Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs

12/01/2022

On World AIDS Day, Dr. Katharine Dalke, PA Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, joined Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) Policy Director Katie Merritt and Hamilton Health Center representatives to highlight the importance of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, medication for HIV prevention, and to detail insurance coverage of the drugs under the Affordable Care Act.

To end the HIV epidemic in Pennsylvania and the United States, we need to work together to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and improve access to live-saving medications like PrEP, said Dr. Katharine Dalke. Thankfully, PrEP is covered by insurance in our state and is accessible to patients who need it.



https://pacast.com/m?p=22398

11/29/2022

Gov. Wolf Highlights $2.5 Million Capital Investment for Philadelphia LGBT Community Center Renovations - Governor Tom Wolf

Governor Tom Wolf joined state and local leaders to highlight a $2.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant awarded to the William Way LGBT Community Center for phase two of its major renovation project. The funds, awarded last fall, will be used for upgrades and renovations to the rear two-thirds of the building​, which have fallen into disrepair.

Governor Tom Wolf joined state and local leaders to highlight a $2.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant awarded to the William Way LGBT Community Center for phase two of its major renovation project. The funds, awarded last fall, will be used for upgrades and renovations t...

11/22/2022

This time of year can be stressful for many Pennsylvanians.

Remember, you're not alone and help is available if you need it.

11/16/2022

It's up to all of us to stand up to hate.

On , I'm calling on all Pennsylvanians to speak up for one another.

To call out bigotry when it happens in your community.

To be an ally to your neighbors.

If you or someone you know has experienced discrimination, report it to PHRC Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission or call (717) 787-4410.

11/11/2022

Today we honor and thank veterans in Pennsylvania and nationwide for their service.

Thank you for the sacrifices you've made to keep us safe.

11/08/2022

Good morning, PA! Welcome to . Polls are open from 7 am–8 pm. Remember, if you are in line by 8 pm, you can vote.

Find your polling place: vote.pa.gov/polls
Return your voted mail ballot: vote.pa.gov/ReturnBallot


Hoy es el . Las urnas están abiertas de 7 a.m. a 8 p.m.
Si está en la fila antes de las 8 p.m., puede votar.

Encuentre su centro de votación: vote.pa.gov/polls
Devuelva su papeleta de voto por correo antes de las 8 p.m.: vote.pa.gov/ReturnBallot

今天是#選舉日（）
可在下列網址找到所在地的投票站：vote.pa.gov/Polls
瞭解如何親自投票：vote.pa.gov/AtThePolls
在晚上8點之前寄回您投好票的郵寄選票：vote.pa.gov/ReturnBallot
投票時間為上午7點至晚上8點。
只要您在晚上8點前排隊，就可以投票。

11/07/2022

TOMORROW is Election Day. Are you ready?

📨 If you still have your mail ballot, complete and hand-deliver it to a drop off location: vote.pa.gov/returnballot.

🗳 If you plan to vote at the polls tomorrow, make a plan: vote.pa.gov/atthepolls.

11/07/2022

Reminder as we head into tomorrow — Pennsylvania's official source for voter information and services is vote.pa.gov.

Official commonwealth accounts to follow for election updates:

☑️ PA Department of State
☑️ Governor Tom Wolf
☑️ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

10/31/2022

Photos from Office of Victim Advocate's post

10/31/2022

Gov. Wolf: State Insurance Exchange Pennie Opens Tomorrow for 2023 Health Care Coverage - Governor Tom Wolf

Governor Tom Wolf is reminding Pennsylvanians of the 2023 Open Enrollment Period that begins tomorrow, Tuesday, November 1, through Pennie, the commonwealth’s official online health insurance marketplace!

Governor Tom Wolf is reminding Pennsylvanians of the 2023 Open Enrollment Period that begins tomorrow, Tuesday, November 1, through Pennie, the commonwealth’s official online health insurance marketplace. Pennsylvanians can apply, compare plans, and enroll in high-quality health coverage all in on...

10/19/2022

2022 U.S. Trans Survey

Take the 2022 US Trans survey and please share this link. Data collection is critical in making policy.

The USTS documents the lives and experiences of trans and nonbinary people ages 16+ in the U.S. and U.S. territories.

10/11/2022

Happy National Coming Out Day Pennsylvania! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

09/28/2022

Gov. Wolf, Lt. Gov. Fetterman: Time is Running Out for People Interested in Quick Pardons through PA Ma*****na Pardon Project

If you or someone you know is eligible please sign up. This is a great opportunity to get a second chance.

Pennsylvanians have a unique opportunity to be quickly pardoned from minor marijuana-related convictions through Gov. Wolf and Lt. Gov. Fetterman’s PA Ma*****na Pardon Project and time is running out for those interested in applying.

09/13/2022

Today the Commission on LGBTQ Affairs joined Governor Wolf's advisory commissions to discuss the importance of registering to vote and indeed voting. This November's election will determine the future of Pennsylvania, don't let your voice go unheard.

09/08/2022

Today members of our commission and other community stakeholders provided testimonials to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in support of their regulation change that will expand the term "s*x" to include s*xual orientation and gender identity in the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. This step is a major change that will help LGBTQ Pennsylvanians facing discrimination in housing, the workplace and public accommodations.

08/16/2022

Gov. Wolf Signs Executive Order to Protect LGBTQIA+ Pennsylvanians from Conversion Therapy

Gov. Wolf Signs Executive Order to Protect LGBTQIA+ Pennsylvanians from Conversion Therapy

"Conversion therapy is a traumatic practice based on junk science that actively harms the people it supposedly seeks to treat," said Gov. Wolf. "This discriminatory practice is widely rejected by medical and scientific professionals and has been proven to lead to worse mental health outcomes for LGBTQIA+ youth subjected to it. This is about keeping our children safe from bullying and extreme practices that harm them."

Governor Tom Wolf signed Executive Order 2022-2 to protect Pennsylvanians from conversion therapy. "Conversion therapy is a traumatic practice based on junk science that actively harms the people it supposedly seeks to treat," said Gov. Wolf. "This discriminatory practice is widely rejected....

07/26/2022

As Monkey Pox or MPX continues to spread, the most important protection is information. Please join Philadelphia Fight for a virtual conversation to learn more on how MPX is spread and what can be done to prevent it.

07/08/2022

This is why having a Governor that supports LGBTQ Pennsylvanians is so important. Thanks Governor Wolf!

07/06/2022

Aument and Martin propose bills to give parents more control over kids' education at a time LGBTQ kids already facing harm [editorial]

Early last week the sponsors of the bills published an op ed with an attempt to discredit the concerns expressed by the LGBTQ community. We thank the Lancaster Online editorial board for pushing back on the bill sponsors.

"The senators seem unwilling to acknowledge the possible consequences of the legislation — Senate Bills 1277 and 1278 — they’re proposing.

In the present climate, it’s not surprising that legislation that could negatively impact LGBTQ students is eliciting concerns. Some of those concerns may be coming from the left side of the political aisle, but they aren’t coming from left field.

Rafael Álvarez Febo, executive director of the Pennsylvania LGBTQ Affairs Commission, asserted in a statement that legislation such as Senate Bill 1278 “will cause LGBTQ teachers to have to conceal their identities and strip any resources available for LGBTQ youth out of schools. Even more alarming, these bills have emboldened far-right hate groups to mobilize to commit violence against LGBTQ people.”

Aument and Martin took particular umbrage to that last assertion, perhaps unaware that according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, which maps political violence, anti-LGBTQ mobilization — “including demonstrations, political violence, and offline propaganda activity” — increased by over four times from 2020 to 2021,” and data “indicate that 2022 is on track to be worse than last year.”

Incidents of political violence targeting the LGBTQ community this year “have already exceeded the total number of attacks reported last year.”

This stems, at least in part, to the moral panic around LGBTQ individuals — a nationwide panic fed by legislation such as Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act (labeled “Don’t Say Gay” by its opponents) and what the data project report described as the mainstreaming of “increasingly inflammatory rhetoric.”

THE ISSUE

06/23/2022

For As*xual Folks Like Me, Cake Is Actually Better Than S*x

Great read featuring Commissioner and ACE Activist Marshall John Blount! Happy Belated ACE Day to our As*xual community members!
🟣⚫️⚪️🍰🎂

How dessert became a symbol for as*xual pride.

06/22/2022

LGBTQ Affairs Commission, Stakeholders Denounce Legislation to Bring Discriminatory “Don’t Say Gay” Bill to PA - Governor Tom Wolf

Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs and education and youth advocates denounced Senate Bill 1278, a copy-paste version of Florida’s discriminatory “Don’t Say Gay” bill that would harm students and set back human rights in Pennsylvania.

The LGBTQ Affairs Commission firmly opposes Senate Bill 1278, which was introduced on Friday, June 10, was approved yesterday along party lines by the Senate Education Committee and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

“Pennsylvania was founded on the basis of inclusion, and the Wolf Administration has fought to ensure that Pennsylvania will continue to be a state that welcomes and protects all of its residents,” said Rafael Álvarez Febo, executive director of the LGBTQ Affairs Commission. “This bill, which was introduced in the middle of Pride Month, is a cruel attempt to politicize LGBTQ people and deny their humanity in order to score cheap political points.

“We at the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs know that the guise of calling LGBTQ people and topics ‘age inappropriate’ is really just fearmongering. Bills like these will cause LGBTQ teachers to have to conceal their identities and strip any resources available for LGBTQ youth out of schools. Even more alarming, these bills have emboldened far right hate groups to mobilize to commit violence against LGBTQ people.

"While Pennsylvanians are struggling with very real issues such as gun violence, soaring prices and underfunded schools, the General Assembly has chosen to pick on LGBTQ children and teachers to score political points. This is deeply wrong and would have long-reaching consequences for our schools and human rights in Pennsylvania.”

Read more at the link below

Today, the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs and education and youth advocates denounced Senate Bill 1278, a copy-paste version of Florida’s discriminatory “Don’t Say Gay” bill that would harm students and set back human rights in Pennsylvania. The LGBTQ Affairs Commission firmly oppo...

06/20/2022

Today is Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Pennsylvania, marking the day news of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation reached the nation’s last remaining enslaved people in Galveston, Texas.

06/13/2022

As Monkey Pox continues to spread we are committed to getting people the information they need on the virus. Be safe, be proud!

06/08/2022

Pennsylvania's Republican lawmakers are celebrating Pride Month by advancing legislation targeting trans kids.

As I've said, I will veto this bill if it makes it to my desk.

Leave trans kids alone. Stop the political stunts and focus on the real problems facing Pennsylvanians.

06/01/2022

Happy Pride Pennsylvania! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

June is , Pennsylvania! 🏳️‍🌈

06/01/2022

The 2022 Pride Power 100

Congratulations to the nearly 30 Commissioners who were recognized by City and State Pennsylvania for their contributions to the Keystone State's vibrant LGBTQ community! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

The most influential figures in the state’s LGBTQ community

05/26/2022

Pennsylvania Commissions Issue Joint Statement Calling for Meaningful Gun Safety Legislation

“As a person who has experienced gun violence the trauma and pain is something you never forget; the sounds of gunfire will likely forever provoke deep feelings of terror and hurt. These tragedies continue to happen while our leaders do little to change the conditions that lead to mass shootings – access to high powered guns,” said Rafael Alvarez-Febo, Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on LGBTQ+ Affairs. “Over the last year we have seen legislators across the country swoop in to enact politically motivated legislation to “protect children” when in fact the epidemic of gun violence is indeed what our children need protecting from.”

The Pennsylvania Commissions for Women, African American, Latino, LGBTQ+, and Asian Pacific American affairs released a joint statement calling on the General Assembly and Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation to pass gun safety legislation.

05/10/2022

Sign the Petition

SisTers PGH and The Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs are ask for your support in creating legislation to ensure housing access for one of the most vulnerable populations by signing our petition.

Compared to non-LGBTQ+ people, LGBTQ+ people have higher rates of poverty, lower rates of homeownership (only 50% own compared to 70% of non-LGBTQ+ people), and higher rates of homelessness. This is partly because LGBTQ+ people face an array of stigma and discrimination that undermines their ability to have stable, safe, and affordable housing.

We need housing protections and policies that ensure Pennsylvanians are not discriminated against in housing.

Housing Access For LGBTQ Pennsylvanians

04/15/2022

I've called on the Republican-led legislature for six years to pass basic employment protections for all LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians.

In their absence, I took executive action to protect state employees.

Now, PHRC Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission seeks to expand protections for more workers in Pennsylvania. You can help.

As this regulation seeks IRRC approval, the time for action is now.

You can help extend basic LGBTQ+ protections across more Pennsylvania companies by submitting your feedback before May 9.

Take action: on.pa.gov/PHRCregulation.

04/06/2022

Happy international Ace day!

03/08/2022

Happy international Womxn's day! Celebrating all the strong and dynamic womxn of Pennsylvania.

01/25/2022

Central Pa. borough poised to become first to repeal LGBTQ protections

Central Pa. borough poised to become first to repeal LGBTQ protections

A central Pennsylvania borough is poised to become the first municipality to repeal anti-discrimination safeguards that protect residents against discrimination...

12/21/2021

We at The Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs support Lia Thomas and admire her excellent performance on the University of Pennsylvania Women's Swim Team. She has complied with all the rules, and should have the same freedoms to shine and grow as any other undergraduate student. We insist that she be treated respectfully, both personally and in public discourse, and we commit to changing hearts and minds in the coming conversations about Trans Women in sports.

12/01/2021

Governor Tom Wolf joins advocates around the world to recognize World Aids Day on December 1.

World Aids Day is an important time for all of us to come together to show our support for people living with HIV and remember those we lost.

11/15/2021

November 13-19 is Transgender Awareness Week.
While strides are being made towards equality and justice for transgender and gender non-conforming people, transphobia continues to be a crisis plaguing our community.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 45 trans or gender non-conforming people have lost their lives to senseless acts of violence in 2021. Unfortunately, this number may not represent all of our siblings, as many cases go unreported or victims are misgendered.

We celebrate the lives of all Transgender Pennsylvanians and will continue to fight for justice and equality.

10/26/2021

Celebrating Inters*x Awareness Day and honoring Inters*x Pennsylvanians all over the Commonwealth! 🏳️‍🌈

10/08/2021

Pennsylvania lags behind on LGBTQ+ protections, the legislature needs to pass the PA Fairness Act!

10/01/2021

October is LGBTQIA+ History month! Let us take this time to honor those who have paved the way for LGBTQIA+ rights.

It's LGBTQIA+ History Month in Pennsylvania. This month we celebrate and honor the history of LGBTQIA+ Pennsylvanians.

09/30/2021

First Latinx Pennsylvania Historical Marker Dedicated at City Hall for Gloria Casarez — William Way Community Center

Honoring the legacy of Gloria Casarez at Philadelphia City Hall with a Pennsylvania Historic Marker. Gloria was a true trailblazer. 🏳️‍🌈

Philadelphia, PA, September 29, 2021 -- A state historical marker commemorating the life and work of the late Latina le***an civil rights leader and activist Gloria Casarez (1971-2014) will be installed at City Hall on October 8 at noon. During the ceremony, the rainbow flag will be raised in honor