Your Community - Pennsylvania
Same-sex couples live in every state in the country — and each state has its own organizations working toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. To connect with the movement for fairness in your area, contact your state GLBT organizations and elected officials.
Working closely with state leaders, community organizations, advocacy groups and non-GLBT allies – HRC’s Regional Field Director Sultan Shakir and the area steering committee mobilized our members and supporters in opposition to a discriminatory constitutional amendment. When the House adjourned in the early hours of July 1, HRC celebrated with our allies the defeat of this amendment. By organizing trainings and rallies, visiting with state legislators, generating calls, emails and faxes to the statehouse, and participating in lobby days with HRC members, HRC focused on helping to stop this amendment in its tracks. Want to find out how you can help in PA? Email field@hrc.org.
State Overview
Gay and lesbian couples live in 99.3 percent of all counties across America, according to the Human Rights Campaign's analysis of the 2000 Census statistics. Here are the numbers for Pennsylvania.
| Year | Men | Women | Total | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2,416 | 2,347 | 4,763 | - |
| 2000 | 10,492 | 10,674 | 21,166 | 344% |
| Year | Urban Total | Rural Total | Percent Urban | Percent Rural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 4,568 | 195 | 96% | 4% |
| 2000 | 18,497 | 2,669 | 87% | 13% |
Please note that HRC estimates that the Census 2000 figures could undercount gay and lesbian families by as much as 62 percent. For more information, see Census 2000.
State Officials
Governors, state legislators, city council members and other elected officials create the laws that govern gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues at the state and local levels. Contact your elected officials and urge them to support fair-minded legislation.
View state officials information
State Elections
It’s crucial that all fair-minded voters stay up-to-speed on upcoming state elections so they can support candidates who support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. Find out about races in your state and learn how you can cast your vote for equality.
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