Thursday, February 20, 2025, 11:49AM |  15°
MENU
Advertisement
A rainbow flag representing gay rights flies on a light post in Downtown Pittsburgh.
1
MORE

Pittsburgh LGBT workplace protections exceeded federal standards for years

Anthony Conroy/Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh LGBT workplace protections exceeded federal standards for years

In 2019, the city added gender identity, expression definitions

The landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision on Monday protecting the rights of LGBT people in the workplace marked a resounding win at the federal level, but employment protections on the bases of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression already existed in Pittsburgh’s city limits and have accounted for several investigations by the city’s Human Relations Commission.

“Last year, 10% of our employment discrimination cases filed were on one of these three bases, and we expect that we will need to provide even more education and investigations with this recent Supreme Court ruling,” Megan Stanley, commission director, said in a Tuesday press release.

Five of the 51 employment discrimination cases opened and investigated by the commission in 2019 focused on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and in some cases a combination, according to commission figures.

Advertisement

There are likely many more discrimination cases that are not being reported, said Ciora Thomas, president and founder of SisTers PGH, a trans rights advocacy organization.

City Council President Bruce Kraus during session in  Council Chambers at the City-County Building, Tuesday Dec. 18, 2018 in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Ashley Murray
City will now protect gender identity and expression

“When we are able to get into 9-to-5 type of employment, and we are discriminated against, and that puts us into dangerous situations, like homelessness ... and all types of mental health issues,” said Ms. Thomas, whose organization focuses on providing resources and temporary shelter, “there are definitely cases out there because there are a lot of employers that do not offer the space for employees to complain. It might be a mom-and-pop place and they don’t have to answer to anyone, or even in corporate organizations.”

Discrimination often takes the form of being denied a job at the outset or, once employed, being denied a promotion or facing harassment and different treatment after coming out or transitioning, both Ms. Stanley and Ms. Thomas said.

The commission investigated an additional 23 housing and four public accommodations cases in 2019 under the respective 13 and 10 protected classes that include sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

Advertisement

Pennsylvania municipalities, including Allegheny County, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, began adopting their own anti-discrimination codes in 1982. Pittsburgh’s protections for sexual orientation were codified in 1990. In 1997, protections for gender identity and expression were codified under the class of sex. In 2019, the city council approved defining gender identity and expression as its own protected class, exceeding federal standards. 

“We wanted to make sure gender and sex are not synonymous, [and] gender expression and gender identity are not necessarily the same thing,” said Ms. Stanley, who supported the bill initially introduced by council members Erika Strassburger and Bruce Kraus.

The Supreme Court decision “adds some gravitas, that this was added by the highest court in the country. I’d like to think we’re ahead of the game, and we know what best practices look like, and we’re happy to work with employers and employees who want to know what their rights and obligations are under the law,” Ms. Stanley said.

The commission, with the help of Ms. Thomas, has already been providing gender awareness training.

City Council President Bruce Kraus addresses reporters Tuesday on the portico of the City-County Building in Downtown.
Ashley Murray
On Stonewall anniversary, Pittsburgh lawmakers seek to protect gender identity and expression

While protections for LGBT people in the workplace are now federal law, there is no blanket security for housing.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which administers and funds homeless shelters, is expected in the coming weeks to propose a rule change that single-sex homeless shelters would not have to accommodate trans individuals. Details of potential rule change were initially uncovered by The Washington Post.

Ms. Stanley urges anyone who has faced discrimination under the city’s protected classes in their employment, housing or public accommodation to contact the commission at 412-436-9619, on social media @PghCHR, or by email at human.relations@pittsburghpa.gov.

Ashley Murray: amurray@post-gazette.com.

First Published: June 16, 2020, 10:42 p.m.

RELATED
Joseph Fons waves a Pride flag in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building after the court ruled that LGBTQ people cannot be disciplined or fired based on their sexual orientation.
Michael A. Fuoco
LGBTQ groups in Western Pa. celebrate ‘historic’ U.S. Supreme Court ruling
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Penguins hall of fame broadcaster Mike Lange works the play-by-play during the Alumni game at Heinz Field on Dec. 31, 2010.
1
sports
Mike Lange, longtime Penguins broadcaster, dies at 76
Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange during a press conference at Consol Energy Center.
2
sports
Jason Mackey: What Mike Lange meant to me, and why we must carry on his incredible legacy
Allegheny Hospital Network's first baby of 2025, Luka Gold Cunningham, was born at 12:45 a.m. New Year's Day at AHN Wexford Hospital. He wouldn't have made the top baby names for 2024 but, for 2025, who knows?
3
news
AHN reveals its top baby names of 2024
Vice President JD Vance swears in Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense.
4
opinion
David Mills: Why Christians cheer Donald Trump and his destructive crusade
Gov. Josh Shapiro has nominated a former Beaver County superintendent to lead the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
5
news
Former Beaver County superintendent tapped by Shapiro to lead Pennsylvania Department of Education
A rainbow flag representing gay rights flies on a light post in Downtown Pittsburgh.  (Anthony Conroy/Post-Gazette)
Anthony Conroy/Post-Gazette
Advertisement
LATEST local
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story