A group of local residents concerned about discrimination met last night to discuss expanding area laws to protect people on the basis of sexual orientation.

About eight members of the Centre County Advisory Council to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and 50 community members gathered to formally discuss enacting expanded anti-discrimination legislation in the Centre Region.

The legislation they hope to get passed in the area would expand to protect against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

Members of local government, LGBTA representatives and other town officials were invited to the meeting that was held at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center. Most community members in attendance agreed with expanding the legislation, but some did not.

Terrell Jones, who is the chairman of the Centre County Advisory Council to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and vice provost for educational equity talked about the goals of the advisory council and gave some background about them.

He also introduced the evening's speaker, Stephen Glassman, who spoke at length about expanding anti-discriminatory legislation in Pennsylvania.

Glassman, who is from Harrisburg, is the chairman of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

"I was able to come here tonight to talk about local nondiscrimination as well as state wide laws," Glassman said. "We have been on a concerted effort to work with local jurisdictions to pass local civil rights laws."

Glassman said the Human Relations Commission is working to try and establish nondiscriminatory laws that apply to everyone in the state of Pennsylvania, not just residents of the state.

"We are trying to create a level playing field for all human beings who are coming through this state," he said. "Our statutes are wide ranging and cover not only PA citizens, but anyone who is traveling through Pennsylvania, immigrants, [and others]."

Glassman said he hoped the town of State College would be open to creating anti-discrimination laws in the borough.

"The town of State College has one of the most outstanding public universities in the country," he said. "With your thoughtful and understanding population, we hope you will pass this legislation without controversy."

One community member, who spoke anonymously, said she fears being known as a transsexual woman in State College.

"I am afraid of the police," she said. "I was afraid that if I got pulled over I would be raped and killed and end up in a ditch. I am considering leaving State College."

She added that she had been threatened by people in the town and had been stalked and terrified to no end because of who she is.

She said her point in expressing her story was to show how desperately anti-discrimination legislation is needed in the area.

"[I] have considered suing because there is no protection," she said. "If the laws aren't there, then there's nothing that can fix it."

Glassman thanked her for her courage in sharing her story and said he has heard similar stories everywhere he goes, all of which stress the importance of anti-discrimination legislation.

State College Mayor Bill Welch, who attended the meeting, said the borough has a Fair Housing Law that provides protection to renters on the basis of sexual orientation, gender and other factors. He said there have been nine complaints under that legislation since it was created in 1993.

He said he approves of expanding anti-discrimination within the area.

"I don't see any reason why we shouldn't," he said. "It's the right thing to do."

Although Borough Council President Cathy Dauler could not attend the meeting, she said she was willing to listen to the concerns of members of the members of the advisory council. "They can come and talk to council about their concerns," she said.

am perfectly willing to listen to what they have to say and to take it seriously and consider what they recommend."

Also at the meeting, Joanne Tosti-Vasey, a member of the Centre County Advisory Committee, said a case of discrimination at a downtown State College bar had been brought to her attention.

She said LuLu's Nightspot, 131 S. Pugh St., has promotional nights that give women free admission and charge men to enter the bar.

She said that this violates current laws and that she had tried contacting the bar about their violations but was so far unable to get in touch with them.

Tosti-Vasey said LuLu's may not know they are in violation of certain laws. "They may be clueless," she said. "We aren't saying they are doing this knowingly and its just allegations at this point. On the surface it looks like there may be an issue but we don't know."

She said the next step would be to contact the bar and make them aware of their violations and get them involved in an educational process so that they can understand anti-discrimination laws and not violate them in the future.

Welch said the next step to getting legislation passed by the State College Borough Council would be to have those who support the legislation speak to council and make a case for the legislation to be passed.