Mr. Rogers Was My Hero

When you were five years old, who was your hero? What do you think of that person today? My hero at the tender age of five was Mr. Fred Rogers. I started kindergarten at 4, turning 5 in late October. According to my mother, I would rush home from my half-day of education to flop […]

He Doesn’t Mind, But I Do

Winter Coat Donate Pittsburgh

A pressure point translates in Japanese to “tender spot.” What are your pressure points? Tell us about the experience of being outside, looking in — however you’d like to interpret that. The interesting thing about pressure points is that you have to apply the right amount of pressure and in just the right direction to trigger […]

FURTHER UPDATED: Beaver County LGBTQ Activist Has a Dying Wish

Cathy Cairns

UPDATE: Please note that the goal was increased due to the realization that a burial plot was not paid off as they originally thought. Many of you know Cathy Cairns. She has been a familiar face at many LGBTQ community events as well as an active participant in housing development projects. I am very sad […]

Peer Pressure Creates Important Conversation in the Queer Community

Pittsburgh LGBT

Can peer pressure be positive? Why or why not? Yes, being pressured toward healthy and positive behavior can be positive. Positive is offering encouragement when someone shares their fitness activities. Positive is not posting your own amazing story in the comments section as encouragement. Positive is a gentle nudge, a reminder, a supportive voice and […]

Rainbows on Cupcakes and Pressure on Peers

Pittsburgh Blog

Tell us about a time when you didn’t bend to peer pressure, and you swam against the stream. AND Write about anything you’d like, but make sure that all seven colors of the rainbow — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet — make an appearance in the post, either through word or image. Hello. My […]

Pittsburgh City Council Elects First Openly Gay President

Bruce Kraus Pittsburgh

January 6, 2014 ushers in the much-anticipated progressive Peduto Administration to the Mayors Office, but also marks another significant milestone for the City with the election of the first openly gay man as President of City Council. In 2008, Bruce Kraus became the first openly LGBTQ person elected to City Council. He was reelected in […]

Chest Pain Sent Me to the ER at 43

anxiety pittsburgh

I have an anxiety disorder that I treat with medication and therapy skills. I’m to the point now where I rarely have a full-fledged anxiety attack, but when I do it is physically awful. My chest hurts. I feel dread and adrenaline coursing through my body. I have trouble breathing. I usually cry and I […]

How Many Winter Hats Do You Own?

winter gear

This weekend, we enter the coldest spell of the season, so far, with temperatures forecast to hit zero degrees on Tuesday. And sadly there are people who will spend the hours when it is zero degrees being cold. They may live outside and “sleep rough” under a bridge or in an alley. They may be […]

Honesty

Lesbian Blogging

Is it possible to be too honest, or is honesty always the best policy? Being honest with yourself is a good idea, but …

Five Reasons I Dislike Making Resolutions

Manic Pixie Dream girl

What are you currently feeling pressure to do that you don’t particularly enjoy? Make resolutions. Or pick a theme, a brand, a style, a personal hashtag. There are several reasons I don’t enjoy this. First, people beat themselves up – they are too fat, too out of shape, too pessimistic, too lazy – during much […]