Successes in Pittsburgh

By Deni Scott
Western Pennsylvania Transexual Menace


I am pleased to report that Wendi Miller of Pittsburgh and other transgendered persons from Pittsburgh have been quietly and effectively working with Mr. Chuck Honse of the City of Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations. Their goal is obtaining legal protection from discrimination within the City of Pittsburgh for all transgendered people.

The Commission on Human Relations recently voted to formally recommend that the word "sex" be legally defined as:

Sex: the gender of a person, as perceived, presumed or assumed by others,including those who are changing or have changed their gender identification.

Pittsburgh already has laws on the books prohibiting discrimination based on categories including sex and sexual orientation. If this definition of "sex" is approved by the Pittsburgh City Council, transgendered people will have the same legal protection.

This information is being publicly released now with Wendi's permission because Pittsburgh's largest newspaper, the Post-Gazette, is in the process of doing a story on this subject.

Wendi, Mr. Honse, others who worked so very hard on this, and the entire Human Relations Commission deserve congratulations and thanks from the entire Western Pennsylvania transgender community for their efforts. What happens in Pittsburgh will have an effect throughout the entire region and could set an excellent example for other smaller municipalities.

On a personal level and as Chairwoman of Transexual Menace of Western Pennsylvania, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks, congratulations and total support to Wendi and everyone else who worked and is continuing to work on this effort.

Although the final outcome of this is still uncertain, there are hopeful signs that final passage by City Council can and will be achieved.


Back to Transgender Forum's home page