US Supreme Court Leaves Stand Texas High Court Ruling Undermining Marriage Equality

Domestic Partner Benefits

This is a nightmare scenario for me. I am not being histrionic, or perhaps I am being consistent with the histrionic level I’ve been maintaining on domestic partner benefits since 2014.  The US Supreme Court has let stand a Texas Supreme Court  ruling that there is no established right to spousal benefits in same-sex marriages. […]

Is Krampus Coming to the White House This Year?

Melania White House

When I first saw the images from the White House Christmas decor, I immediately thought “Melania is honoring her heritage!”  Melania Trump is from Slovenia, one of several Central European-Balkan nations that include “companions” in their holiday traditions – typically frightening beasts who acommpany St. Nicholas for some reason or another, manifesting the consequences of […]

WTF?

November 8, 2017. The date four local women in politics announced they were forming a Political Action Committee (PAC) called Women for the Future of Pittsburgh with the unfortunate acronym of WTF. For clarity sake, I’m going to use WTF Pgh to avoid confusion with actual WTF references. Stated mission: Women for The Future (WTF) […]

Mt. Lebanon Approves LGBT Nondiscrimination Ordinance, 4th in Western PA

In December 2016, residents of Mt. Lebanon gathered for a ‘Unity Rally’ in response to multiple incidents of crimes targeting vulnerable members of the community. One year later, seeds planted at this rally led to the passage of a municipal ordinance protecting the LGBTQ community from nondiscrimination. Similar to one enacted eight years ago in […]

Election Day 2017 Wrap-Up: My Queer Perspective

There will be lots of these types of posts today across the blogosphere. You should read them because the outcomes from this particular election are both disappointing and hopefilled for those of us living our lives on the ground. Check out what Alvin McEwan has to say about it at Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters. […]

#VoteNo – City of Pgh Ballot Charter Measure Unfair, Lacks Good Governance

Let me at the very beginning of this post affirm that I think students in Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) deserve good coaches. I also think students at all higher education institutes deserve good faculty, both FT and adjunct.  I should also clarify that my partner is a 17 year employee of the City. So, last […]

Butler Mayoral Election is Referendum Vote on Municipal NonDiscrimination Ordinance Says Local Trans Activist

“[The Nov 7 General Election] will be seen as a referendum vote [on nondiscrimination ordinances].  So, if it fails, no elected official will bring this back up anytime soon, in Butler or the surrounding area. If we get this passed, then it will show the neighboring municipality that it is not political suicide to bring this up and vote on it.”

Darlene Harris, Donald Trump, and Doing the Right Thing in Pittsburgh

You may have heard that Pittsburgh City Councilor Darlene Harris raised a ruckus when she used her personal vehicle to drive through a Northside Park along the walking paths. She claims she was investigating City stuff. This quickly deteriorated into the ‘Darlene, woman of the people’ folks and ‘Darlene is a self-entitled jagoff’ folks. I […]

Til We Wise Up

Transgender Bigotry in Sharon, Butler Reinforce Need for NonDiscrimination Protections

Pittsburgh Transgender

Content Note: misgendering, deadnaming, lies, transphobia. On Sunday, the Sharon Herald printed a newspaper article updating the community on the status of a civil lawsuit against the Sharon Police Department involving the shooting death of 23 year-old Sean Hake. Sean was a transgender man. The Sharon Herald first reported that he was a trans woman, […]