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Camp Hill Borough in Cumberland County on Wednesday night joined a short list of communities that have enacted laws to protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination.
(PennLive file)
A central Pennsylvania community on Wednesday night joined a short list of communities across the country that have joined the national battle over LGBTQ rights.
By a unanimous vote the Camp Hill Borough council enacted an ordinance that protects members of the gay and transgender community from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Camp Hills new anti-discrimination ordinance will make it unlawful for anyone - regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity - to be discriminated against in the workplace, or be denied a mortgage or refused service at libraries or hospitals because of their sexual orientation or identity.
Camp Hill becomes the 43rd Pennsylvania community to enact such a measure.
"As a borough resident it means to me that my friends can't be discriminated against and to me that is important because I support them," said Samantha Stout, who handed out rainbow ribbon pins prior to the start of the meeting. "To me it's as simple as that."
The vote received a round of applause from borough residents in the audience and audible thank you's.
Mike Berney, a member of borough council, acknowledged the efforts of residents who in November initiated the effort to pass the ordinance under the banner Camp Hill United with P.R.I.D.E., which demanded that the community embrace tolerance for diversity across the board.
"A word about American democracy - it works and you are proof of that," Berney said. "I would urge you to stay involved in the process."
Debbie Smith, who is running for mayor of the borough, praised the council on its unanimous vote.
"I don't think there was any other choice about how to vote," she said. "Why would you want to discriminate against anybody? We are a community. We should be a community. We should be working together to move forward."
Pennsylvania does not have a statute that makes it illegal to discriminate against the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act prohibits discrimination widely based on race, religion, ethnicity and handicap, but it does not provide protection against sexual orientation categories.
Progressive-leaning communities across Republican strongholds across the state have in recent time struggled to enact such ordinances
Carlisle last year struggled to pass a similar ordinance, but the borough council eventually voted in favor of an ordinance that aimed to foster equality and equal opportunity for those in the LGBTQ community.
Camp Hill, which has more registered Republican voters, has become increasingly progressive in recent years. Despite the GOP registration margin over Democrats, every single one of the borough's precincts voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia - including every state in the northeast - have enacted non-discrimination policies to end discrimination against individuals who identity with the LGBT community.
Ted Martin, executive director of Equality PA, who worked alongside borough residents to push for the ordinance, said other communities need to follow suit.
"It sends a message to Pennsylvania that it's time to protect all its citizens across the state," he said, noting that 75 percent of all residents in the Commonwealth have no protection against LGBTQ discrimination.
"That needs to change," Martin said. "The state Legislature needs to act. They need to take a cue from the people here who did all the hard work with the ordinance. They need to pass a statewide law."
The battle over LGBT rights emerged as a national talking point last year when celebrities and others in the entertainment world, including the National Basketball Association, pushed back on efforts in North Carolina to discriminate against the LGBT community. The NBA and dozens of business and entertainment interests have boycotted the state in protest.
The fight for LGBT rights in the southern state exploded earlier last year in the wake of a measure enacted by the city of Charlotte protecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from being discriminated against by businesses.
North Carolina state Legislature last year passed a law blocking local governments from passing anti-discrimination rules to grant protections to gay and transgender people.
North Carolina's statewide protections cover race, religion, color, national origin and biological sex -- but not sexual orientation or gender identity.
The U.S. Department of Justice, which had threatened to sue North Carolina, last month dismissed its lawsuit.
Martin said it is not out of the question - but doubtful - that Pennsylvania will follow suit with North Carolina and attempt to pass legislation that usurps such local ordinances.
"People have gotten to know LGBTQ people. I think that is important. I think the Legislature hopefully is in a different place."
In the last legislative session - the last time state lawmakers considered a non-discrimination statute - more Republicans were involved, including as co-sponsors of legislation. Public and corporate involvement also was markedly up.
"The world has changed and I hope that the Legislature has heard that truly," Martin said.
Gov. Tom Wolf has called on the General Assembly to pass non-discrimination legislation to ensure that all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender expression, and identity, are treated equally.
Wolf faults the Legislature for dragging its feet in passing legislation to add the LGBT community to the state's anti-discrimination law.
Borough resident Rick Stevens took comfort in the fact that while most Pennsylvania communities do not have such protection in their law books, Camp Hill's action was a small step in what he said was the right direction.
"It chips away at it," he said. "It makes the community just a little better."