PCHR Gayborhood Racism Recommendations: First 30 Days

Poster detailing the Fair Practices Ordinance now visible at Knock bar in Gayborhood | Photo credit: Ernest Owens

When the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations (PCHR) released its Gayborhood racism report and recommendations a month ago, its most immediate mandate was that all Gayborhood bars post the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance in employee common areas. G Philly interviewed PCHR executive director Rue Landau about the progress on that item and the report’s other recommendations.

This week marks the deadline for PCHR Fair Practices Ordinance posters to be displayed. Have all the Gayborhood bars complied? And if not all, which haven’t?
We’re happy to report that all of the bars and the two nonprofits [the Mazzoni Center and Philadelphia FIGHT] have reported to the PCHR that they are in compliance and displaying the PCHR’s informational posters.

How’s overall progress and response been on the recommendations now that they have been issued?
Overall, we’ve received positive and supportive responses from the bars and nonprofits about the training requirements outlined in our report. Most of the bar owners and management have expressed their understanding that providing this training for their staff is a good thing and the collective effort will make the Gayborhood stronger and more welcoming for everyone in the LGBTQ community.

Any other important additional information or details you would like to share?
We are currently scheduling trainings with the bars and nonprofits, and we expect that we will have full participation within 120 days.

Here’s the timeline of PCHR’s recommendations:

• Within 30 days: Posters detailing the Fair Practices Ordinance must be displayed at employee common areas at all Gayborhood bars.
• Within 90 days: Fair Practice Ordinance training must be completed.
• Within 120 days, all implicit-bias training must be completed within and bars and nonprofits must report completion of recommendations to PCHR.