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.

Pride Highlights … Pittsburgh 2008

Pride Highlights … Pittsburgh 2008

Happy PrideWeek.  'Tis a momentous week indeed to celebrate Pride as today at 5:01 PM local time will mark the first legal same sex marriages in California.  Here in Pittsburgh our civil rights successes are more modest, namely beating back an anti-gay marriage amendment and actually having legislation introduced on the state level to expand […]

Lambda Foundation — 25 Proud Years!

Lambda Foundation — 25 Proud Years!

I recently interviewed Lambda Foundation Executive Director Anne Bowman about the 25th anniversary of the Foundation.  25 years is quite a milestone in gay history and the well-being of our community foundation is something to be mindful of as we celebrate our way through June.  To purchase tickets for the Joan Rivers event, click here. Thank […]

Domestic Registry Passes First Hurdle

Domestic Registry Passes First Hurdle

As reported by the PG web-edition, City Council gave a thumbs up on the first vote for the domestic partner registry.  The lone naysayer was the Reverend Ricky Burgess.  Final vote will be next week.  No word on how the Mayor feels about all this registry stuff, but it appears veto proof at this stage of […]

Its a great day to be asthmatic in Pennsylvania …

Its a great day to be asthmatic in Pennsylvania …

From the Post-Gazette: The state Senate this afternoon voted, 41-9, in favor of a bill that bans smoking in many public places. The House already had passed the bill, so now it goes to Gov. Ed Rendell for his signature. What a great day.  Now if we can only convince people who are addicted to […]

PG reader sets the record straight on Sexual History 101

PG reader sets the record straight on Sexual History 101

Matthew Fusina of Franklin Park seems a little fed up. A little foray into the fascinating world of sexual history would reveal that our “[recently] corrupted society” has, in fact, been corrupt at least since the dawn of recorded history. Before Mr. Davis makes such broad historical generalizations in the future, I would encourage him […]

Janet Edwards: Lesbian marriage trial update

Janet Edwards:  Lesbian marriage trial update

Three of five charges against the Reverend Janet Edwards have been dropped.  A trial on the two remaining charges, brought for performing a marriage ceremony for a local lesbian couple, will proceed in October 2008.  More than 30 observers attended. Most, if not all, were supporters of the Rev. Edwards. During a recess they gathered […]

The Meaning of Lila …. offensive or ridiculous?

My highly confidential informant found the offending strip.  It is called “The Meaning of Lila” and it is a silly little attempt to translate “Will and Grace” onto the funny pages.  The challenges of extrapolating the gay guy/girlfriend routine are many and Lila makes the classic mistake of assuming she's “in” the group.  Yes, Lila drops the […]

Gay Slur in Post-Gazette Comic Section?

Gay Slur in Post-Gazette Comic Section?

I caught this letter to the editor Thursday and have no idea which strip used the term “homo” recently.  Anyone? I am writing to express my disgust that you would publish, in the comic section, a cartoon with well-known slur (homo: “Offensive slang for a gay or lesbian person,” American Heritage Dictionary) as part of […]

Breaking News: Shields and Kraus Propose City Domestic Partner Registry

Breaking News:  Shields and Kraus Propose City Domestic Partner Registry

Update:  The Pittsburgh City Paper's Melissa Meinzer and Chris Potter do a really good job with this story on the CP's website.  Good example of how web based media serves the CP readership.  And you.  I contacted Shields' office and encountered a reluctance to work with a blogger which was disappointing as I worked very […]

Four Funny Females – Not So Much

Four Funny Females – Not So Much

I have to admit I was disappointed when Ledcat and I rolled out of Slapsticks last night, after catching their “Four Funny Females” show.  It should rightfully have been called “Some Kinda Amusing Ladies, a Gal with Potential and Gab.” Harsh?  Eh. Slapsticks is located on Library road just moments from the intersection with Saw […]