Just received a call to action from the Steel-City Stonewall Democrats.  As you may recall, legislation has been introduced on the county level which would expand civil protections with regard to housing, employment and public accomodations to include the classes of sexual orientation and gender identity.  This is an important step for our region toward achieving equality for all residents. 

Without this legislation, it remains perfectly legal for a landlord in Monroeville to refuse to rent to a lesbian couple.  It remains legal for a restaurant owner in Bethel Park  to refuse service to gay men.  It is legal for an employer in McCandless to fire someone just for being gay. 

The chance to make an impact is nigh:

Allegheny County Council is considering an ordinance that would prohibit discrimination in Employment, Housing and Public Accommodations based on characteristics including sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. 

 

The Council has, so far, been very interested in moving this non-discrimination ordinance forward.  Twelve (out of 15) Council members have signed on as co-sponsors!  One of Council?s next steps is to approve funding for the ordinance. Specifically, the County will have to hire folks to educate the public, to investigate complaints, and to prosecute violations of the ordinance.  The Council's Government Committee will be discussing the ordinance next Tuesday.

This isn't a feel good resolution expressing the will of the Council.  It needs to have some funding to give it teeth.  My partner Ledcat, as you may recall, is an investigator and can attest to the need to ensure that qualified people are hired -- outside of the ken of politics -- to protect the interest of the residents of the County.  This is a critical step in the process. 

The meeting is Tuesday at 5 PM.  Can you attend?  Perhaps not. It is a holiday week and you do have jobs.  One thing you can do is make a telephone call or send an email to your County Council Rep (and the two at large reps).  Those details are below:

Please contact your County Councilperson to thank him or her for supporting this ordinance.  Encourage your Councilperson to continue moving the legislation forward.  

 

You can look up your County Council District by following this link:

http://www.alleghenycounty.us/council/dist.aspx

 

Sponsors:

Matt Drozd, Dist. 1

412.350.6525

 

Jim Burn, Dist. 3

412.350.6535

 

Michael Finnerty, Dist. 4

412.350.6540

 

Joan Cleary, Dist. 6

412.350.6550

 

Nick Futules, Dist. 7

412.350.6555

 

Chuck Martoni, Dist. 8

412.350.6560

 

Bob Macey, Dist. 9

412.350.6565

 

William Russell Robinson, Dist. 10

412.350.6570

 

Rich Fitzgerald, Dist. 11

412.350.6575

 

Jim Ellenbogen, Dist. 12

412.350.6580

 

Amanda Green (lead sponsor), Dist. 13

412.350.6585

 

John DeFazio, Council At-Large

412.350.6516

 

 

In case you wish to encourage the non-sponsors to become co-sponsors, here is their contact information:

 

Chuck McCollough, Council At-Large

412.350.6520

 

Jan Rea, District 2

412.350.6530

 

Vince Gastgeb, District 5

412.350.6545

 

 

(Councilmembers ?at-large? are elected county-wide and represent all residents of Allegheny County.)

 

 

In case you would like to attend: the Government Committee of the Allegheny County Council will be meeting this Tuesday, November 25, at 5:00pm to discuss this legislation.  The location is

436 Grant St., County Courthouse Rm. 119, Conference Rm. 1.  At this type of Committee meeting there is not the opportunity for public comment, but the public is welcome to attend, and you would be supporting the legislation with your presence.

This week's City Paper has some good stuff ...

First up, the cover story on a gender discrimination suit that could have a tremendous impact on women in the workplace.  Was Brian Prowel the victim of sexism or homophobia?  We've covered this before.  Now we wait for the court decision. 

Marty Levine talks with activists about the importance of including "gender identity" in all LGBT advocacy efforts in 2009.  In PA, two bills are planned - the extension of non-discrimination protections and a hate crimes legislation bill.  This is particularly poignant as today is the National Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Among the 30 states lacking statewide protections for LGBT people, Pennsylvania has the greatest number of individual municipalities with anti-discrimination laws: 14, up from six in 2002. Trans protections in Pittsburgh were added in 1996 to a law that already protected gay people. In Philadelphia, protections for transgender residents were added in 2000. Other local governments are weighing similar measures. In Allegheny County, 11 out of 15 county councilors support anti-discrimination legislation that protects both gender identity and sexual orientation. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 25.

For the two state anti-discrimination bills to be proposed next year, Democratic state Rep. Dan Frankel of Squirrel Hill urged those attending the meeting to seek personal contact with their legislators. Even if a legislator would actively support such changes, Frankel says, voters can try to convince them to let the bills come up for a vote.

"Everyone in this room has a personal story that is powerful and meaningful and represents something that could be a teachable moment for a legislator," added the HRC's Glassman. "They need to see human beings who are transgender."

Go.  Read.