Upper Dublin in Montgomery County became the 44th municipality in the state to ban LGBT discrimination last week.
The township’s commissioners adopted legislation Sept. 12 that prohibits discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations because of someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The township is home to about 25,000 residents.
In a statement released by Equality Pennsylvania, township resident Ellen Toplin, who led the advocacy effort for the legislation, called the vote a “bold and important step to protect our civil liberties and show the world that the people of Upper Dublin Township do not and will not support discrimination.”
“Without a local ordinance, state law or federal law, LGBTQ individuals can be fired, evicted or denied access to public places and opportunity,” John Dawe, Equality Pennsylvania’s managing director, noted in a statement. “We applaud Dublin Township in taking this important step and continue to urge our state legislators to take a cue from the leaders in Dublin Township and pass the PA Fairness Act.”
The proposed statewide LGBT nondiscrimination law remains stalled in committee in the state House and Senate.
In addition to banning LGBT discrimination, the ordinance established a Human Relations Commission to oversee its implementation and enforcement.