In yet another right-wing push to roll back LGBTQ rights, two Pennsylvania school districts, a handful of Republican lawmakers, and a group of parents have filed a lawsuit aiming to scrap the state’s anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. The suit, filed in Commonwealth Court, argues that the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission overstepped its authority when it expanded the definition of sex discrimination to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
If successful, the lawsuit would not only strip LGBTQ Pennsylvanians of their protections in employment, housing, and public accommodations but would also bar transgender student-athletes from competing in women’s high school sports. In other words, it’s a direct attack on civil rights wrapped up in the latest GOP obsession—controlling trans lives.
The lawsuit names Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission as defendants. The commission, which enforces anti-discrimination laws, has consistently justified its expanded definition by citing state courts that align Pennsylvania’s laws with federal protections. But Republicans, who have repeatedly blocked legislative efforts to officially add LGBTQ protections, are now attempting to roll back progress through the courts instead.
The push to erase these protections follows a broader national trend of conservative efforts to limit LGBTQ rights. With legal battles over trans athletes dominating headlines, Pennsylvania is now ground zero for yet another front in the culture war. If the lawsuit succeeds, LGBTQ Pennsylvanians could find themselves without state-level recourse against discrimination—because, apparently, being queer in 2025 is still up for debate.