Pennsylvania Youth Congress

10/16/2026

From York! Congratulations to the Rainbow Rose Center on your new home.

✂️🏳️‍🌈 Welcome back to Downtown York, Rainbow Rose Center!

Today, we were proud to celebrate the Rainbow Rose Center’s return to Downtown York with an official ribbon cutting at their new home inside the Friends & Neighbors of Pennsylvania, Inc. building at 140 N. Duke St.!

Since 2020, Rainbow Rose Center has been providing support to the York community, and we’re excited to welcome them back to York City as they create an even more accessible and welcoming space for connection, resources, and support.

In partnership with Friends and Neighbors, Rainbow Rose Center is looking forward to building out social and support groups, hosting programs and events, and continuing to make a meaningful difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies throughout our community.

We’re thrilled to see this next chapter unfold right here in Downtown York! 💛

A special thank-you to our official ribbon cutting sponsor, Around The Clock Cleaning, for helping us celebrate this exciting milestone!

Help us give Rainbow Rose Center a warm Downtown York welcome back!

10/15/2026

Breaking News: Our state government will come in with the matching funds necessary to continue gender affirming medical healthcare for trans youth who are under 19 years old using Medicaid. Over the summer the federal government announced it was no longer going to cover its half-share of the costs for gender affirming medical healthcare for young trans people using CHIP or Medicaid programs, leaving it up to the states what happens next. Pennsylvania is now one of the states in part ensuring care continues. We thank Governor Josh Shapiro for this administrative action, and for his joining a lawsuit with a 22-state coalition to block the federal rule entirely that ends federal matching funds. Unfortunately, this rule has gone into effect as of October 13th this week. The Governor’s office is sharing in this article that they don’t have the power to extend the same decision to CHIP. We encourage young people using CHIP to seek resources to identify if they may be additionally eligible for Medicaid. It’s time to lead with scientifically-backed medical standards of care and compassion, not divisive culture wars and hateful disinformation. Let’s keep going forward, PA.

The new rule and ongoing investigations of hospitals, including Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Nemours Children's Health, have intensified fear, transgender rights advocates say.

10/07/2026

Today, 100 LGBTQ+ community leaders from all across Pennsylvania are uniting in sharing this statement against anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech by public officials. Over decades, there have been elected and appointed leaders who have made cruel and disparaging remarks about LGBTQ+ people for being who we are, sometimes explicit and at other times coded. Last week, comments were reported to be said by a member of the State House of Representatives against State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta. We condemn hate speech in all its forms as we come together today with the following statement:

We are LGBTQ+ community leaders unified across Pennsylvania in condemning hate speech by elected officials. Trusted public officials should never use their platform to make disparaging comments about LGBTQ+ people.

Statements made by elected officials carry weight. When those in positions of public trust attack LGBTQ+ people for existing, those words send deeply harmful messages that hostility, discrimination, and violence against our communities is tolerated. It is not. In these moments, it is vital that people of good conscience speak out.

The responsibility to confront hate does not fall on the perpetrator alone. Whether it is an LGBTQ+ young person being bullied at school or a public official using their platform to demean our communities, the silence of bystanders and colleagues allows harmful rhetoric to take root and spread. We are grateful to the Pennsylvanians who have the courage to speak up, intervene, and call for dignity, respect, and accountability.

Anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech does not always come in explicit terms. Too often, discriminatory ideas are advanced through coded language or insinuation that seeks to justify denying LGBTQ+ people equal dignity and protection under the law. Whether direct or indirect, hateful speech that targets LGBTQ+ people can contribute to an environment in which dehumanization becomes normalized.

We believe Pennsylvania’s future must be different. Our commonwealth is at its best when every person is regarded as equal and free — and when our leaders use their platforms to bring people together rather than target our neighbors. Our Pennsylvania values demand nothing less.

In Solidarity,
100 LGBTQ+ Community Leaders Across Pennsylvania See less

10/07/2026

Today, 100 LGBTQ+ community leaders from all across Pennsylvania are uniting in sharing this statement against anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech by public officials. Over decades, there have been elected and appointed leaders who have made cruel and disparaging remarks about LGBTQ+ people for being who we are, sometimes explicit and at other times coded. Last week, comments were reported to be said by a member of the State House of Representatives against State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta. We condemn hate speech in all its forms as we come together today with the following statement:

We are LGBTQ+ community leaders unified across Pennsylvania in condemning hate speech by elected officials. Trusted public officials should never use their platform to make disparaging comments about LGBTQ+ people.

Statements made by elected officials carry weight. When those in positions of public trust attack LGBTQ+ people for existing, those words send deeply harmful messages that hostility, discrimination, and violence against our communities is tolerated. It is not. In these moments, it is vital that people of good conscience speak out.

The responsibility to confront hate does not fall on the perpetrator alone. Whether it is an LGBTQ+ young person being bullied at school or a public official using their platform to demean our communities, the silence of bystanders and colleagues allows harmful rhetoric to take root and spread. We are grateful to the Pennsylvanians who have the courage to speak up, intervene, and call for dignity, respect, and accountability.

Anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech does not always come in explicit terms. Too often, discriminatory ideas are advanced through coded language or insinuation that seeks to justify denying LGBTQ+ people equal dignity and protection under the law. Whether direct or indirect, hateful speech that targets LGBTQ+ people can contribute to an environment in which dehumanization becomes normalized.

We believe Pennsylvania’s future must be different. Our commonwealth is at its best when every person is regarded as equal and free — and when our leaders use their platforms to bring people together rather than target our neighbors. Our Pennsylvania values demand nothing less.

In Solidarity,
100 LGBTQ+ Community Leaders Across Pennsylvania

10/01/2026

Congratulations to Sammi on being elected as the Fairview Homecoming Queen! That should be the story about this Homecoming in suburban Erie last weekend — nothing else. While it’s shameful some sought to attack her and the school online because Sammi is a girl who is trans, the students and community refused to be defined by the haters. Supporters for inclusion, for Sammi, came out in strong force at the school board meeting this week. A student government leader gave powerful remarks backing Sammi, flanked by many peers, and no one spoke against her. The school district issued a positive statement. Thank you.

In our state and nation, trans and q***r people still get attacked just for existing. When allies speak out and unify against hate and towards full inclusion, change happens.

Thirteen years ago also in Western PA, a student outside of Johnstown was kicked off the ballot by school administrators for Homecoming King because he was trans. We have serious work ahead, but stories like the one from Fairview show us that even in these challenging times, we continue to make progress with communities who want to provide safety, inclusion, and equality for all.

Saturday night, Fairview High School held its annual homecoming dance, but this year, the celebration was the subject of controversy. Prior to the dance, upperclassmen students voted a transgender …

09/18/2026

UPMC has made a final cruel decision today to fully end gender affirming medical care for young trans patients. Abandoning young people in the end without a whimper of remorse. While last year the healthcare giant ended this care in precompliance with illegal Executive Orders, now this is a formal settlement agreement with the current United States Department of Justice.

The fear-mongering, disinformation, and dehumanization around young trans people must come to an end. One day it will. We can do this by supporting advocacy, education, and trans joy led and centered with trans young people. We can do this by resisting UPMC and lifting up other healthcare systems that stand with their patients.

We know the frontline healthcare professionals at UPMC must be heartbroken now — for their former patients, for the institution they work and breathe in. We know the families of young trans people across Western and Central Pennsylvania are hurting. You are not alone.

We must never give up hope. There will be days again when all our major healthcare systems return to science and standards of medicine. Our world is a better and more beautiful place when young trans people can live free. We will get there. Working together, one day at a time.

UPMC has agreed to pay $950,000 and stop providing gender-affirming care for minors as part of a resolution with the U.S. Department of Justice.

08/11/2026

The U.S. Department of Justice is dropping its appeal of a federal court ruling in Pittsburgh that quashed its subpoena to UPMC just over a year ago, seeking to access medical records of young people seeking gender-affirming care.

08/06/2026

Our Founder and Executive Director is stepping back and will be enjoying her "semi-retirement" soon and that means that we are starting a search for our next Executive Director!

If you have a passion and committment for serving the transgender and gender expansive community and have the skills needed to lead our growing nonprofit, we encourage you to learn more by visiting: https://shorturl.at/RsHiu or by clicking the link in our bio.

People of transgender and gender-expansive experience are encouraged to apply.

Eastern PA Trans Equity Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

08/06/2026

Thank you to all the advocates working for public accountability and change in Philadelphia following the unacceptable conduct of law enforcement during Pride weekend in the Gayborhood. Speaking truth to power, and demanding answers and reform is vital.

08/04/2026