EASTON, Pa. — With the support of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, Easton City Council on Wednesday stood up to homophobia by declaring the municipality an Affirming City.
Dozens of people from the LGBTQ+ community, along with family, friends and other allies, filled College Hill Presbyterian Church on Wednesday to speak out in support of the measure.
Councilman Frank Pintabone, who introduced the measure, credited Eastern Pennsylvania Trans Equity Project Founder and Executive Director Corinne Goodwin, and DJ Brad Scott Smith with helping develop and refine the resolution.
“And it weighs heavily on me on a daily basis, it takes an emotional and physical toll. And to have my hometown stand up and put it into writing and codify into the law that they have my back — it means the world to me."Liz Keough
Passage of the resolution drew rounds of applause and cheers.
The resolution states the city’s commitment to transgender rights and equal protections for transgender individuals.
It also resolves “the City of Easton shall now and forever be considered a safe, affirming, and supportive city for the LGBTQ+ individuals and their families to live in peace and comfort.”
Supports gender-affirming care
The measure also declares the city a supportive city for transgender and nonbinary people and their families, as well as gender-affirming healthcare, which has come under fire during President Donald Trump’s administration.
The resolution directs city personnel to avoid criminally prosecuting or imposing penalties on licensed professional healthcare providers for providing that care, in addition to protecting those who are seeking said care, or help those in need.
Furthermore, the measure instructs city personnel, absent a lawful order from the commonwealth court or other agencies, to decline any requests to stop, arrest, detain or transfer any of those parties to out-of-state custody.
In addition, outside of lawful orders from the court or another agency, city personnel are not to respond to any requests for confidential healthcare information from another jurisdiction if that party seeks to punish or restrict gender-affirming healthcare.
The document asks Northampton County Council to adopt a similar measure, and for the state legislature and the governor to pass a “shield law” to protect licensed professional gender-affirming healthcare, in addition to protecting people from other states who come to Pennsylvania for that care.
Shielding the LGBTQ+ community
The personal stories of the LGBTQ+ community during trying times clearly struck a chord with the crowd Wednesday.
Leading a litany of heartfelt speeches was Goodwin, who said her organization has seen 1,411 attendees at its support groups in 2025 alone, doubling last year’s rate.
But at the same time, she said, federal and state legislative attacks via anti-trans legislation — 885 throughout the states, with 22 in Pennsylvania alone — are threatening the lives and livelihoods of trans people.
“Easton has always been a leader in terms of protecting the rights of its citizens to be free from discrimination," she said.
"Unfortunately, though, the Human Relations ordinance that's here in Easton, as currently written, doesn't contemplate these situations.
“So I'm asking you all here as the representatives of all the folks here in Easton to please join the cities of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Erie, Allentown, as well as the borough of State College.
"To quickly pass this resolution instructing city personnel to pursue reasonable actions that would shield its LGBTQ+ citizens, health practitioners and local agencies from persecution from other jurisdictions.”
'They matter and they belong'
Lafayette College Assistant Director of Intercultural Development and Coordinator for Gender and Sexuality Programs Gabby Hochfeld urged council to uphold the ideals of liberty and equality.
“Our young people are scared," Hochfeld said. "They’re watching closely. Let Easton be a beacon of hope, of justice, of leadership.
“It sends a clear message that Easton is not neutral when it comes to human dignity."DJ Brad Scott Smith
"Show our residents, our students and our future that this city stands firmly with the LGBTQIA+ community and pass this resolution and continue to build a community where everyone belongs."
DJ Brad Scott Smith spoke on the experience of growing up gay, and how he only truly found his home in Easton — where he said he found community, friends, fans and his husband.
It’s exactly what he wants for other LGBTQ+ individuals who come there, and the resolution would defend that notion, he said.
“It sends a clear message that Easton is not neutral when it comes to human dignity," Smith said.
"That when hate knocks, Easton won't just stand by. It will stand up and say, ‘Hell no! They're one of us! They matter and they belong!”
Bringing life to the community
Liz Keough and her wife, Jen Whitlock, both spoke on the resolution during public comment, stressing the importance of the issue.
Whitlock brought up the issue of suicidal ideation among trans youth, pinned at 41%, but said access to accepting parents or guardians and proper treatment are imperative to saving lives.
“We have so many artistic people that can communicate, that contribute a lot," Keogh said.
"And when I see transgender people being vilified and demonized and lies being put out about them for political reasons that are totally against the truth.
"And I'm asked to support practices that support suicide, I cannot do that,” she said, pleading for support.
Numerous others came up, some with prepared remarks, others speaking off the cuff, but all echoing the same point: Easton needed to stand firm in its support for an LGBTQ+ community that has brought life to its community, its commerce, its artistic scene and everywhere else.
'They have my back'
At the end of the meeting, Keough and Goodwin were both exuberant over the passage of the resolution.
Keough cited “the executive orders, [and] watching the 22 bills in the Pennsylvania state legislature that are all opposed to transgender rights and transgender healthcare” as driving factors for her work on the matter.
"And to have my hometown stand up and put it into writing and codify into the law that they have my back — it means the world to me."Liz Keough
“And it weighs heavily on me on a daily basis," she said. "It takes an emotional and physical toll.
"And to have my hometown stand up and put it into writing and codify into the law that they have my back — it means the world to me."
Goodwin said she felt both relieved and energized in seeing the resolution pass, though she recognizes the fight for equal rights in the LGBTQ+ community is far from over.
“You know, our community needs a victory," she said. "They need victories right now. They need to see that local government is standing up for them.
"Because local government — municipal level, county level, state level — they're the ones that are going to act as the buffers and help protect LGBTQ+ people from the issues that are coming from the top down in the U.S.
"So I'm relieved for that.”
She said the next step will involve properly staffing the Human Relations Commission in Easton.
