Sue is the founder of Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents blog, established in 2005.. She has an MSW from the University in Pittsburgh and a BA in Political Science from Marymount University. Her undergraduate claim to fame is a six month stint as an intern with then Congressman Rick Santorum in 1991. Born and raised in West Mifflin, Sue attended college in Washington DC, then graduate school in Louisiana and ended up in Kentucky doing social service ministry. She returned to Pittsburgh in 1997. She now lives on Pittsburgh’s Northside with her wife, Laura. She was among the first out LGBTQ people named to Pittsburgh’s 40 Under 40 in 2004 and is a graduate of Leadership Development Initiative Class VII. After being fully and permanently disabled in 2010, Sue has continued to serve the community. She founded the Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project to address hunger and environmental issues. In 2015, she launched the #AMPLIFY LGBTQ archive in conjunction with a two-year artist in residence stint with Most Wanted Fine Art. Sue and her wife have fostered over 25 kittens through Pittsburgh CAT and Homeless Cat Management Team, and now manage multiple community cat colonies in their neighborhood. In 2020, Sue cofounded the Pittsburgh MasQUe ProjecT to support the queer and trans community during the pandemic, distributing tens of thousands of face masks and other supplies throughout the region. In 2021, Sue created the #PghCatFolx projects to support neighbors working with community cats. Under that heading came the Dr. John P. Ruffing DVM Pet Food Projects, memorializing one of her very best friends who died in 2007. In 2021, Sue worked with community leaders to develop and establish a 501c3 nonprofit organization, Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities (PLC) where she currently serves as Board President. PLC absorbed the #PghCatFolx projects. Also in 2021, Sue was the first person in history appointed to the City of Pittsburgh LGBTQIA+ Commission and was unanimously elected as one of three inaugural co-chairs. Her blogging has garnered numerous awards Favorite GLBT Media Publication - 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 (Keystone Alliance Gaylife Newsletter Reader’s Poll) Favorite GLBT Social Media - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (Keystone Alliance Gaylife Newsletter Reader’s Poll) Best Local Blogger - 2016, 2019 (Pittsburgh City Paper Reader’s Poll) LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s Best Blogger - 2020 (SisTersPgh, People’s Pride of Pittsburgh) Outstanding Blog - 2019, 2022 (GLAAD Media Awards) Sue has also personally been honored Person of the Year - The Advocate Magazine, 2022 15 Lesbian Icons - LGBTQ Nation, 2023 LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s Best Lesbian Activist - SisTersPgh, People’s Pride of Pittsburgh 2022 Sue believes in identifying and filling gaps in supports & services rather than recreating the wheel. She uses both her undergraduate and graduate degrees on a regular basis as a blogger and activist and regularly circulates her 1991 internship photo just to shake things up on her social media feeds. Her own experiences with cPTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and other health challenges have fueled her health blogging and activism. She also writes extensively about her family history, drawing on her amateur genealogy hobby. The blog regularly reviews arts and cultural events as well as exploring restaurants, soap opera storylines, and hyper-local news. Sue and her wife Laura have been together since 2003. They were married on a very cold February 2, 2021 in their backyard at a very small ceremony co-officiated by their pagan priestess friend, Anne, and then-Mayor Bill Peduto. They have six niblings, four in Pittsburgh and two in Philadelphia.

Positive LGBTQ letter to the editor

Positive LGBTQ letter to the editor

Woke up a bit early this morning and had a nice surprise.  Ian Price of Friendship took the time to write in with his thoughts on the impact of the Pittsburgh LGBTQ Pride March. In the spirit of Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary, we stop and reflect on the great things Pittsburgh has achieved and on the […]

National Roundup

National Roundup

Dear Lord, I have no clue where to begin.  I've been so focused on the local scene that I've lost touch with what's happening on a federal level.  How about you?  I'm on a national LGBTQ blogging email list and the volume is mindblowing.  Sometimes I feel like I'm crouching in the corner trying to […]

LGBTQ Family Picnic scheduled for August

LGBTQ Family Picnic scheduled for August

This is a neat event.  The Lambda Foundation and the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh are cohosting their first ever LGBTQ Family (friendly) Picnic on Sunday, August 9, 2009.  Here's the details:   WHERE: NORTH PARK GOLD STAR GROVE   WHEN: SUNDAY, AUGUST 9, 2009 12:00 TO 6:00PM   FISHING CONTEST AND GAMES […]

A few personal reflections on the Allegheny County Ordinance

A few personal reflections on the Allegheny County Ordinance

I have spent the last 24 hours trying to mobilize folks to call County elected officials on Monday in the hopes that the Human Relations ordinance can be salvaged.  I've been texting, tweeting and talking non-stop for most of the day (ask Ledcat).  I feel like Scott Hanley during a WDUQ pledge drive.  I even […]

Somtimes, the Post-Gazette really pisses me off

Somtimes, the Post-Gazette really pisses me off

Like this weekend.  I open the Forum section to read an entire piece about deliberative polling on same sex marriage that is first of all, dull, and secondly, completely devoid of any actual human terms.  Like gay.  Or homosexual.  Or LGBT.  This pretty much sums up how we can sanitize the whole issue to satisfy […]

Monday Call to Action

Monday Call to Action

ACLU-PA analysis of proposed Allegheny County Council Human Relations Commission Ordinance as Amended

ACLU-PA analysis of proposed Allegheny County Council Human Relations Commission Ordinance as Amended

This is Section 215-31(H)(1), the problematic section of the Human Relations ordinance: Section 215-31(H)(1) For the purposes of this Article, the definition of “employer” shall not include any religious organization, regardless of number of employees or County funding, provided that such religious organization provides documentary evidence of its religious nature to the Human Relations Commission […]

Allegheny County: the explanation

Allegheny County:  the explanation

On Wednesday, July 1, 2009, the Allegheny County Council will vote upon an ordinance which would create a Human Relations Commission to ensure that County residents are not being discriminated against in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodation.  No such ordinance exists at the County level.  Residents of the City of Pittsburgh have […]

Call to Action: It is do or die (aka not exist) time folks!

Call to Action:  It is do or die (aka not exist) time folks!

Stay tuned for more details on the Allegheny County Non-Discrimination Ordinance amendment quagmire. We MUST regain control of the ordinance language.  Right now, it will allow organizations that are funded with your county tax dollars to discriminate against you.  And that's just the beginning. Put Monday on your calendar.  We need you and everyone you […]

Call to Action: It is do or die (aka not exist) time folks!

Call to Action:  It is do or die (aka not exist) time folks!

Stay tuned for more details on the Allegheny County Non-Discrimination Ordinance amendment quagmire. We MUST regain control of the ordinance language.  Right now, it will allow organizations that are funded with your county tax dollars to discriminate against you.  And that's just the beginning. Put Monday on your calendar.  We need you and everyone you […]