LGBT Community Takes Part In Labor Day Parade
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- For the first time in Pittsburgh's Labor Day Parade history, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community marched alongside members of the Service Employees International Union.
And among those carrying the rainbow flag, a couple from Mt. Washington who says it's important to recognize equal treatment in the workplace.
"Equal rights are workers' rights," said Lori McCartney of Mt. Washington, "and Allegheny County has equal rights and it's important for Allegheny County to acknowledge equal rights for everyone."
"Its happening all over the country in work, in marriage and every facet of our community," said Anastasia Voyda of Mt. Washington, "and it needs to stay universal for all of us."
Voyda and McCartney are a couple and although same-sex marriage licenses have been issued in Montgomery County, Pa., they are waiting for same sex-marriages to become legalized statewide.
Christine Bryan of the Delta Foundation says, "We're seeing over 130 people who've been issued marriage licenses throughout the state and we're continuing to put pressure on our local representatives here in Allegheny County to do the same thing."
But Gov. Tom Corbett has challenged that practice in court because he says at this point, regardless of what the current state attorney general and other local officials think, marriage in Pennsylvania right now is only legal between a man and a woman.
On a recent trip to western Pennsylvania, Corbett said, "That's the law and we think that elected officials can't pick and choose which laws that they want to follow and which laws that they don't want to follow."
Meantime, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court will hear arguments about issuance of the licenses and other related issues beginning Wednesday.
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