Cheryl Ingram Award
Josephs Honored for her Work on LGBT Rights
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 4 – State Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila., will be honored this week by the Philadelphia Bar Association's LGBT Rights Committee in recognition for her significant contributions to the cause of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.
Josephs will receive the Cheryl Ingram Advocate for Justice Award Thursday evening, Dec. 6, at the group's annual holiday reception.
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"We are delighted to honor Babette Josephs as this year's recipient of the Cheryl Ingram Advocate for Justice award," said Katie Eyer, co-chairwoman of the association's LGBT Rights Committee. "Representative Josephs has made tremendous contributions to LGBT equality in the state of Pennsylvania, through her actions as a legislator and ally to the LGBT community. On behalf of the Philadelphia Bar Association LGBT Rights Committee, we thank Representative Josephs for her long-standing principled commitment to equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community." The award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the committee's mission to protect the legal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The award is named after Cheryl Ingram, the former director of policy administration for the Philadelphia Bar Association and a pioneering LGBT advocate who was a catalyst in the creation of the Association's LGBT Rights Committee. |
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"Every single individual, regardless of his or her sexual orientation, deserves the full rights that come with being a Pennsylvania and U.S. citizen," Josephs said. "Discrimination should not be an option, period.
"We cannot afford to discriminate against LGBT citizens because we can't afford to lose anyone's contribution. Our country faces difficult problems: violence in our homes and on the streets; a lack of quality education and health care; a crumbling infrastructure; pollution and global warming; drug use and crime. We need everyone to help address these challenges," she said.
Josephs, a 22-year veteran of the General Assembly, has continually advocated for civil rights for all Pennsylvanians, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
The Philadelphia legislator played a key role in expanding the state hate-crimes law to cover gender identity and sexual orientation in 2002. Unfortunately, that law was overturned, but she is working with the General Assembly to get the law re-enacted.
She supported Philadelphia's life partnership ordinances, and has continually backed efforts in the General Assembly to end all forms of discrimination against these individuals in housing, employment and education. Josephs also endorses same-sex civil marriage, second-parent adoptions and health care aimed specifically at the LGBT community's needs.
Most recently, she held hearings throughout the state on legislation, in her role as chairwoman of the House State Government Committee, that would protect people who live or work in Pennsylvania from discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.
The LGBT Rights Committee addresses issues that are important to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the legal profession.