Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

My friend Melissa set up a crowdfund for my legal and living expenses in September 2023. It is still active and still needed. I’ve posted 48 updates, about 2x month, to keep donors and supporters informed on the legal issues, the living issues, and other items. This is the 48th update pasted below.

I work often with GoFundMe because of my memorial work. They reach out to me when a trans or queer GFM is created and ask me to promote it. I always do. They say update often so I do. Yesterday that collaboration led me to a striking line – a trans woman in DC had been attacked by three men, leaving her badly injured with a long recovery. Her roommates set up a GoFundMe with a goal of $20k and met it very quickly. Her update? “They clearly understood the assignment.”

She seems like someone I would enjoy knowing. And she’s not wrong – these funds help people with so many seemingly insignificant expenses in the face of tragedy and trauma. Circulating our donations among our neighbors who are struggling is a powerful form of community organizing, investing in all of us.

I can’t afford a decent haircut or a modest trip to Lancaster to visit a friend. I am focused on caring for the cats, legal fees, and blogging fees. Each time I plan something for me, I cancel. Because for me has to start with taking care of my cats and my housing and this blog.

I, too, understand the assignment.

I’m choosing to honor today – the 20th anniversary of the day I moved into this home. I wrote a blog post about it if you are interested – pghlesbian.com

Things are relatively calm while we wait for legal steps to unfold.

I am worried about money. Haven’t had my hair cut in a year, cancelled plans for a modest weekend trip to Lancaster with college roomie. It is a challenge to support myself, my blog, and the cats on SSDI alone. I can’t earn more money, I can only ask for it.

Some of the things I have been doing to show up

– I’ve written 16 memorial blog posts for trans neighbors whose lives were lost to violence. I have two more to write today

– I’ve started a blog series with UPMC staffers defending Gender Affirming Healthcare using Q&A’s to ensure people have solid information from the best source

– I interviewed a castmember in a queer adaptation of Chekov’s play Seagull put on by Quantum Theater in an outdoor setting. I’ve also been reviewing indie queer films and getting ready to take a class on review writing. My 13 yo nibling is working on his video editing skills to do his own reviews

– The Dr. John P. Ruffing VMD Pet Food Pantry is bustling, over 60 households enrolled. Trying to find someone to put up a shed that was donated us.

– Received a $2500 donation for the Pet Food Pantry from the Pittsburgh Pirates

– Preparing another blog series on working with a housekeeping/cleaning company alongside living with mental illness, stigma, shame, etc.

– Helping the striking PG workers of the News Guild organize a pet food drive for the residents in East Palestine whose lives were upended by manmade chemical disaster.

– Trying to organize around the plans of ACE Innamarato and Allegheny County to implement another involuntary mental health program to force people into treatment with sketchy due process plans. – Gertie is back! (see photos) so we are searching for car rallies to hold pet food drives and show her off to enthusiasts. Any suggestions?

– Internationally renowned cartoonist Joe Wos has volunteered to create a logo for Gertie. Friends at the Parks Conservancy have donated trash cans and hay bales. People are so good.

– Seeking out joy. If I can’t get my hair streaked purple or go to Lancaster for a weekend, I can still do small things to have fun – trivia nights, movies with the niblings, and watching my new fav, Behind These Gates. Any suggestions?

I don’t know when to expect legal news. So I’ll stay focused on day by day and searching for resources to help me keep myself and my blog and my cats.