Spotlight on Pennsylvania

Women’s Human Rights Campaign (WHRC) USA volunteers in Pennsylvania have been advocating for women’s sex-based rights under the leadership of state contact Rebecca Rothhaas since our first meeting November 2020.  Rebecca has provided our group with smart, supportive leadership, as well as thorough and informative updates on legislative matters affecting women in the Keystone State.

This year, we met with staff from the office of Senator Bob Casey to lobby in favor of the Equality for All Act. While dealing simultaneously with President Biden’s infamous executive order, we submitted, on the state level, legislative testimony in opposition to gender identity and in support of women’s sports.  By letter, we also requested that Governor Tom Wolf follow the example of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and classify damaging medical procedures performed for the purpose of “gender affirmation” as child abuse under existing law that prohibits actions that create a “substantial risk of bodily injury” in children.

The treat of the first half of 2021 was feminist and lesbian activist Skylar Gwynn’s visit to Philadelphia.  As part of her nationwide event, “The Ride:  A Woman’s Rebellion,” Skylar led a demonstration in front of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which engages in medical harm to children under the banner of affirming “gender identity.”  It was a delight to meet Skylar, a warm and caring woman who engaged positively with passersby and has a gift for inspiring courage in her fellow activists.

We are grateful to Philadelphia Weekly for breaking the media blackout on the impact of “gender identity” ideology on women and children by publishing a favorable piece about Skylar.

Also this year, Pennsylvania women engaged in grassroots campaigns in solidarity with Scottish feminist Marion Millar and in support of Article 2 of the Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights (“Motherhood is an exclusively female status.”)

As a swing state with a politically diverse population, Pennsylvania is an exciting place to engage in feminist activism.  Our governor, Tom Wolf, is the man who launched the political career of Dr. Rachel Levine, whose nomination as U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health WHRC USA opposed due to his promotion of medical harm to children. In light of this connection, it is unsurprising that Governor Wolf is a staunch opponent of women’s and girls’ sports. Fortunately, the state legislature has stopped the most egregious efforts to enshrine “gender identity” into law, and we believe there is a future in Pennsylvania, not only for women’s and girls’ sports, but for our sex-based rights in general.  Because of term limits, a new governor will be elected in 2022, and the more noise we make, the more likely it is that one or more of the candidates will choose to support women and girls.

More actions are planned in Pennsylvania this fall, and now is an ideal time to become involved. Just fill out our volunteer application and/or contact us.

*Please note that the Women’s Human Rights Campaign USA (WHRC-USA) is now officially known as Women’s Declaration International USA (WDI-USA)

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