In 1975, Pennsylvania made history. Governor Milton Shapp, a bold and unapologetic leader, signed an executive order banning discrimination against LGBTQ+ state employees. It was the first of its kind in the entire United States. Half a century later, we’re celebrating that radical move not just as a historical milestone but as a call to action for justice and equity, which is still being denied.
Last week, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on LGBTQ+ Affairs gathered with State legislators, activists, and community leaders in the rotunda of the Capitol to honor 50 years of this legacy. The mood was celebratory but not complacent. The air buzzed with remembrance, gratitude, and most importantly, resistance.
Governor Shapp’s legacy isn’t just about an executive order. He was the first governor in the U.S. to meet with LGBTQ+ community members. He created a task force to develop public policy that addressed our needs and realities, long before it was popular, or even considered safe, to do so. In a time when most political leaders wouldn’t be caught dead in the same room as a gay activist, Shapp invited them to the table. And then signed the order.
“Other governors ran from gay activists. Not Milton Shapp. He had me go to state legislators to ask if they would stand behind us as he signed the executive order. Not one did. But today, I’m surrounded by legislators standing with us. Governor Shapp would be proud,” Mark Segal, long-time activist and founder of Philadelphia Gay News, reflected.
Ashleigh Strange, the Executive Director of the Governor’s Commission, put it plainly. “LGBTQIA+ Pennsylvanians are seen, believed, and protected here.” But even in that truth, Strange and others are clear-eyed about the gap between past triumphs and current legislative reality.
Representative Jessica Benham reminded attendees that we still live in a state where same-sex marriage is technically under threat via a dormant trigger law. Pennsylvania still lacks comprehensive statewide nondiscrimination protections. Protections that hinge on the long-stalled Fairness Act. While the Democratic-controlled PA State House has passed it, the Republican-led PA State Senate has refused to act. Our progress has always come with resistance.
Governor Josh Shapiro, stepping into the tradition of bold LGBTQ+ support, continues to advocate for the Fairness Act as a critical bill that would extend nondiscrimination protections to LGBTQ+ folks in housing, employment, and public accommodations.
“Pennsylvania has led in increasing freedoms. Passing the Fairness Act will finally put us back on track with our legacy as a north star state,” Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El said.
Remembering Isn’t Enough — We Must Organize
The LGBT Center of Central PA History Project unveiled a powerful historical exhibit, now housed at the State Library of Pennsylvania through July 31st. But as Barry Loveland, the chair of the History Project, noted, this isn’t just about honoring the past, it’s about continuing the work. “We are calling [Governor Shapp] America’s first LGBTQ+ Equality Governor,” he said. “His initiatives were truly groundbreaking.”
But the burden of legacy is action. As queer people and allies across the Commonwealth reflect on the last 50 years, we’re also staring down the next 50. With anti-trans legislation rising nationwide and local protections still too piecemeal, we must keep pushing Pennsylvania and the country toward justice.
