join the board. and if that wasn’t enough, I gave a presentation on Social Media.

First, just a short comment about the board meeting. It is a real pleasure and an honor to work with some amazing smart and committed folks, and I am so excited to be in this position.

Next let me talk about the presentation. It seemed to go really well, and the audience was pretty engaged throughout, and asked some great questions. As promised, a SocialMedia (my slide set) is attached. I hope I wasn’t too misleading about the slides (which I couldn’t show there). I guess they are pretty lame, but there is some good info there, so enjoy. I love talking about social Media, almost as much as I love talking about being an advocate for GLBTQ issues. There is a sense I get in my gut, a feeling that the words come from my core in a way that is different for me. I attribute it to just really loving what I’m talking about. so, if you need a guy to run his mouth at your meeting, let me know- I’m always happy to talk about these topics.

So, let me share some general thoughts about the Summit overall. I don’t know what the final tally of attendees was, but it looked like quite a few to me. What was more impressive than just the numbers however, was the diversity expressed within the group. There were folks who had been activists for a long time, and folks who were just looking for a way to get involved and get started. A group of 4 or 5 had come from Bedford County, where they don’t have any GLBT-related group, but they want to start one. I think most every part of the state was represented within this mixture of folks. In addition to folks that might see themselves as “inside the GLBTQ communities, there was an excellent number of straight allies there! One of my favorite bloggers, John from the Pennsylvania Progressive was there, and we had an awesome chat about blogging, writing styles, finding your voice and those types of things of interest to a blogger. But, he wasn’t the only one! I was also thrilled to see Pittsburgh’s Jason Cable there, who writes a blog as well as does a podcast. Between people from Faith communities, to liberal activists, PFLAG members and a wide assortment of folks from many parts of the GLBTQ communities, it was a unique gathering.

For some, PA HB 300 has never been out of mind, but the long drawn out budget fiasco in Harrisburg has meant that for many, anything outside the budget has been totally off the radar. As we get ready to move into Fall, it is time to refocus on PA HB 300 and why passing it is so important. Wow- been months since I have typed those words. While nation-wide same-sex marriage is trendy (and not unimportant here in PA) the reality is that every state is in a different place when it comes to this issue, with some states going for civil marriage, others going for civil unions, others for domestic partnerships, and still others, going the other direction entirely. PA is pretty far away from civil marriage for gays and lesbians, given the fact that earlier in 2009, was the very first time we have ever had any vote whatsoever on any GLBT-themed legislation. PA is unique though- we are one of only a few states which has squashed an attempt to push an anti-gay marriage amendment through in the state. So, how are we going to get basic protection in housing, employment, and public accommodations passed?

The morning was spent reviewing HB 300, why it is written as it is, what it covers, and what are some talking points about it. A fair amount of discussion surrounded the issue of Gender Identity and Expression- what this language means (and doesn’t mean) and why is it integral to the bill. Something, I guess I knew, but hadn’t really thought about: the Inclusive ENDA bill currently moving through the US House is a great idea, but unlike the state legislation, it only covers employment. So, I’m glad that legislation is moving ahead, but we need PA HB 300 so that everyone is protected from discrimination in housing and public accommodations. We also talked a lot about the religious exemption and what it covers and why.

You wouldn’t know it based on the misinformation spread by the legislation’s opponents, but the bill has a religious exemption as well as case law that means that religious organizations are basically exempt from laws like this when it comes to teaching and communications personnel- which covers a lot of people, like pastors, music directors, etc. An example of this in action is that the fact that even though it is unlawful to discriminate based on sex, no one is filing claims against the Catholic Church nor forcing them to hire female priests. The problem for some however, comes outside of religious institutions, when individuals feel they should have a right to discriminate based on their personal religious views. Even in these situations, the discrimination seems clear. There is no quote from the Bible that says, you shouldn’t allow a gay person to earn a living, for example.

There seem to be several reasons why legislators are not moving quickly on HB 300. Some may be afraid that if they vote for it, there will be a conservative backlash next election. Someone raised the statistic (not sure where to find it) that shows that no politician who has voted for GLBT rights legislation has ever lost their seat because of it. But another factor may be keeping some reluctant. A number of legislators don’t believe that people in their district care about this bill, so our job is to get the word out that we do care about PA HB 300!

There are a number of ways ranging from least effective to most effective, when it comes to getting your message across to your elected officials:

• Send a “blasted” email. This is the easiest but least effective form of communication with your elected official. You receive an email from Equality Advocates, or the HRC or someone, and in it is a way to send a quick email off to your legislator by pushing a button. Ideally everyone who gets one of these will respond and send the email, but because it is a “form letter” email, it doesn’t carry quite as much weight with the legislator. A tip for making it stand out and mean more: add a personalized message at the beginning of the email body.
• Send a personal email or fax. This is most effective, if you email or fax your own legislator. some legislators ignore stuff that come from outside their district, but some pay attention to it.
• Pick up the phone and call! This is a pretty good thing to do, especially if your legislator votes for a bill important to you. Often, they only hear from disgruntled constituents, so make sure to thank them when they vote positively for you. If you call, you most likely will get a staff person who will record whatever you say and pass it on to the legislator.
• The very best, most effective way however is to meet with your elected official! Here is an instruction guide on how to do that.

The linked article is not the kind of thing I generally post or write about, but today, struck me as very important. During a phone call this weekend with an activist I have the highest regard for, we were talking about the upcoming Equality March on Washington, and the issue of organizing at the state level for legislative change vs a different approach to prioritize for national legislative change instead. I want to write more about my decision to attend the Equality March, and so will touch more on that aspect of it then, but I want to say a bit about why I am opposed to an isolated insistance on national legislative change for GLBTQ issues.

If we learned nothing from the Black Civil Rights movement, I hope we have learned that simply changing a few laws does not make prejudice go away. The path to full equality is made up of smaller steps, with each step gaining some ground. And even with full equality on the books as laws governing our society, the effects of years of inequality still abound. Or look to the fight for reproductive freedom and the battle over abortion. This may be a fight closer in many ways to the gay civil rights movement, or the opposition uses the same religious weaponry to battle a woman’s right to choice  as they do against homosexuality. When an abortion doctor, who operated completely within the law,  can be gunned down, in his church- one has to ask, if achieving some form of legislative win will solve much in terms of how homophobia leads to violence, abuse, and mistreatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. We need laws, and we need cultural change. These two must go hand in hand and each support the other.

But what about underneath the easy-to-talk-about political layer? It is easy to write about how GLBTQ’s deserve equal rights, and having full equality will make a difference in many ways for many people, especially when viewed from a general or almost theoretical perspective. But what are the issues affecting real, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, day to day, in their real lives? What does it mean to talk about a GLBTQ community or culture, especially in relation to the greater society as a whole?

Much of my focus, if you have been reading my blog, has been on PA HB 300, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity and expression to the states nondiscrimination legislation. And I’m 100% committed to that as an important legislative agenda here in Pennsylvania. But recently, two other issues have been rising to the top of my priority list: Hate Crimes legislation and Anti-bullying legislation, which really seem connected in my line of reasoning. When we allow the use of homophobic slurs and bullying in our schools, we are setting the stage for people to act out violently against anyone seen as different from the norm, and especially gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenders. A hate crime is bullying gone way to far. That is over simplified, but I hope you get my point.

As usual, I have strayed away from the linked article trying to set the stage for it. If we are focused only on legislative advances we fail to see and address the ongoing effects within our communities, that are a result to some extent of the level of homophobia and anti-gay sentiment that we live in 24/7/365. Changing laws alone won’t either fix the problems this has caused nor alter the elements of our culture that are the result of it. So, at the same time as we work for full equality, we must also look at how it has impacted us. The linked article is a very good read toward that end.

Reeuq.com – Gay Social Media Done Right!.

John "Jake" Raynard

I saw this story and Twitter and re-tweeted it, but felt it was important enough to post to my blog as well.  Violence happens- there will always perhaps be crimes of violence. However, crimes like this one is not just about violence in that random sense.  Crimes like this are the result of a culture where the level of hate speech and verbal violence in our churches, schools, and elsewhere give license to treat others so badly.

A few laws on the books, either at state or at a national level won’t end all violence like this, but it is a big step towards forcing the cultural change needed so that everyone can live free from this type of hatred.

Hate crimes legislation as well as nondiscrimination protections are the beginning steps towards a culture where all women and men are allowed to be themselves.

The people who need to look most closely at this picture and story are those who are opposed to equal protections for gays and lesbians on religious grounds. Those who claim that if gays have rights it will interfere with their religious freedom.

Look at this picture and tell me how you have more religious freedom because the treatment of this man?

This was a planned attack.

Man in hospital after vicious brick attack – TbNewsWatch.com .

I haven’t even mentioned PA HB 300 for quite a while since it has been impossible get PA Representative’s offices to even think about scheduling meetings, but it really is time to be thinking about what happens after PA has a budget and the Federal Congress is on the August recess. My emphasis on both the state and federal is intentional, even though in the past I haven’t said much about advocacy work and your elected officials in Washington. My point today: ramp up to use the next four weeks to accomplish as much as you can for the issues that matter most to you, because if you don’t, who will? Not only that, but it is your voice that matters most at the moment. This is true for my readers, no matter where you live- your voice matters and the collective “we” needs every single voice more than ever before.

At the State level

PA HB 300 remains waiting in committee for your voice. The House leadership will bring it back to the full House for a vote when they feel more sure it has enough votes to pass. We aren’t that far away from that point. Several people who are “in the know” tell me they feel there are probably more affirmative votes out there than they are counting, so just a few more they are sure about will be a that they need. Everyone (in Harrisburg) has been overwhelmed with numbers and budget, and politics, and the best opportunity exists now for your personal voice to be heard! A personal voice will stand out from all of the business-as-usual that has filed all of their time. How about commit to the following:

1. Write a personal letter to your PA House Representative and ask him or her to support  PA HB 300. It can be typed or handwritten but it needs to be a personal letter and not a form letter expressing your genuine opinion, and it is pretty much assured at getting into their hands and read. It doesn’t need to be long; it doesn’t have to spell out the full case for PA HB 300; but it needs to say clearly why you want them to support and vote for the legislation. Your reason may be  as simple because you think it is the right thing to do to offer everyone in the state freedom from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations, or it can be as involved as sharing more deeply how PA HB 300 will impact your life. And make this letter a low-tech, person to person communication. This is a letter on paper sent through the US postal mail service, sot hat your rep has something to hold in their hands. Will you commit to writing this letter over the next few days?
2. If you have been trying to schedule a meeting with your representative, you may be on a first name basis with their office staff. If not, why not use the next week to get to that point? Stop into the representative’s local office  and introduce yourself to their administrative staff as one of  [representative's name] constituents. Be friendly. Let them know that over the August break, you would like to stop back in and meet with the representative. Get this person on your side. You don’t have to sell your position to them, but you want them to want to help you get on the representative’s calendar. There may be a long line of people who want a part of the representative’s calendar during August, so do what you can to help “position” yourself for 15-30 minutes of that time. A wise person once said you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar. If you are already on a first name basis with their staff, a simple phone call to “just touch base” may be all that you need, or if you are lucky, they may be able to get you on the calendar. Will you commit to stopping into the office or calling to touch base with the representative’s staff?
3. What about your State Senators?  My suggestion is to do the exact same thing for your PA Senators. While HB 300 is just that, a House Bill, it will be coming to the Senate at some point, and now is an ideal moment to get your thoughts about state-wide nondiscrimination protection in front of them. They already have 2 bills in front of them which are extremely highly charged: Eichelberger’s constitutional ban against Marriage Equality, and Daylin Leach’s bill proposing Marriage Equality. It is unclear how your personal voice will impact a senator’s ideas about either of these bills because the issue is so politically charged. But it is a perfect time to offer each senator a reminder that in these rough economic times, millions of Pennsylvanians fear they could lose their job or not be hired simply because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Even straight people who are perceived as possibly gay suffer from this discrimination.

At the Federal Level

I have every intention of writing about your Federal elected officials, but this post has become long enough, so I’ll save that to later.

To do list for July 30, 2009:

1. Write a personal letter to your State Representative and mail it to their local office.
2. Write a personal letter to your State Senator and mail it to their local office.
3. Stop by their local office to touch base and meet their administrative staff. Lay the groundwork for getting on the schedule.

Let me know how you do with that! Drop me an email or leave a comment here on the blog!

Now that the Allegheny County Ordinance struggle, it is time to turn our attention back to PA HB 300. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending upon your perspective) the PA House isn’t ready, as they are still too embroiled with working on a budget (or not working on a budget, depending upon your perspective). So, now is the time to sort out our next steps.

States, such as Massachusetts have been way ahead in protections for sexual orientation, but have lagged behind in terms of transgender protections. Easily transfolk could become the next major target for accepted discrimination. I’m sure some are saying, that they already are [no need to become] socially accepted targets for discrimination. The question is this: in Pennsylvania, are we going to look for protections in employment, housing and public accommodations that cover all sexual minorities or not?

The linked article describes the dialogue surrounding personal privacy and modesty in public locker rooms. The good news is that the opponents to discrimination protection seem to have dropped their scare tactic re: men’s ability to use this ordinance as a way to attack women. But this is still a prevailing myth:

“The real issue is in locker rooms you undress, you dress, you shower,” said Durkin. “My children, my two girls, would most likely be exposed to an anatomic male, and that’s something I think they have a right to be protected against.”

We need to use the time now to be prepared and get back to the hard work of getting PA HB 300 passed.

Bay Windows – New England’s largest GLBT newspaper.

“I’m delighted that residents of Allegheny County will now be protected from discrimination but am still concerned that many Pennsylvanians lack this basic protection, even while most residents believe it should be the law. Look at the 71 percent support statewide – including 63 percent support in the central/’T’ region — for House Bill 300, which would protect people who live or work in Pennsylvania from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.”

Frankel applauds passage of Allegheny County Human Relations Act.