Bethlehem delays vote
The Bethlehem City Council this week postponed a scheduled vote on an LGBT nondiscrimination measure to iron out language in the bill.
The final vote is scheduled for June 21.
The council and the city solicitor need to determine what role subpoenas could play in discrimination investigations.
Dozens of residents spoke in favor of the ordinance at a council meeting Tuesday night, with just a handful of detractors.
The council approved the bill on first reading last month. Bethlehem is currently the largest city in Pennsylvania that does not ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Flyers urged to make vid
A petition is currently circulating on Change.org asking the Philadelphia Flyers to become the first professional hockey team to make an “It Gets Better” video.
The petition, started by Cherry Hill resident Jarrett Taylor, is part of a movement to urge professional sports teams to participate in the video project, started by out writer Dan Savage as a way to urge LGBT youth to have hope for the future.
Earlier this month, the San Francisco Giants became the first professional sports team to participate in the effort, which motivated Taylor to launch the local petition.
“I saw the Giants video and thought we needed something like this to give local kids hope,” he said. “I enjoy watching hockey and I know there are a lot of gay fans out there. And for the Flyers, who are role models to so many kids, to step up and talk about this, I think that could be really important.”
To sign the petition, visit www.change.org/petitions/ask-the-philadelphia-flyers-to-make-an-it-gets-better-video.
Equality rally in Abington
Backers of an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance will gather in Abington next week to rally support for the bill.
Abington Against Discrimination and Defamation will sponsor Kickoff to Equality at 11 a.m. June 18 at the Abington Township Building, 1176 Old York Road in Abington.
Local politicians, LGBT leaders and performers, including Spiral Q Puppet Theater, are scheduled to attend.
The Abington Township Commission in January rejected the ordinance, which would ban discrimination on a number of factors, including sexual orientation and gender identity, and create a Human Relations Commission to investigate complaints. The bill is now stalled in committee.
For more information, search for Abington ADD on Facebook.
Lancaster film series
Embrace Lancaster, an agency that explores the intersection of faith and sexuality, will host a film series over the next few months to discuss these issues.
Starting June 12, the organization will screen one film per month that examines LGBT issues from the lens of different faith communities.
The films will be held from 2-4:30 p.m. at different locations throughout Lancaster, with a discussion following each.
The first, “Fish Out of Water,” which looks at LGBT issues within Christianity, will be screened at the First United Methodist Church, 29 E. Walnut St.
For more information on the series, e-mail [email protected] or search for Embrace Lancaster on Facebook.
Fundraiser for AIDS group
West Chester club The Note, 142 E. Market St., will host a GLBT Nite at 8 p.m. June 21, with proceeds going to benefit a local HIV/AIDS wellness agency.
The event will support Siloam, which offers healing services for the mind, body and spirit of those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
For more information, visit www.thenotewc.com.
— Jen Colletta