Philadelphia Mayoral Hopeful Jim Kenney Says Battle For Gay Rights Goes On

By Steve Tawa

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Democratic mayoral candidate Jim Kenney, a longtime fighter for gay rights when he was on Philadelphia City Council, says that fight isn't over despite today's landmark US Supreme Court ruling.

Today, Kenney recalled that back in the 1990's, when there was widespread and staunch opposition to his efforts for "domestic partnerships" legislation, he never could have imagined this moment.

"It's a great day for the redemption of the document that made us a country, that all men -- and women -- are created equal," Kenney said today.

Kenney notes that more and more people have a friend or family member who identifies publicly as gay. And that, he thinks, helped change public opinion.

"You don't want your family member discriminated against, so you kind of transfer that understanding and love you have for your own family member to others who are not part of your family," he says.

But Kenney notes that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania still fails to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination.

"In 70 percent of our state, not counting Philadelphia, you still can't apply for an application for a rental without being (potentially) discriminated against. We need a nondiscrimination law in Pennsylvania to protect everyone."

Kenney says there's still work to be done on civil rights, minorities, immigration, and women.

"There's other areas of our society that need to be brought forward to this 'all persons are created equal' understanding,' " he said today.

Also today, Republican mayoral candidate Melissa Murray Bailey wrote to the LGBTQ community on her Facebook page, "It is about time that you have the same human rights as all Americans."