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AMPLIFY LGBTQ is a new occasional series of blog posts designed to give a “signal boost” to the voices of our LGBTQ neighbors throughout Western Pennsylvania. We are using a Q&A format and will mostly avoid editing their responses. The questions, however, may change as we ask each participant to tell us what we’ve missed […]
As we explored last year, Allegheny County plans to eliminate domestic partner benefits for LGBTQ employees effective June 30, 2015. Heterosexual employees were never offered access to these benefits. From the County Communications Director, Amie Downs: [This] is correct and those employees will be reminded/given notice again of the policy. Eliminating domestic partner benefits is […]
A recent letter to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by Reverend Eric Andrae of First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church shows a fundamental misunderstanding of how religious liberty protects the community. Reverend Andrae suggests that business owners should be allowed to refuse service when “morals and sexual behaviors” are part of the sales transaction. Or should an […]
In a move not surprising but still ugly, the PA Family Council sent out campaign literature for candidate for State House Jason Ortitay distorting HB 300 to paint his opponent, incumbent Rep Jesse White, as a threat to civilized society. White represents the 46th House District which includes portions of both Allegheny and Washington counties. […]
While there is a certain artistry to deconstructing the propensity of acronyms, Post-Gazette columnist Reg Henry once again decided to add a little homophobic & transphobic thrust into his column du jour. In this case, Henry was condemning what he described as acronyms that are killing honest words. Among these are DOD, STEM, IED and […]
Let me start with a very clear statement – the assault of two gay men in a Philadelphia neighborhood by a crowd of people was a terrible act of violence and I am very glad that they both survived. I’m also aware that this experience may resonate in their lives for a long time and […]
When I saw the headline “Jurassic Legislature: As gays marry, lawmakers won’t protect their rights” I cringed. I thought to myself as I opened the link “please let them get it right, please let them get it right.” BOOM. They got it so very wrong. The poor performance of the state Legislature has a number […]
Most people do not believe this so let me open with a statement of fact – in most of the United States (and Pennsylvania) it is legal to fire someone or deny them a rental unit or service because they are LGBTQ. It is legal. It doesn’t have anything to do with “right to work” […]
This morning, Allegheny County announced plans to revise their deadline for the termination of domestic partner benefits from July 31, 2014 to June 30, 2015. “Now that same sex marriage is legal in Pennsylvania, I believe that it is important to continue to keep our employees on equal footing and that means requiring proof of […]
In a very dismaying turn of events, Rich Fitzgerald’s County Administration has opted to drop domestic partner benefits less than two years after first extending them. The county’s benefit policy is being adjusted in response to the marriage ruling, county spokeswoman Amie Downs said in an email. “As a result of the Court’s recent decision […]
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