Gay Respectability and How Our Families Reacted to Our Wedding

lesbian wedding

Today marks our two week wedding anniversary. We had originally planned to celebrate with Mexican food and a Henry Louis Gates marathon, but the frigid temps make it patently unfair to ask any human being to go out into the weather to deliver food. So it is soup from the pantry and HLG marathon. Married […]

Trans Woman Jayme Lyn, 59, Wants Us To Remember the ‘Mature’ Trans Community #AMPLIFY

Trans Woman Allegheny County

  Name: Jayme Lynn Age: 59 County of Residence: Allegheny County, previously Dauphin county and Cumberland county Pronouns: She,her,Ms How do you describe your identity? Transgender woman Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? Hiding for 55 yrs,I found strength in the Diana Sawyer, Caitlin Jenner interview,wife knew about me […]

Ten Thanksgivings Without My Family

Thanksgiving placesetting

Content Note : trauma, neglect, family rejection, mental illness I don’t clearly remember the details of the last holiday meal I spent with my parents, but I know it was ten Thanksgivings ago. We were at Laura’s mother’s house and they were late. I was struggling mightily with mental health symptoms and not admitting yet […]

“Can you take a 13-year-old Caucasian boy?” Guest Blog Post for #LGBTQFamiliesDay

Lesbian Foster Family

This is a guest post written by a friend who is a foster parent. Her son has given permission to share pieces of his story to signal boost the vital role of LGBTQ foster families. This is part of our contributions to the #LGBTQFamiliesDay project. Content Note: Abuse, Trauma, Homophobia, Family Rejection “Can you take […]

We #AMPLIFY Stories from 50+ LGBTQ Parents in Western Pennsylvania on #LGBTQFamiliesDay

Welcome to another year of LGBTQ Families Day, a ‘day of blogging (and more)’ about LGBTQ families, sponsored by the blog Mombian and the Family Equality Council. Once again, I’ve decided to share #AMPLIFY posts highlighting the voices of parents, step-parents  and grandparents and other caretakers of children.  If you are a LGBTQ person with ties […]

Joslyn, 22, is a Trans Female Concerned About LGBTQ Mental Health Supports #AMPLIFY

Transgender Woman Allegheny County

  Name: Joslyn Age: 22 County of Residence: Allegheny Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? White, trans female Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? My coming out experience was kinda iffy. When I came out at bi my mom basically told me it’s okay. But she ONLY wanted to […]

Jay, 27, Discusses Challenges of Being a Straight Trans Man #AMPLIFY

Allegheny County LGBTQ

‘ Name:  Jay Age: 27 County of Residence:  Allegheny County Pronouns: He/Him How do you describe your identity? Straight Trans Man Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? It was very challenging my family is not supportive but my friends have been overwhelmingly great. I still have legal challenges […]

Marissa, 22, is a Trans Woman in Washington County #AMPLIFY

Washington County transgender

Name: Marissa Age: 22 County of Residence: Washington County Pronouns: n/a How do you describe your identity? I am female but I am transgender Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I was transgender ever since birth and I found support from my family and the challenges I have faced was […]

Madison, 40, is a Pansexual, Trans Woman Who Loves Pittsburgh #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Transgender Pansexual

  Name: Madison Perry Age: 40 County of Residence: Allegheny Pronouns: She ,her How do you describe your identity? Pansexual Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? In terms of my sexuality , I came out to the world as bisexual at 26 but since then since the vocabulary as I’ve […]

Bobbi Jo, 63, is a Transgender Lesbian in Indiana County #AMPLIFY

Transgender Indiana County

  Name: Bobbi Jo Age: 63 County of Residence: Indiana, formerly Butler County Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? Female lesbian. I’ve always been attracted to women. Transgender.  Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? It happened while I was in a substance recovery program in Indiana. I am […]