PGN conducted interviews with candidates running in the May 19 municipal election about a wide range of LGBT issues, to inform our community about their positions and to form the basis for PGN’s endorsement decisions. We reached out to all Democratic candidates for mayor, and conducted phone interviews with the four who responded; summaries of their interviews are included below.
Jim Kenney
Jim Kenney resigned from his at-large City Council seat after 23 years to run for mayor this year.
Kenney’s track record on LGBT rights has been proven by his strong advocacy for and leadership on various pieces of legislation over the years; he was the prime sponsor of the landmark domestic-partnership bill in the mid-1990s and more recently led the LGBT hate-crimes measure.
“It’s not enough, though,” he said about the hate-crimes measure. “We must lobby the state to pass these protections as well. There must also be more grassroots education and training about cultural sensitivity in the schools.”
To advocate for LGBT inclusion in statewide nondiscrimination and hate-crimes laws, Kenney said that, while his authority on such issues would be limited as mayor, he would do everything he could.
“I would not shy from speaking up and lobbying when the opportunity arises,” Kenney said.
Throughout his career, Kenney said, he has maintained a diverse staff in his office, and would continue to do so if elected.
“I will make diversity important as I have done throughout my entire career,” he said. “But in a more comprehensive and important way as mayor.”
Joining the national Mayors for Marriage Equality coalition would be a given, he said.
“Absolutely, yes,” he said. “It’s a civil right that everyone is entitled to.”
Also a given would be retaining the Office of LGBT Affairs, he said.
“Absolutely,” he said. “[Director] Nellie [Fitzpatrick] is doing a great job in the wake of [the late director] Gloria [Casarez], who we continue to mourn.”
Kenney also supports Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown’s bill that would amend the City Charter to make the office permanent.
“There will be no question of its existence in my administration. I would also like to make the inspector-general position permanent as well,” he noted.
To address rising rates of violence against transgender women of color, Kenney applauded the current efforts between the police department and the LGBT Police Liaison Committee, and said there is still room for evolution.
“I think the police and the D.A.’s Office and the community are going in the right direction, but there is still more room for them to understand about the trans community,” he said. “I would also like a trans presence in the administration, not unlike what Gov. Wolf has done.”
Wolf recently nominated Dr. Rachel Levine as physician general, making her the state’s highest-ranking out transgender individual.
Kenney supports laws that specifically ban bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity. He sees himself in a “hands-on” role in curbing violence in Philly schools.
“I want to do a wide array of things to inject life into the schools, which includes anti-bullying efforts,” Kenney said. “I plan to really coordinate with principals and school officials on the matter. We want to save as many people from that experience as possible.”
Under the direction of community organizations like Mazzoni Center, Kenney said he would evaluate need and direct funding accordingly for housing opportunities for people living with HIV/AIDS. To address the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Kenney said, the city’s health department plays a significant role in education, though the burden may be too much for it to handle alone.
“We have the capacity in this city to be guided by the experts,” said Kenney. “I’m willing to allocate the resources to the appropriate organizations.”
As a board member on Independence Blue Cross’ Minority Contracting and Hiring Committee, Kenney said he has worked hard to ensure LGBT- and other minority-owned businesses receive fair and equal opportunities.
“Our inclusionary attitude toward spreading the wealth without a doubt includes the LGBT community. The LGBT community is a vital part of our economy.”
According to Kenney, the most pressing issues facing the LGBT community in Philadelphia are those are affecting all Philadelphians — jobs, crime and schools.
“I recognize there are issues unique to the LGBT community,” he said. “But these larger issues affect all of us and must be addressed.”
If elected, Kenney said, some of his top priorities would be enhancing access to quality education, including at the pre-K level, and advancing employment opportunities for people who don’t have a college education.
Kenney said he believes his lengthy record as an LGBT ally should earn him the community’s support.
“I have been an ally of this community, made the folks in this community a part of my own personal family, so to speak,” Kenney said. “They are part of my world. I am proud of them, and will defend their rights.”
Lynne Abraham
The city’s former five-term district attorney, Lynne Abraham, wants to bring her public-service expertise to the mayor’s office.
The Philadelphia native said she would ensure diversity in City Hall the same way she did during her time in the D.A.’s Office — avidly recruiting people from all walks of life to be on her staff. Of note, she appointed openly gay current Common Pleas candidate Chris Mallios to be her liaison to the LGBT community while she was in office.
Abraham said she would retain the Office of LGBT Affairs and supports recent legislation that would amend the city charter to make the office permanent. She said she would mandate staffers in all city departments to undergo LGBT-sensitivity training.
Abraham also supports the recently passed law instating penalties for anti-LGBT hate crimes.
But the state still lags far behind. As mayor, Abraham said she would do everything she could to advance statewide pro-LGBT legislation and advocate for the idea that “we are better served by being inclusive, not discriminating against LGBTs and other minorities.”
To address rising rates of violence against transgender women of color, Abraham said it is important that police keep careful recordings of every incident reported.
“I would speak to members of the LGBT community to make sure that trans issues in particular are watched and monitored so that there is no gap in what is reported and what is recorded,” she said.
Abraham supports laws that specifically ban bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity. She added that there should be strict policies in place in Philadelphia, “from the top of the administration down through to the students.”
She also said students who identify with a different gender should be able to use a bathroom that is appropriate with their gender identity.
Abraham said she strongly supports funding for housing opportunities for people with HIV/AIDS.
To address the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the city, she emphasized prevention and said she would use the mayor’s office as a bully pulpit to call for more public education about the epidemic. And she would urge local companies to continue to advance anti-retroviral pharmacology.
“The public in general has to understand that it’s not just a gay disease,” Abraham said. “The community has to be constantly vigilant.”
As part of her plan to ensure LGBT-owned businesses receive fair and equal opportunities, Abraham would ensure everyone has equal access to capital, city programs, loans, grants and contracts that are available throughout the city.
“Everyone also must be aware of the Fair Practices Ordinance,” she added.
According to Abraham, the most pressing issue facing the LGBT community in Philadelphia is housing for aging LGBT community members.
“There is so much emphasis on youth, but we too easily forget that we have a burgeoning elderly population. They need housing, food, medicines, social services. While the John C. Anderson Apartments are a good start, it’s a small start.”
Abraham also said housing developers should have to allot a certain number of units for the elderly and disabled.
She said she would join the national Mayors for Marriage Equality coalition.
“Long before anyone else got on the LGBT-equality bandwagon, I was an urban pioneer,” she said. “I used to go out with gay men all the time. They were my friends. I have a strong track record of supporting LGBT issues and I am 100 percent on board.”
Doug Oliver
Doug Oliver may be the youngest candidate running for mayor, but the Philly native said he is full of great ideas.
Oliver currently works in business development at Philadelphia Gas Works, where he is also responsible for corporate communications and public affairs. He also previously served as press secretary under Mayor Nutter.
To ensure diversity in City Hall, Oliver said he would make sure his senior team included people from every walk of life.
“I would seek to have my staff reflect the diversity of the city,” he said. “It’s not the only place to influence policy but it’s a good start. Fairness is one of my campaign platforms and is the approach I would take to ensure diversity.”
Oliver said he would retain the Office of LGBT Affairs and supports recent legislation that would make it permanent.
“I served under Mayor Nutter for his first three years and knew [late LGBT director] Gloria [Casarez] well,” Oliver said. “Giving respect to her memory alone would be enough to continue the office, but I also believe it is important and worthwhile.“
Oliver also supports the recent law instating penalties for anti-LGBT hate crimes. He said education, another of his campaign platforms, is key to curbing anti-LGBT violence and crime in general in Philadelphia.
“Education and having a full understanding and awareness and sensitivity to diversity is probably one of the best things you can do to create a safer city,” Oliver said. “I would like to see the various diversity offices, including the Office of LGBT Affairs, cross-pollinate and work together; some things could be better accomplished if we collaborated.”
If elected, Oliver would work closely with City Council and the governor’s office to advocate for LGBT inclusion in statewide nondiscrimination and hate-crimes laws.
“While the mayor is not a legislator himself, he should be in sync with the legislative body.”
To address rising rates of violence against transgender women of color, Oliver pointed to continued police sensitivity training, and said there was also potential in community policing.
“There seems to be something motivating the perpetrators besides just being violent people,” said Oliver. “I would encourage law enforcement to be fully aware of the ‘why’ in these cases and others like it.”
According to Oliver, education is the starting point for reducing bullying in Philly schools.
“I would seek to not simply educate bullies not to bully, but I would encourage others who witness to stand up and to be vocal about it. Bullying tends to occur to underrepresented groups. It’s not just up to schools to solve the problem; we have to start much sooner to stop it on the front end.”
Oliver said he supports city funding for housing opportunities for people with HIV/AIDS, and that the mayor is obligated to ensure affordable housing for underserved communities.
An awareness-building campaign would be at the forefront of Oliver’s efforts to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
“We have made significant strides throughout the years in terms of de-stigmatizing, but have a long way to go,” he said. “We must educate people before they contract HIV, though I will also make sure there is access to care and other treatment services.”
According to Oliver, the city has an obligation to create an environment where every business can grow, including LGBT-owned businesses.
“Small business is the life blood of a city like Philly. We must ensure minority participation. I am a proponent of those types of targets and goals.”
Oliver said his top priorities in office would be education, job creation and fairness. They are also his three primary campaign platforms.
As an African-American, Oliver said, he sees some similarities in the issues that the LGBT community and other minorities face.
“There is always a sense that you are still marginalized, tolerated but not accepted.”
He said he would join the national Mayors for Marriage Equality Coalition.
To help enhance education throughout city government on marriage equality, Oliver said the state is obligated to push the message.
“But city government can also be a useful tool to educate,” he said. “It’s another reason why it’s important to have an Office of LGBT Affairs.”
Oliver noted that his inherent belief in equality is a concept he would bring to the table every day if he were elected.
“My world view — the way my mother raised me, my community, my village, raised me — is to be committed to inclusion.”
State Sen. Anthony Williams
Anthony Williams has served as both a state representative and state senator and is now looking to bring that lawmaking experience to city governance.
To ensure diversity in City Hall, Williams said he would continue his record of hiring a diverse staff.
“My campaign staff has Latino, LGBT, white, black, moms, etc.,” Williams said. “My working staff also has representation across the board. I found the best people I could possibly find. Diversity is a strength we can build upon for Philly.”
Williams said he would retain the Office of LGBT Affairs but noted that certain other offices need to be expanded as well. He said that, on principle, he supports recent legislation that would make the office permanent, but that he would need to evaluate how much such a move would cost.
Williams also supports a recently passed law instating penalties for anti-LGBT hate crimes.
“I have always supported LGBT-inclusive legislation,” he said. “Two years ago, I introduced a conversion-therapy ban in Pennsylvania as a state senator.”
To take further action against the tide of anti-LGBT violence, Williams said there needs to be a representative from the LGBT community within the police department. To advocate for LGBT inclusion in statewide nondiscrimination and hate-crimes laws, Williams pointed to his track record as state senator.
“My votes and resolutions, my record as a state representative and senator, and most significantly the fact that I am here working with people that are different than me are all ways in which I have and will continue to lobby for inclusion. We are going to need the state to cooperate with us, and I have a unique ability to do that.”
According to Williams, addressing the rising rates of violence against transgender women of color begins with relationship-building.
“The relationship that the mayor will have with advocacy groups and other city departments will be a great strength in addressing this issue,” he said.
Williams has already taken steps to address bullying in public schools. He said he created an anti-bullying mobile app for a school in Delaware County that provided resources for both victims and bullies. He also supports laws that specifically ban bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“Besides the app, we must be able to provide someone for these young people to talk to,” Williams said. “I was also the first one to ask the school district to start recording the number of incidents that occurred to students based on their sexual orientation, but was not successful in getting them to cooperate.”
Williams said he supports funding for housing opportunities for people with HIV/AIDS and noted he has long maintained relationships with community organizations like William Way LGBT Community Center.
“I was also a part of the collaborative effort that approved funding for the John C. Anderson Apartments,” Williams added.
To address the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Williams said the public-health sector must evolve.
“Our public-health delivery system dealing with AIDS must be more mobile. HIV is a unique disease that people assume is just LGBT. There needs to be public collaboration with the different communities involved.”
Williams said he would ensure LGBT-owned businesses receive fair and equal opportunities by creating a municipal bank that would act as a small lending bank to minority-owned and small businesses.
“Center City is growing but many small businesses don’t have access to capital,” Williams said. “We also need to revamp our city contract policy to be inclusive of LGBTs.”
According to Williams, the most pressing issue facing the LGBT community in Philadelphia is that many people think the work to advance LGBT rights is already done.
“I recognize we have a distance to go,” he said. “Incidents like the gay-bashing incident last year make me understand that we live in a cocoon of sorts.”
Williams said his record illustrates that, if elected, he would bring real action to City Hall.
“When you look at the body of my work, and see who I am, I support fairness and equality and have taken active steps through my actions to support the LGBT community and other minorities. I have worked across party lines. And I have not just talked about it, I have acted.”