Notes from the Pennsylvania Equality Summit

by Ashley Gold for The Daily Collegian:

In 17 of Pennsylvania's municipalities, citizens are protected from harassment in the workplace for being gay. But in the remaining 2,459, it's still possible for an employee to be fired because of his or her sexual orientation.


Equality advocates think they've found and answer in House Bill 300, a non-discrimination bill adopted by those 17 municipalities -- State College included -- that prohibits such discrimination.

This bill, along with other pieces of equality legislation, was discussed at the Pennsylvania Equality Summit, held Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 780 Waupelani Drive Extension. The Value All Families Coalition, Equality Advocates Pennsylvania and the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, among other gay rights interest groups from across the state, gathered to discuss goals and plans of action for the coming months.

Jake Kaskey of Equality Advocates Pennsylvania said his group wanted to pull people from all across Pennsylvania to State College for the event.

"What's amazing is the diversity of the people here today -- straight, gay, people of faith," Kaskey said. "What we're doing here today is educating, planning, idea-sharing and getting a plan for the next few months."

Kaskey said the summit's main focus is passing House Bill 300 in all municipalities of Pennsylvania. He said the largest amount of complaints Equality Advocates Pennsylvania receives are related to workplace discrimination.

Event attendees arrived excited to gain momentum and see bills passed for lesbian, gay and transgender rights, Kaskey said.

One of the groups present at the event was Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG) of Pittsburgh. Bev Belkowski, a member of the group, said the organization aims to support lesbians, gays and their families in what is sometimes a "not so-supportive" society.

The summit was a great place to collaborate, she said.

"There's different organizations doing different things, but a lot of us have the same goals," she said. "We all have the same ideas and want to come together."

The groups listened to Kaskey and Andy Hoover, legislative director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), speak about their goals. One of the other pieces of legislation deals with bullying against gay students in schools, and members contributed their personal stories.

After a group discussion, people from different areas of the state broke off into groups to discuss specific regional goals. Joanne Tosti-Vasey, president of the Bellefonte-based Pennsylvania chapter of National Organization for Women (NOW), said enforcement of the law prohibiting discrimination in the workplace in State College is a problem and must be re-addressed by the State College Borough Council.


Tosti-Vasey said the borough also needs to address gender identity in its fair housing law and pass a public accommodations law that would allow for events like commitment ceremonies to take place in public parks without opposition.

She urged those present to call the borough and ask for a public hearing to discuss this legislation.

"It's time we can get this passed," she said. "We need to have a full program passed in State College."