Kenney creates Commission on LGBT Affairs
The Mayor's Office of LGBT Affairs is creating a commission to address issues within the LGBT community such as racism and homelessness.
The Mayor's Office of LGBT Affairs is creating a commission to address issues within the LGBT community such as racism and homelessness.
The creation of the Mayor's Commission on LGBT Affairs comes three weeks after a 2013 video surfaced online that showed Darryl DePiano, the owner of gay bar iCandy in the Gayborhood, using racial slurs repeatedly. The video led to protests and boycotts of LGBT bars in Center City that allegedly discriminated against LGBT people of color.
"In order to fully serve the many needs of the city's diverse LGBT community, we need an array of voices and perspectives to inform and advise us," Mayor Kenney said in a statement Monday. "The commission will provide us a broad, as well as nuanced, view of issues impacting the lives of LGBT residents."
Some activists aren't quieting down. Shani Akilah, cofounder of the Black and Brown Workers' Collective, which has led protests following the release of the DePiano video, said that the commission is just "one tool in the toolbox" and that more needs to be done.
In particular, they are still demanding the resignation of Nellie Fitzpatrick, the city's director of the Office of LGBT Affairs.
"This is about what Nellie has not done in that office," Akilah said. "Everything she has done is reactionary and that's not good enough."
Fitzpatrick said Monday that she stands by her record and that the commission is not a reaction to the recent controversy. She said the commission had been planned since January, when the Kenney administration took office.
"It is another step in truly working to advance inclusion," Fitzpatrick said.
The commission will consist of 15 to 25 people, said Ajeenah Amir, a city spokeswoman. Commission members will serve as volunteers.
The Kenney administration said he intends to appoint a diverse group of LGBT members to the commission, including those who are transgender, gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual and queer, as well of those of various ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. He also wants diversity of profession, citizenship status, socio-economic status, geography, housing status and age.
The commission will focus on racism in the LGBT community, homelessness, housing for LGBT youth, and transgender equality.
Anyone interested in applying can fill out an online survey at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5sCtNuZolDRLWTj9rWJXWzScMmZdxGj4xqdDKiFPpS1jqAw/viewform. The deadline is Nov. 4.
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