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Last night, I met my mother in my dreams. She was living in a shabby chic bungalow with bright decorations and her beloved drapes gracing every window. Just as I arrived I saw her mother – my grandmother – pull out of the driveway in a practical blue sedan. I waved, but unsure if she […]
The Crime A Black trans woman was shot and killed last week in an Atlanta suburb. Shannon Boswell, 30, was then run over by a car. Officials assumed Shannon was the victim of a hit and run. Friends and family reported the shooting to law enforcement, but they only responded when the medical examiner’s report […]
A local effort to distribute ‘Protect Trans Kids’ signs and stickers has reached a milestone, but needs community help to continue their work. The project has produced and distributed 2000 yard signs, most in the Pittsburgh region, since June 2022. Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities (PLC) has spearheaded this project. They recently decided to send the remaining […]
The brutal murder of 14 year old Pauly Likens in Western Pennsylvania is far from an isolated incident.. Looking through my archive of memorial posts, I found 14 listings of youth and young adults 21 and under. That’s a span of 18 months, averaging nearly one trans youth brutally murdered each month. They represent more […]
Pauly Likens was a 14 year old trans girl, born and raised in Sharon, Pennsylvania. She went missing on June 22, 2024. Pauly was killed on June 23, 2024. Her parents reported her missing on June 25, 2024. Her death by murder was announced on July3, 2024. The Crime From The Sharon Herald Likens was […]
I am holding space tonight for this young community member and neighbor whose life was taken in a brutal manner. Pauly Likens was from Sharon, PA. She liked to wear fake nails and/or polish. She likely died on June 22 or 23. Sharon is about 75 miles from my home in Pittsburgh. I have been […]
In acknowledgment of Disability Pride Month, a look back at previous posts. Most of my blogging about mental health began after 2010 when I was declared totally and completely disabled by the Federal Government. I immediately hit many walls of discrimination, bias, and ignorance on the part of other people. My response was to up […]
A 302 in Pennsylvania is shorthand for an involuntary civil commitment. 302 is the section of the Pennsylvania code under Mental Health Law. This is a disability pride issue. Last year, LGBTQ activist and writer, Susan “Sue” Kerr suffered an inexcusable violation of her civil rights when multiple officials deliberately disregarded established ‘sprocesses meant to […]
I am so thrilled to have been profiled by the lesbian media site Autostraddle, especially by a Pittsburgh based journalist. Her blog is a living archive of nearly 20 years of LGBTQ history and struggle and culture and joy. It’s a place where the memories of the people who’ve had their lives cut short by […]
