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.

Milk Wins for Best Original Screenplay

Milk Wins for Best Original Screenplay

Dustin Lance Black won for his original screenplay for the film, Milk.  This is the text of his original acceptance speech.  “Oh my God, this was not an easy film to make. I have to thank all the real life people who shared their stories with me… When I was 13 years old my beautiful […]

The Big Queer Endorsement: Pittsburgh Style

I completely did not anticipate attending today's endorsement meeting of the Steel City Stonewall Democrats. I had to show my rental property and were it not for a nasty slip on the ice which gave me an excruciating headache AND nonshows, I would have missed both Luke Ravenstahl and Dan Onorato coming to speak at […]

The Little Lesbian That Could …

The Little Lesbian That Could …

Wow.  All the comments, FB messages and email … the love, people, the love.  🙂   Yes, I get discouraged and default to blogging about celebrity conception.  And, yes, perhaps that is my little cry for help.  Thanks for all the support.  I promise not to quit in a blaze of glory. LOL.  Of course,  I […]

Carnegie Library and Lesbian Book: Only 4 copies exist in the world

I like Alison Bechdel.  I want to read one of her books which the Carnegie Library does not own.  So I requested it via interlibrary loan.  This is what they told me: Ms Kerr, It's not that nobody owns the item.  It's that nobody is willing to lend it to us.  There are only four places […]

Ellen and Portia to have child?

Ellen and Portia to have child?

We are going to try and break some new ground in the coming weeks.  The fascinating world of celebrity reproduction: Comedian Ellen DeGeneres and partner Portia de Rossi will undergo fertility treatment to start their own family, according to tabloid reports. The TV personality wed actress de Rossi last year, and the couple is allegedly […]

Mayor’s Office Still Mum on Advisory Committee; Chief Executive’s Office Still Mum on Virtual Town Hall

Mayor’s Office Still Mum on Advisory Committee;  Chief Executive’s Office Still Mum on Virtual Town Hall

You recall that our Mayor was going to set up a LGBT Advisory Council?  Nominations were due January 15, 2009.  I had a few questions which his staff refused to answer, in spite of promises otherwise from spokeswoman Joanna Doven and Deputy Chief of Staff Kristen Baginski. Last Friday, I contacted Ms. Doven asking her for […]

Family Values in Allegheny County Council: Councilman Chuck McCullough Arrested

Family Values in Allegheny County Council:  Councilman Chuck McCullough Arrested

Breaking news from the PG about one of the opponents of the HRC ordinance.  Allegheny County Councilman Charles McCullough has been arrested and he is awaiting arraignment today on nearly two dozen counts following an investigation last year of his handling of an elderly widow's trust funds. A county grand jury today handed up a […]

Amusement

Amusement

The Christian Gene?

The Christian Gene?

Speaking of LGBTQ Advocacy

Speaking of LGBTQ Advocacy

Today, I had the pleasure of addressing a class of MSW students at the University of Pittsburgh.  The class focuses on policy and I used my work in the LGBTQ community to illustrate how advocacy can drive real social change.  It was an interesting experience.  Another speaker works for local government and a third is […]