Lesbian Finalist in Three Categories for City Paper ‘Best of Pittsburgh’ Poll #BestofPgh

It is a nice year to be a contender because we can potentially actually visit the winners – maybe, depending on how well we follow the guidelines. That’s progress! I am honored to be a finalist (the top ten vote getters) in three categories. Best Local Blog – so this isn’t all me and I’ve […]

Help Find a Sick Cat on the Northside

I don’t have a photo because this little one is artful at the dodging. BUT there’s a little kitty on the Northside who is on her own and needs to be trapped for veterinary care. She’s clearly underweight according to those who have seen her. There’s no visible colony near where she lives. We have […]

Caturday Update – My Community Cats Slowly Return to Colony After Their Home Demolished

Feral Cats

It has been a tough week. The house that was home to my community cats and in face, many generations of cats, was demolished after the roof collapsed. That was a necessary action, but it brought to light the systemic failures that compromise the City’s own laws. But that’s a post for another day … […]

Tour a 1900 Manchester Home the Night Before It Is Demolished

Travails of the Yinzer

My friend Ed wrote this on his blog Travails of the Yinzer. This house has been empty for 20 years and home to many, many generations of cats and groundhogs and possum and some humans here and there. Miss Maryjanes haas. They are tearin dahhn Miss Maryjanes haas today. I stopped in for one last […]

20-Year-Old Black Trans Woman Taya Ashton Shot Dead in Maryland

A 20-year-old Black transgender woman, Taya Ashton, has become the latest victim in the violent epidemic of murder targeting the transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming community. Tavahn Ashton of Suitland in Prince George’s County, Maryland was pronounced dead on Saturday, July 17, 2021. On July 17, 2021, at approximately 9:55 pm, officers responded to an […]

Reentry

This week, my wife officially returned to her offices. She had been working from our kitchen table since March 18, 2020 with some occasional trips to her workspace. I hate it. I’m glad she’s working, obviously. Also glad it’s safe enough to return. And I should be glad I can watch streaming things without headphones […]

Outcomes from #ManchesterCatTrap and a Plea for Help

feral cat clinic

I’ve been mulling over how to write this post, a ‘report out’ from our recent cat trapping and pet food distribution event. So let me jump ahead to yesterday, July 6. I was going through the invoices and feedback forms to compile some solid information. I checked Facebook and saw that a neighbor on the […]

Maria Montaño Challenges Social Norms, Political Structures as ‘Best Thirst Trap’ Nominee in Pgh City Paper Best of Pittsburgh Awards

For so long, trans women and our bodies have been sold as objects under capitalism. This has led to our marginalization – and the belief that we are nothing but sexual deviants is directly related to the way we are demonized by so many. Capitalism has deprived us of our humanity, and our own sexual […]

What We Get Wrong About “Independence Day”

Martina McBride

Some folks whispered and some folks talked But everybody looked the other way And when time ran out there was no one about On Independence Day. Each year, I listen to Martina McBride’s song ‘Independence Day’ to honor the Fourth of July. There are some good lyrics and wordplay fusing our national independence themes with […]

How do you queer outreach?

I’ve been a bit busy this month with the #ManchesterCatTrap project so I didn’t participate in any Pride activities, until the end when I had the opportunity to say something. So I did. First was the chance to write an essay for PublicSource ‘Right kind of gay, wrong kind of queer’: Navigating LGBTQ discrimination in Pennsylvania […]