Rural PA LGBTQ&A with West Branch Pride Organizers in Williamsport, Lycoming County

West Branch Susquehanna River Pride

This is part of a new occasional series exploring LGBTQ organizing in rural Pennsylvania communities. After our recent driving trip through the PA Wilds communities, I was impressed that after an almost complete lack of queer visibility, a slew of new LGBTQ projects unfolded in my feed – a Pride event in Elk County, a […]

Flip, 32, Describes Rural & Urban Life as a Pansexual, Queer Man #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Pansexual Queer Man

Name: Flip Shuffstall Age: 32 County of Residence: Allegheny County, formerly Venango County. Clarion County. United Kingdom, Liverpool. Pronouns: Him How do you describe your identity? Cis Male—Pansexual—Queer Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? Imagine if Dharma and Greg had kids. My maternal side—liberal—loving and accepting. Paternal side—right-wing-Christian—homophobic—rich. Some summers […]

Rachael, 21, Describes Bisexual Life in Rural Western PA #AMPLIFY

Butler Erie County Bisexual

  Being out feels a lot like there’s a clearer, more accurate presentation of myself being shared with the world and that’s how I prefer it. Name:  Rachael Age: 21 County of Residence: Butler County, formerly Erie County Pronouns: She/Her How do you describe your identity? Bisexual Cis and Caucasian Please describe your coming out experience. Where did […]

Jessica, 38, is a Cis Lesbian Who Came Out Later in Life #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Cisgender Lesbian

I was very comforted by seeing stories of women like me. Those who came out later in their lives, those who had families and marriages. If my story can help even one person to feel seen, then I’m grateful to have participated. Name: Jessica Age: 38 County of Residence:  Allegheny County, formerly Lancaster County, Dauphin County Pronouns: […]

QT is a 28 year old cis, white, queer female with ties to rural Western Pennsylvania #AMPLIFY

Armstrong Allegheny Cambria Indiana counties

As someone who does not get clocked as LGBT, i hear a lot of very negative talk at work, from people who are very anti lgbt and unaware that I’m part of the community Name: QT Age:  28 County of Residence: Allegheny, previously Armstrong, Indiana, Cambria Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? Cis white queer female […]

He’s a cisgender polyamorous bisexual guy, but nobody asks #AMPLIFY

Allegheny County LGBTQ

Name:  Just another lawyer Age:  38 County of Residence:  Allegheny Pronouns: He/His How do you describe your identity? I generally don’t. It’s the advantage to presenting the way I do: I don’t have to describe anything. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face?  To a large degree, I never have. See […]

Rachel, 24, Asks Where Are Our Out, Queer Women Role Models in Pittsburgh? #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Queer Woman

Name:  Rachel Age: 24 County of Residence:  Allegheny Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? Gender identity: cis female, sexual orientation: queer, race: white. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face?  I sort of subconsciously knew I was queer from a young age. I remember being enamored with a […]

Hilary, 44, Works Hard to Boost Pansexual Identity in Erie County #AMPLIFY

Name: Hilary Copp Age: 44 County of Residence: Erie County, previously has lived in New Jersey, Chicago, Atlanta, and Ohio. Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? Cisgender white female, pansexual Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I have a tremendous amount of privilege […]

Marcia, 58, is Cisgender, Lesbian & Slightly Gender Nonconforming #AMPLIFY

Name: Marcia Age: 58 County of Residence: Allegheny, Pronouns: she, her How do you describe your identity? Cisgender, lesbian, slightly gender nonconfroming Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? My coming out was extremely difficult due to my strong religious upbringing which to this day has created barriers between me and my […]

Angela is a Queer Mother & Intersectional Feminist #AMPLIFY

Name: Angela Age: 28 County of Residence: Allegheny,  formerly Berks, Montgomery, Bucks in PA. Also lived in Rome, Italy, and the SF Bay Area of California Preferred Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? I am a white cis woman. I am disabled by our society that allows people (mostly who are feminine) to remain chronically ill. I am […]