The Mayor’s Commission on LGBT Affairs — which plays a crucial role in advising the mayor on policies that support and uplift the LGBTQ+ community in Philadelphia — has officially launched a search for new participants. Applications are open until Aug. 16.
“The commission is, in a nutshell, an extension of the Office of LGBT Affairs,” said Celena Morrison-McLean, executive director of that program.
She explained that participants will help to identify priorities for the LGBTQ+ community and advise the mayor on matters related to public safety, education, economic development, health, city services and other important aspects of LGBTQ+ life in Philadelphia.
One of the highlights of working with the commission so far for Morrison-McLean has been canvassing to ensure single occupancy bathrooms are in compliance with the city’s gender neutral bathroom ordinance, which has been in effect since 2015. She and the team provide information about the law, inform business leaders about how to update permanent signage, and provide temporary stickers that help patrons in need of gender-neutral bathrooms more easily identify those spaces.
She said the commission also tables at local events. But shy and introverted people won’t be required to participate in such public-facing ways. Participants will attend monthly meetings but can otherwise participate in the initiatives or act as advocates in the community in whatever capacity they can.
“It’s not a heavy commitment,” Morrison-McLean noted about serving.
“Some of the folks that are working at organizations or already doing this work, they’re already doing what we need them to do,” she said about people contributing in what she called the “front lines” of advocacy work. “We just need them to work collaboratively with us in the Office [of LGBT Affairs] and help us bring that information to the mayor’s office to help us guide the work that we’re doing.”
There aren’t any restrictions on who can participate — and Morrison-McLean underlined that people from “all walks of life, all classes, all lived experiences, and different racial identities” should consider applying. Priority will be given to Philadelphia residents, but people who come to the city for work, health care services, and community can also apply. People without prior leadership experience should also submit applications — especially if they have marginalized experiences not often represented in leadership spaces.
“There’s a wealth of knowledge in our community,” she said, noting that much of that knowledge comes from people who live at the intersections of a variety of identities and from those who have experienced hardships — such as incarceration.
The only requirement is that applicants be willing to connect with other LGBTQ+ community members and remain eager to make a tangible impact. Morrison-McLean explained that bringing feedback from the wider community to discussions with the mayor is an important way of ensuring that the concerns of different people with different needs are addressed.
This commission exists thanks to a 2008 executive order issued by former Mayor Michael Nutter. The executive order requires a minimum of 14 commissioners to be appointed — but Morrision-McLean said the commission is expanding and will welcome at least 25 participants for this administration.
Almost 200,000 adults living in Philadelphia identify as LGBT according to data gathered in 2021 by the Williams Institute. That is more than 4% of the population. And that number is likely higher. A 2024 study conducted by the Williams Institute on broader geographic areas found that more than 18% of the adult population in the Northeast self-identified as LGBT, including almost 6% of Pennsylvanians. Pennsylvania was also found to have the highest number of self-identifying LGBT adults in the Northeast just under New York.
“We are representing a very large and diverse community here in Philadelphia,” she underlined. “We want to make sure that we have good representation and that our commission looks like the community that we serve.”
“We are looking for people with all backgrounds and experiences,” she added. “We are encouraging anyone who is part of the community to apply.”
To submit an application for a position in the Mayor’s Commission on LGBT Affairs, visit https://bit.ly/4dQyxdF.
