It is no secret that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people experience sexual orientation discrimination and LGBT discrimination in this country. Although there is much work to be done toward equality for the LGBT community, Pennsylvania is working hard to build equality. In fact, according to a report recently released by the Equality Federation Institute and Human Rights Campaign, Pennsylvania has scored in the top half of states in the 2017 State Equality Index Report.
Although Pennsylvania law and federal statutes do not specifically prohibit discrimination that is based on sexual orientation or gender identity, federal courts and agencies have come to recognize discrimination against LGBT people as a type of gender or sexual discrimination. More than 40 local Pennsylvania governments have ordinances that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations against LGBT people.
In 1975, Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp issued the landmark Executive Order 1975-5, which prohibited employment discrimination based on sexual orientation under the state government’s jurisdiction. That made Pennsylvania the first state in the nation to ban employment discrimination based on sexual orientation in the government. Every Pennsylvania governor since then has renewed that Executive Order.
If you have experienced sexual orientation discrimination or LGBT discrimination, please call the Philadelphia LGBT lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. today at 215-569-1999 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation. Our knowledgeable attorneys fight for equal rights of victims. We are centrally located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and we proudly serve clients from the surrounding areas, as well as New Jersey and New York.