WATCH:Philly Mayor Signs Expansive LGBT Rights Law

The city extends additional brotherly (and sisterly) love to LGBT residents.

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.

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Trudy Ring

May 10 2013 4:00 AM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter Thursday signed into law a bill expanding the city's antidiscrimination ordinance to include gender identity and enhancing LGBT protections in several other ways.

The measure, which the City Council passed last month, makes Philadelphia the first city in the U.S. to offer tax credits to companies that have domestic-partner benefits, and also provides incentives for employers to cover transgender-related health care, the Associated Press reports.

"My goal is for Philadelphia to be one of, if not the most, LGBT-friendly cities in the world and a leader on equality issues," said Nutter, also giving a shout-out to a mentor and friend, the late John Anderson, a gay man who served on the City Council.

The law also requires newly constructed city-owned buildings to have gender-neutral restrooms and "extends decision-making rights to life partners on medical and other issues, and changes city forms and websites to offer options for same-sex couples and transgender people," the AP notes.

Watch video of the signing below, from Philadelphia's CBS affiliate.