LGBTQ advocates, allies rally at the Capitol for nondiscrimination law

LGBTQ advocates and their allies in the General Assembly rallied on the Capitol steps Tuesday in support of a long-sought bill that would ban housing, employment and public accommodation discrimination on the basis of someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

“We should not be inhibited by people who want to go backward — and we’re not going backward,” said Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, one of two openly gay lawmakers in the General Assembly. “I know you’ll be in this fight. This good music will lead to good engagement with people in this building.”

Twenty-one states and Washington, D.C., prohibit employment and housing discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.

A bill, backed by House Democrats, is now before the chamber’s State Government Committee. The panel’s new chairman, Rep. Garth Everett, R-Lycoming, has said he’s not opposed to considering the legislation.

Read more: https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/lgbtq-advocates-allies-rally-at-the-capitol-for-nondiscrimination-law/