Shippensburg enacts non-discrimination law to protect LGBT community

Shippensburg, a borough of around 5,500 residents and located approximately 45 miles southwest of Harrisburg, on Tuesday became the 59th town in Pennsylvania to enact a non-discrimination ordinance to protect the LGBT community. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

Shippensburg on Tuesday became the third Cumberland County municipality to extend discrimination protection to its LGBT community.

In a 5-1 vote, the Shippensburg Borough Council, which met on Zoom, adopted an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance that grants explicit protections to LGBT individuals with regards to employment, housing and public accommodations.

The ratification makes Shippensburg the 59th municipality in Pennsylvania to enact local protections for LGBT people. Carlisle and Camp Hill also have similar laws in its ordinance code. Shippensburg technically straddles two counties, making it the first Franklin County town to enact such a law.

“We are extremely proud of Shippensburg Borough Council for taking clear action to protect LGBT individuals in their community from discrimination,” said Jason Landau Goodman, executive director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, and advocacy group that has been pushing for similar nondiscrimination ordinances statewide.

Pennsylvania is the only state in the northeast that does not have statewide LGBT nondiscrimination protections. Local jurisdictions, however, have enacted laws. In recent years, advocates have pressed the General Assembly to pass legislation providing discrimination protections for LGBTQ individuals.

“It is long overdue for the state to take action,” Goodman said. “In the meantime, Shippensburg joins other communities in sending a lightning rod to Harrisburg to pass comprehensive LGBT nondiscrimination protections, and paves the way for additional ordinances in small town Pennsylvania to be adopted.”

Shippensburg last year became the latest backdrop for the perennial debate over such nondiscriminatory laws after a borough landlord refused to rent an apartment to a gay couple.

Michael Bugbee, then a 27-year-old student studying communications and sociology, was told he and his husband would have to find another place to live because they were gay. They encountered similar discrimination at other times.

“Discrimination based on my sexual orientation almost left me without a place to live. This situation should not have legally been allowed to happen,” said Bugbee, who remains enrolled at Shippensburg University and has taken an active role to push for reform. “Shippensburg Borough Council has now taken the necessary action to make sure what happened to me doesn’t happen to anyone again in our town.”

Council president Bruce Hockersmith, vice-president Mitchell Burrows, and council members Josefine Smith, John Alosi, and Sandy Mailey voted in favor; Keith Swartz was the sole vote in opposition.

“It is the intention of this ordinance that all individuals be treated fairly and equally…the saying ‘it takes all kinds’ tells us that regardless of the personality we should be able to accept everyone for who they are, and deal with everyone without discrimination,” Hockersmith said.

The ordinance takes effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

The push for statewide non-discrimination legislation has repeatedly run into opposition from conservative interests, including the Pennsylvania Family Institute, a statewide conservative-leaning pro-family group based in Harrisburg.

The organization argues that such a law would make it illegal for churches, schools and other organizations to limit their hiring practices to employing people who share their views on human sexuality and marriage. Further, they argue it would impact privacy rights by opening up restrooms, showers and locker rooms to the opposite biological sex in schools, workplaces and in public accommodations.

At the federal level, the seemingly divided U.S. Supreme Court has struggled to rule whether a key provision of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars job discrimination because of sex, among other reasons. But in June, SCOTUS ruled in the so-called Bostock case, handing down what is widely considered to be a sweeping decision affirming that employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is a form of sex discrimination that violates federal law. The ruling applies to all places of employment, not just federal. Experts consider the scale and scope of this decision potentially akin to what Brown v. Board of Education did for school desegregation.

Gettysburg is expected to adopt a similar LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance in the near future.

This story has been updated to correct the county in which Shippensburg resides; and to clarify the Bostock ruling.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.

More from PennLive

Thousands of Pa. residents at risk of eviction or foreclosure as protective measure expires

Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf renews the COVID-19 disaster declaration for another 90 days

As school starts, some Pa. districts grapple with teacher shortages due to coronavirus

County commissioner banned from blocking people on social media after constituents sue: Today in Pa.

Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf renews the COVID-19 disaster declaration for another 90 days

In federal court settlement, Montgomery County commissioner agrees to unblock constituents on social media

York schools furlough nearly 100 employees as classes move online

Lock Haven University will suspend in-person classes for two weeks due to COVID-19 infections

Pitt reports 35 new coronavirus cases in 3 days

Following a year of testing, GetGo launches checkout-free shopping at Fox Chapel store

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.