Local Equality

In Pennsylvania, most municipalities are legally empowered by the state to enact local LGBTQ equality laws and policies. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act of 1955 allows for many cities, towns, and counties to pass a non-discrimination law which exceeds the state law (i.e. sexual orientation and gender identity or expression). With the state having stalled on LGBTQ legal equality for several decades, communities across Pennsylvania have organized to enact local laws and policies. Young people have a great opportunity to get involved and have played critical roles in these efforts.

28 of the 2,566 Pennsylvania municipalities have passed local non-discrimination ordinances since 1982. This amounts to aprox. 30.1% of the Pennsylvania population (US Census – 2010.) Below is the list of Pennsylvania municipalities that have adopted non-discrimination ordinances with the dates which sexual orientation and gender identity were added to (or when an ordinance was passed to protect LGBTQ persons, or those percieved to be LGBTQ), with links to the ordinances.

Abington Township (April 12, 2012)
Allegheny County (2009)
City of Allentown (April 4, 2002)
City of Bethlehem (July 1, 2011) 
Borough of Conshohocken (April 21, 2011)
Doylestown Borough (2010)
City of Easton (July 12, 2006)
Erie County (2002)
City of Harrisburg (1983)
Haverford Township (Feburary 14, 2011)
City of Lancaster (2002)
Lansdowne Borough (2006)
Lower Merion Township (December 8, 2010)
Jenkintown Borough (November 28, 2011)
Newtown Borough (October 11, 2011)
New Hope Borough (2002)
City of Philadelphia (1982 SO, 2002 GI)
City of Pittsburgh (1997)
City of Reading (September 28, 2009)
City of Scranton (December 8, 2003)
Springfield Township (September 2011)
State College Borough (2007)
Susquehanna Township (December 8, 2011)
Swarthmore Borough (March 13, 2006)
City of West Chester (2006)
Whitemarsh Township (November 17, 2011)
City of York (1998)

School districts can also pass non-discrimination policies in terms of sexual orientation and gender identity. Below is a short list of school districts which have LGBTQ friendly policies with links to the documents.

The Lower Merion School District - Policies 103, 104, and 426 (1994: Sexual Orientation included in non-discrimination policies) (Followed by domestic partner benefits)

The Philadelphia School District - Policy 102 -

The State College Area School District – Policy 103 and Policy 104-

Please contact info@pennsec.org if you would like to have your local law or policy stored in our Pennsylvania Equality Center. We are contacted for support by organizers across PA and are happy to be a resource.