More than 100 LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians and allies gathered on the steps of the Pennsylvania State Capitol on Sunday for a statewide march and rally demanding equal rights, protections, and access to affirming healthcare. The event marked the first LGBTQ+ mobilization of its kind in over ten years and was organized in response to escalating attacks on queer and trans communities across the state and country.
The rally, supported by over two dozen LGBTQ+ organizations from across the Commonwealth, began with a march around the Capitol Complex before concluding with speeches on the Capitol steps. Organizers and speakers called for immediate legislative action on a slate of demands, including the passage of nondiscrimination protections, the restoration and expansion of affirming healthcare access, and protections against conversion therapy and hate crimes.
“The basic rights of LGBTQ+ people are under vicious attack every day across our state and nation,” said Jason Landau Goodman, Board Chair of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress. “That is why we are coming together to demand action from our government officials.”
Speakers throughout the rally highlighted the urgent need to protect transgender youth and adults from targeted healthcare restrictions and political scapegoating. Community leaders stressed that attacks on trans communities are often just the beginning of broader rollbacks on LGBTQ+ rights.
“Transgender people, and especially transgender youth, are the focus of political attacks coming from across the political spectrum,” said Corinne Goodwin, Executive Director of Eastern PA Trans Equity Project. “But we know that this is just the beginning. The appetite for harming marginalized and at-risk populations seems insatiable and we need to activate our communities to fight back.”
While Pennsylvania has made local, municipal progress, advocates emphasized that the state remains the only one in the Northeast without explicit nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people.
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“We have been actively working to get protections implemented in our local communities, but it is time for our Pennsylvania officials to step up as they hear our message loud and clear,” said Kyle McIntyre of UDTJ, a Delaware County-based community center.
The rally also brought attention to recent healthcare policy changes that advocates say amount to preemptive compliance with federal threats from the Trump administration, which could restrict or eliminate access to gender-affirming care and HIV-related services.
“These healthcare networks are putting their bottom-lines ahead of the safety and well-being of their patients and we will be relentless in broadcasting this message,” said Dena Stanley, Executive Director of TransYOUniting in Pittsburgh.
“Now more than ever, we need everyone, LGBTQ+ people, our allies and loved ones, our elected officials, to raise their voice and work together to put a stop to these anti-LGBTQ+ actions,” added Cat Cook, Executive Director of Centre LGBT+ in State College.
The march and rally were coordinated by a coalition of LGBTQ+ organizations, including the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, TransYOUniting, ACLU of Pennsylvania, ACT UP Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Centre LGBT+, and many others. Transportation efforts such as buses and carpools were organized from across the state to ensure broad participation.
