How to Save This Blog: Support This Blog

Save the Blog

Recent events have made it clear that this 18 year old blog could be in peril. That would mean the loss of thousands of blog posts chronicling LGBTQ narratives from Pittsburgh, Western PA, and beyond. This includes over 300 stories in the #AMPLIFY project, 350 memorial posts honoring our trans neighbors, and hundreds of posts […]

Honoring the Dead: Trans Day of Remembrance Events in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania

According to GLAAD and Remember Our Dead, TDOR started in San Francisco in 1999, when trans advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith held a vigil honoring the memory of Rita Hester, a trans woman who was killed in her home two days before her 35th birthday. Ever since, TDOR has taken place on November 20th. Attendees honor Rita and her […]

How Do We Cope When Two Black Trans And GNC Young Adults Are Shot to Death in Ohio?

The Crime Gun violence in Toledo claimed the lives of a Black trans woman and a gender nonconforming gay Black man, both age 21. They were best friends, killed by gunfire in the same incident. Two adults were taken to the hospital in critical condition after a shooting around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. A press release […]

We Just Learned that the Name of a Black Trans Woman Shot to Death in April is LaKendra Andrews

The Crime Recently, we learned of the shooting death of 26 year old Black trans woman LaKendra Andrews in Dallas in April 2023 from Nu Trans Movement. Previously, reporting on her death had misgendered her and used her deadname, leaving her off these lists for over six months. At around 8:35 a.m. April 29, police […]

How this Delaware County School District is Affirming the Privacy of Transgender Students through New Policies

Penn-Delco School District transgender

We recently learned that Penn-Delco School District leaders are working on a draft of a policy addressing nondiscrimination needs of the students. This includes transgender students. Penn-Delco is a suburban public school school district in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Some transgender students are not openly so at home for reasons such as safety concerns or lack […]

I’m an Angry Voter This Year and Here’s Why

People are often surprised that I’m not a super voter or someone who has voted in every election. I struggle with the privilege of claiming that one must vote to have a voice in democracy. Show up or shut up is hardly a democratic ideal. It can, in fact, lead people to feel more alienated […]

Eastern Pennsylvania School District Adopts Anti-Trans Student Policies

Perkiomen School District transgender

A Pennsylvania school district recently passed a policy requiring students to use restrooms based on their assigned gender. Perkiomen Valley School District is located in central Montgomery County. It serves the boroughs of Collegeville, Trappe, and Schwenksville, and the townships of Lower Frederick, Perkiomen, and Skippack, in Pennsylvania.The district headquarters are in Perkiomen Township. Now, the Perkiomen Valley School Board initially struck down the sex-based […]

Three Lancaster Transgender Teens Died by Suicide Over Past Year

transgender teen suicide Pennsylvania

Content Note: suicide, gender identity, Lancaster Lancaster LGBTQ communities have experienced deep loss this past year. Three young trans teens died by by suicide over the past year, including two in the past month. Say Their Names River Paige Olmsted, age 17, October 16, 2023 Theadora “Thea” Cassidy, age 18, September 22, 2023 Brayden Snyder, […]

New Episode GAY USA: TV’s Weekly LGBT News Hour November 1, 2023

Gay USA logo

One of our favorites is this weekly LGBTQ news show, GAY USA. We are going to begin embedding each episode as part of our commitment to share LGBTQ media content.

Some Voting Resources for the Pennsylvania 2023 General Election

Voter Registration for 2023 has passed. You can register for future elections. Pennsylvania Voter Information If you plan to vote using an absentee or mail-in ballot in the 2023 MUNICIPAL ELECTION held on 11/07/2023, your completed application must be received in the county office by 5:00 PM on 10/31/2023. The deadline to return your voted […]