Stories tagged: "Jessica Benham"


State Reps. Jessica Benham (D-Allegheny) and Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia) during a hearing regarding the Fairness Act (H.B. 300) at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, April 24, 2023. (Photo: Sean Kitchen).
PA House Dems Advance Bill Protecting LGBTQ Pennsylvanians From Discrimination

The Fairness Act, which Democrats have been trying to advance for more than two decades, cleared a major hurdle Monday. A vote before the full House is expected Wednesday.

Gov. Tom Wolf and state Reps. Jessica Benham (at podium), Dan Frankel, Malcolm Kenyatta, and Brian Sims speak at a news conference to unveil the Pennsylvania Fairness Act in June. The bill, which would ban discrimination against LGBTQ communities, has been sitting in committee for months. (Courtesy of Pennsylvania House of Representatives)
GOP Lawmakers Failed Pennsylvania’s LGBTQ Communities Again in 2021

Republicans could have stepped up this year to prevent LGBTQ discrimination and remove stigmatizing language in the PA criminal code. They chose not to.

State Rep. Jessica Benham is sworn in on Jan. 5, 2021. Benham is the first openly queer woman and openly autistic person elected to the state Legislature. (Courtesy of Pennsylvania House of Representatives)
More Women Than Ever Are in the PA Legislature. That’s Still Not Enough.

Women make up approximately 51% of the state population, but just under 29% of the state Legislature. Several groups are working to change that.

Courtesy of Jessica Benham
From ‘Bad Kid’ to the State House: Meet Jessica Benham, Pennsylvania’s First Openly Autistic, Bisexual Representative

Newly elected state Rep. Jessica Benham is changing the makeup of the Pennsylvania Legislature.