Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

I joined Instagram in August 2012. Mostly I posted photos of my pets and my backyard, with some occasional selfies.

It was fun.

• April 2024 – 3,000 followers
• May 2024 – 5,000 followers
• December 2024 – 10,000 followers
• January 2025 –16,000 followers
• March 2025 – 22,000 followers
• May 2025 –50,000 followers
• December 2025 – 100,000 followers

I’m more of a content curator than a creator – I do create. I follow and share content from credible, representative creators that is heavy on politics, but also social justice and cute (sanctuary) animals.

If you’d be interested in following Indigenous creators from around the globe, Black creators, musicians, activists, journalists, folx who are trans and queer, antifa, drag queens, and some of my friends, check out my own follow list.

This milestone feels like a big deal to me along with hitting my 20th blogiversary later this month. I thought the “Yay, Pittsburgh milestones” media would also be excited, but nope. I invited folx to guest blog, but nope. I asked if they would chip in to replace my laptop, but nope.

There’s also the reality that this has been a very hard period of my life.

Don’t praise the kids!

I grew up in a household where people did not typically celebrate accomplishments, mainly because the day to day trauma was the typical theme. Repeatedly, I was told that I was bragging (sure!) and attention seeking (also, sure!) when I talked about my personal milestones. I was self-promoting and that was a cardinal sin. Yes, I should do the things, but don’t make a big deal. I wasn’t a big deal.

In 2004, I was among the first three out LGBTQ folx named to the Pittsburgh ’40 Under 40′ list. I was 33 years old and thrilled. My parents and grandmother came to the ceremony. My grandma leaned over and asked me if I could “find something like this” for my cousin, Chris. He is 11 years older than me, so not only ineligible for a ’40 Under 40′ award, but JFC – find your own awards. Let me have my two minutes, grandma.

That was a pretty typical experience, usually involving doing things for men in the family. I have no idea if my decade older cousins were getting awards or honors because all that was mentioned was their annual income. Making money was the accomplishment. Buying expensive shit with that money came in second.

One of my cousins is an Ivy League philosophy professor, his younger brother founded a huge software company and sold it for millions. One owns his own plumbing business, literally built his own home – like he and his wife lived in the basement during construction, and graduated from Pitt which I didn’t know until I also graduated from Pitt. A female cousin is a nuclear engineer. Another male is an international lawyer who travels for UNICEF among others.

These are impressive accomplishments and I hope a source of pride. But it is a helluva shadow to grow up in, even though not their fault. It was the adults. Two of my five uncles graduated from college. I think three aunts. One of my grandfathers did as well. Affluence levels varied, but there were clear haves and have nots.

And a pretty consistent commitment to Silent Generation parenting – authoritarian, austere, and avoiding emotional anything.

Back to Instagram and Influencing

100,000.

Less than 4% of users worldwide reach that level and 0.6% reach 500,000. My personal  FB page has been shadowbanned since 2023 and my blog page was recently paused for some unknown FB reason. But my blog readership is also up – I’m averaging 1-3k views per  day. Maybe this is like Greek to you, but just say “Huzzah!” 

Basically, it is amazing growth in general but especially given my circumstances. And I’ll take all the wins I can get.

I have more followers on Instagram than City Paper, The Post-Gazette, KDKA Radio, WESA 90.5 FM, Pittsburgh Magazine, NEXTPittsburgh, WDVE, and WTAE. I’m right on par with KDKA TV and WPXI. I have far more than almost every journalist or media personality. You know who has a lot more than me? Damon Young. Sports folx. Movie stars.

Self-promotion is not a sin.

So I still shake my head that none of these media outlets will talk with me about my online or offline work. The media are like stone cold parents!

Mainly, I’m frustrated that they don’t care about these accomplishments. Pittsburgh media celebrates every win, every best of, every listing. So … why not celebrate some for the queers?

I wonder when the influencer offers begin????

Conclusion