Pennsylvania's Equality Profile
Quick Facts About Pennsylvania
Total State Population:
12,784,227Total Adult Population:
10,109,422Total LGBT Population:
363,939LGBT % of State Adult Population:
3.6%% of LGBT Pop Raising Children:
15.9%Pennsylvania's LGBT Policy Tally
View Methodology/More Information
See how Pennsylvania compares to the rest of the country on the Snapshot page.
Pennsylvania's LGBT Laws and Policies
Click on each issue for more information and to see where the state fits into the national landscape.
Key
- State has this law Indicates state law or policy
- State has this law Indicates local laws or policies and/or partial law
- State does not have this law Indicates no law or policy
- Enumeration not applicable
| Marriage Recognition | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
|
As a result of the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell, same-sex couples can marry nationwide and states must extend all the rights and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. As a result, the following benefits are available to all married same-sex couples on the same basis they are available to married different-sex couples: Marriage for Same-Sex Couples
Medical Decision-Making Authority for Married Same-Sex Couples
Stepparent Adoption for Married Same-Sex Couples
Joint Adoption for Married Same-Sex Couples
|
||||
| Subtotal | 1/1 | |||
| Relationship and Parental RecognitionTotal | 1/1 | |||
| Relationship and Parental Recognition | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| State Family Leave Laws Covering Same-Sex Couples | 0/1 | |||
| State Family Leave Laws Allowing Workers to Care for Children They Are Raising |
0/1 | |||
| Second-Parent Adoption for Same-Sex Parents | 1/1 | |||
| Adoption Non-Discrimination Protections for LGBT Parents | 0/1 | 0/1 | ||
| Foster Care Non-Discrimination Protections for LGBT Parents | 0/1 | 0/1 | ||
| Recognition for Parents Using Assisted Reproduction | 0.5/1 | |||
| Legal Recognition of De Facto Parents | 0.5/1 | |||
| Negative Law: Restrictions on Adoption and/or Foster Care by Same-Sex Parents |
No Negative Law | 0/-1 | ||
| Subtotal | 2/7 | 0/2 | ||
| Relationship and Parental RecognitionTotal | 2/9 | |||
| Non-Discrimination Laws | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| Employment Non-Discrimination Laws* | 0.75/1 | 0.75/1 | ||
| Housing Non-Discrimination Laws* | 0.75/1 | 0.75/1 | ||
| Public Accommodations Non-Discrimination Laws* | 0.75/1 | 0.75/1 | ||
| Credit and Lending Non-Discrimination Laws | 0/1 | 0/1 | ||
| Non-Discrimination Policies for State Employees | 0.5/0.5 | 0.5/0.5 | ||
| Negative Law: State Bans Cities and Counties from Passing Non-Discrimination Laws | No Negative Law | 0/-0.5 | No Negative Law | 0/-0.5 |
| Subtotal | 2.75/4.5 | 2.75/4.5 | ||
| Non-Discrimination Total | 5.5/9 | |||
*If state lacks statewide law, tally looks at local non-discrimination ordinances in employment, housing, and public accommodations and provides partial points based on percent of LGBT population covered by local laws.
| Religious Exemption Laws | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| Negative Law: Broad Constitutional or Statutory Religious Exemption Law | NEGATIVE LAW | -0.25/-0.25 | NEGATIVE LAW | -0.25/-0.25 |
| Negative Law: Targeted Religious Exemption for Child Welfare Services | No Negative Law | 0/-0.25 | No Negative Law | 0/-0.25 |
| Negative Law: Targeted Religious Exemption for Private Wedding Services | No Negative Law | 0/-0.25 | ||
| Negative Law: Targeted Religious Exemption for Medical Professionals | No Negative Law | 0/-0.25 | No Negative Law | 0/-0.25 |
| Negative Law: Targeted Religious Exemption for State and Local Officials Providing Marriage Licenses | No Negative Law | 0/-0.25 | ||
| Subtotal | -0.25/-1.25 | -0.25/-0.75 | ||
| Religious Exemption Laws Total | -0.5/-2 | |||
| LGBT Youth Laws and Policies | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| Non-Discrimination Laws and Policies Covering LGBT Students | 0.5/1 | 0.5/1 | ||
| Anti-Bullying Laws and Policies Covering LGBT Students | 0.5/1 | 0/1 | ||
| Negative Law: "Don't Say Gay" Law Barring or Explicitly Restricting Educators From Discussing LGBT People or Issues in Schools | No Negative Law | 0/-0.5 | No Negative Law | 0/-0.5 |
| Negative Law: Laws Banning Local Schools and Districts from Passing LGBT Non-Discrimination and/or Anti-Bullying Policies | No Negative Law | 0/-0.5 | No Negative Law | 0/-0.5 |
| Conversion Therapy Ban Covering LGBT Youth | 0/1 | 0/1 | ||
| Protections for LGBT Youth in the Child Welfare System | 0.25/0.5 | 0/0.5 | ||
| Subtotal | 1.25/3.5 | 0.5/3.5 | ||
| LGBT Youth Laws Total | 1.75/7 | |||
| Health and Safety Policies | Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| Hate Crime Law Covering LGBT People | 0/1 | 0/1 | ||
| Private Health Insurance Non-Discrimination Laws | 0/1 | 0/1 | ||
| Health Insurance Providers Banned from Excluding Coverage for Transgender-Specific Care | 1/1 | |||
| State Medicaid Policy Related to Coverage for Transgender People | 1/1 | |||
| Transgender Inclusive Health Benefits for State Employees | 0.5/0.5 | |||
| Data Collection for LGBT Adults | 0.5/0.5 | 0.5/0.5 | ||
| Data Collection for LGBT Youth | 0.5/0.5 | |||
| Negative Law: State Criminalizes Exposure to and/or Transmission of HIV | NEGATIVE LAW | -0.5/-0.5 | NEGATIVE LAW | -0.5/-0.5 |
| Subtotal | 0.5/3 | 2.5/5 | ||
| Health and Safety Total | 3/8 | |||
| Ability for Transgender People to Correct Name and Gender Marker on Identity Documents |
Sexual Orientation | Gender Identity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Exists? | Tally | Law Exists? | Tally | |
| Driver's Licenses: Process to Change Gender Marker | 0.75/1 | |||
| Driver's Licenses: Gender Neutral Options | 0/1 | |||
| Birth Certificates | 1/1 | |||
| Name Change | 0/1 | |||
| Subtotal | 1.75/4 | |||
| Identity Documents Total | 1.75/4 | |||
| Grand Totals | Sexual Orientation Policy Tally |
Gender Identity Policy Tally |
Overall Tally |
|---|---|---|---|
| Totals | 7.25/19 | 7.25/19 | 14.5/38 |
| Ratings | MEDIUM | MEDIUM | MEDIUM |
Local Municipalities & Counties with Non-Discrimination Ordinances Covering Private Employment, Housing, and Public Accommodations
Sexual Orientation
33%
of population
protected
- State
Protections - County
Protections - City
Protections - No
Protections - NDOs
Banned
Legend
City and County Numbers:
2 counties out of 67 have an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in private employment, housing, and public accommodations.
53 cities have an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in private employment, housing, and public accommodations.
City and County Listing:
- Abington Township
- Allentown
- Ambler Borough
- Bethlehem
- Bridgeport Borough
- Bristol Borough
- Camp Hill Borough
- Carlisle Borough
- Cheltenham Borough
- Conshohocken Borough
- Dickson City Borough
- Downingtown Borough
- Doylestown Borough
- East Norriton Township
- Easton
- Erie
- Harrisburg
- Hatboro Borough
- Haverford Township
- Jenkintown Borough
- Kennett Square Borough
- Lancaster
- Lansdale Borough
- Lansdowne Borough
- Lower Merion Township
- Mt. Lebanon Township
- Narberth Borough
- New Hope Borough
- Newtown Borough
- Newtown Township (Bucks County)
- Norristown Borough
- Philadelphia
- Phoenixville Borough
- Pittsburgh
- Pittston
- Plymouth Township (Montgomery County)
- Reading
- Ross Township
- Royersford Borough
- Scranton
- Springfield Township
- State College Borough
- Stroudsburg Borough
- Susquehanna Township
- Swarthmore Borough
- Upper Dublin Township
- Upper Merion Township
- West Chester Borough
- West Conshohocken Borough
- Whitemarsh Township
- Wilkes-Barre
- Yardley Borough
- York
- Allegheny County
- Erie County
Gender Identity
33%
of population
protected
- State
Protections - County
Protections - City
Protections - No
Protections - NDOs
Banned
Legend
City and County Numbers:
2 counties out of 67 have an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity in private employment, housing, and public accommodations.
52 cities have an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity in private employment, housing, and public accommodations.
City and County Listing:
- Abington Township
- Allentown
- Ambler Borough
- Bethlehem
- Bridgeport Borough
- Bristol Borough
- Camp Hill Borough
- Carlisle Borough
- Cheltenham Borough
- Conshohocken Borough
- Dickson City Borough
- Downingtown Borough
- Doylestown Borough
- East Norriton Township
- Easton
- Erie
- Harrisburg
- Hatboro Borough
- Haverford Township
- Jenkintown Borough
- Kennett Square Borough
- Lancaster
- Lansdale Borough
- Lansdowne Borough
- Lower Merion Township
- Mt. Lebanon Township
- Narberth Borough
- New Hope Borough
- Newtown Borough
- Newtown Township (Bucks County)
- Norristown Borough
- Philadelphia
- Phoenixville Borough
- Pittsburgh
- Pittston
- Plymouth Township (Montgomery County)
- Reading
- Ross Township
- Royersford Borough
- Scranton
- Springfield Township
- State College Borough
- Stroudsburg Borough
- Susquehanna Township
- Swarthmore Borough
- Upper Dublin Township
- Upper Merion Township
- West Chester Borough
- West Conshohocken Borough
- Whitemarsh Township
- Wilkes-Barre
- Yardley Borough
- York
- Allegheny County
- Erie County
NOTE: A city or county with an asterisk (*) indicates that the protections provided therein are not fully comprehensive in that they do not cover employment, housing, and public accommodations. For more information about the scope of a particular ordinance in this category, please contact MAP info@lgbtmap.org.
Only jurisdictions with ordinances that prohibit discrimination in private employment are listed. Other localities may have executive orders that apply to government employees and these are not listed. The level of enforcement of these ordinances may vary by jurisdiction. This information is constantly changing, and we welcome suggestions for additions or changes. Email us here. This data was collected in collaboration with the Equality Federation and Equality Pennsylvania.
Conversion Therapy Bans
17%
of population
protected
- State
Protections - County
Protections - City
Protections - No
Protections - NDOs
Banned
Legend
City and County Numbers:
0 counties out of 67 have an ordinance prohibiting conversion therapy for minors.
10 cities have an ordinance prohibiting conversion therapy for minors.
City and County Listing:
- Allentown
- Bellefonte Borough
- Bethlehem
- Doylestown Borough
- Newtown Township (Bucks County)
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Reading
- State College
- Yardley Borough
