Q&A With Jessica Benham, Incumbent Candidate for PA House District 36

Jessica Benham

As a member of the minority party, it’s incredibly difficult to get legislative priorities to move in Harrisburg. In fact, so far, no bill prime sponsored by a House Democrat has been signed into law this legislative session. I have used the amendment process to still advocate and fight. State Representative Jessica Benham This is […]

Grief, Anger, Fear, and Guilt: Comments from a Friend of Kathryn Newhouse at Her Candlelight Vigil

Kathryn Newhouse

On Saturday March 19, 2022, a 19-year-old Asian-American autistic trans woman living with mental illness issues was murdered by her father (filicide) in their family home. Her father then died by suicide using the same gun. Her name was Kathryn (Katie) Newhouse. Yesterday, friends and neighbors organized a candlelight vigil to honor her life and acknowledge […]

Autistic Asian-American Teen Trans Woman Kathryn Newhouse Murdered by Her Father in Georgia

On Saturday March 19, 2022, a 19-year-old Asian-American autistic trans woman living with mental illness issues was murdered by her father in their family home. Her father then died by suicide using the same gun. Her name was Kathryn (Katie) Newhouse. A native of Illinois, Kathryn was most recently living with her family in Canton, Georgia. […]

Political LGBTQ&A with Jessica Benham, State Representative Elect PA House District 36

Jessica Benham

I know that many bisexual people and many Autistic people see themselves reflected in me, and that my win gives them hope about the ways they, too, can make a difference in the world. As of this most recent election, Pennsylvania has at least 57 openly LGBTQ individuals holding elected office. In November 2020, we […]

Q&A with Jessica Benham, Candidate for PA State House District 36

Jessica Benham

The residents of district 36 deserve a solution to the flooding that impacts their daily lives. They are tired of constant studies and plans that don’t materialize. We are revisiting our Political Q&A series for the upcoming elections of 2020. We’ve reached out to candidates who are pro-choice and pro-LGBTQ, asking them a series of […]

Bob, 24, is an autistic butch non binary lesbian. This is their story. #AMPLIFY

Austistic Nonbinary Lesbian Pittsburgh

  I still don’t know how to tell them I legally changed my name. Maybe they’ll see this and find out. Hi mom, hi dad. I love you. I wish I could tell you how incandescently happy changing my name made me. A weight has been lifted. I hope you can respect that. Name: Bob Rudenborg […]

Suzanne, 39, never felt that honoring her orientation was even an option #AMPLIFY

female bisexual Pittsburgh

  Name: Suzanne Age: 39 County of Residence: Allegheny, but grew up in Armstrong County. Northern Armstrong County bordering Clarion and Butler counties, different parts of Allegheny County, and Mexico City Pronouns: she/her/hers How do you describe your identity? female bi-ish lesbian Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I consider that I […]

Back to School Q&A with Trans Activist Daniel, 16, of Lakeview School District

We’ve blogged earlier in the year about the decision of Lakeview School District in Mercer County to expand their nondiscrimination policies to explicitly address needs of transgender students. This was a rule change to better comply with existing policy, not a new policy altogether. When the School Board met in May, one student – Daniel […]

Selene, 60, is genderfluid, pansexual, femme-presenting, neuroqueer and more #AMPLIFY

How do you describe your identity? genderfluid, pansexual, femme-presenting, dom
white as f*ing bleached flour
autistic, neurodivergent, neuroqueer
multiply disabled, invisibly disabled, visibly disabled, auditory processing disorder, executive function disorder, ehlers danlos syndrome, partially ambulatory

Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? Have been more or less out as weird-queer all my life. Had some excellent friends, also some friends of my mother’s were supportive. Several teachers.

Got beat up, excluded, gamed. Autism (undiagnosed) was not helpful in knowing whom to trust.

‘Scared of Sarah’ Intense Exploration of Family, Relationships

I’ve been referring to this play by Off The Wall Productions as a play about autism, but I must amend that now having watched the play for myself. Lily and Sam are wrestling with the fact that Lily is unexpectedly pregnant, a turn of events that generates the usual array of fears about finances, parenting […]