Sue

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.

Posts by Sue:

In MemoriamRacial JusticeTrans

2022 Murder of Black Trans Woman Destin Howard Comes to Light

January 25, 2023 by
Destin Howard

Sadly, we have to add another loss to our list 2022 transgender neighbors who experienced violent deaths. Her name was Destin Howard also known as Destin Cheaves. In some places, she’s been listed as Destiny. On December 9, 2022, her body was found near Macon, Georgia near the parking lot of an empty business. Police […]

In MemoriamNon-BinaryQueerRacial Justice

Queer Indigenous Activist Tortuguita Shot and Killed by Police in Georgia

January 24, 2023 by
tortuguita

Tortuguita, an Indigenous Venezuelan who was also queer and nonbinary, was killed in Atlanta on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. They died from gunshots from police performing a “clearning operation.” They were 26 years old. Officials claim Tortuguita fired their weapon first, wounding a law enforcement officer. Police claim to have returned fire when they shot […]

Political Q&APolitics

Q&A with Rachael Heisler, Candidate for Pittsburgh City Controller

January 23, 2023 by
Rachael Heisler

In 1998, the city was in such a bad place fiscally that we needed to issue bonds to make our pension payments. We will make our final payment on that in 2025. We have to look ahead, maintain a healthy fund balance (also known as a “rainy day fund”), and make sure that our fiscal […]

BusinessReview

Review: Bombas Socks Kick-Ass

January 22, 2023 by

Christmas of 2021, my wife gifted me with a package of LGBTQ/pride themed sock from Bombas. In addition to being cute, she knew I would like that the company gives away a pair of socks with each pair purchased. I liked that they were a medium weight, they retained their shape after multiple washings, and […]

In MemoriamRacial JusticeTrans

The Economic Realities of Burying Trans Victims of Violence

January 20, 2023 by
Jasmine Star Mack KC Johnson

The mother of Jasmine Star Mack has created a crowdfund to help with her final arrangements. The goal is $2000 and there have been no donations yet. That’s so devastating. It shouldn’t be difficult for people, even LGBTQ just in the DC area, to help her with that goal. The family of KC Johnson have […]

In MemoriamTrans

North Carolina Trans Woman KC Johnson, 27, Murdered

January 19, 2023 by
KC Johnson trans woman

KC Johnson, 27, was a native of Wilmington, North Carolina. She attended Abide University and was recently a manager at Domino’s Pizza in Wilmington. She’s 5′10″ and weighs about 230 pounds. Johnson has hazel eyes and dark brown, shoulder-length hair and was last seen wearing a grey shirt with gold writing, black leggings and blue […]

#PghCatFolxPetsPLC

Here’s How We Recently Helped Three Cats

January 18, 2023 by
Helping Cats

I was having a good day yesterday. Lots of little positive things. Then I got word that a cat named Tang had successfully been transferred from his humans to a rescue. That news was the capstone of the day. Two weeks ago, Tangs owners contacted me. A married gay couple, they both had serious, unexpected […]

Political Q&APolitics

It is Time for Campaign Q&A’s for the 2023 Primary Election

January 15, 2023 by
Political Q&A

Each election cycle, our blog publishes Q&A’s with candidates for elected office. You can see previous Q&A’s at this link. Candidates can be anywhere in Pennsylvania running for any level of office. Please note that these are not necessarily endorsements, more of an opportunity for candidates to connect with the LGBTQ community, progressive neighbors, and […]

In MemoriamRacial JusticeTrans

Black Trans Woman Jasmine ‘Star’ Mack, 36, Killed in Washington DC

January 9, 2023 by
Jasmine star Mack

Her name is Jasmine Star Mack. She was 36-years-old, Black, and a trans woman. She may have been homeless. She died from a stab wound on the same day (night) that the 118th Congress was sworn into office. And that is all that we know right now about the first victim of fatal anti-trans violence […]

#PghCatFolx

#PghCatFolx Collecting Donations of Cat Stuff to Support Neighbors

January 8, 2023 by

This is our new storage unit, filled with pieces of a shed we’ll erect in the spring. “ We” is Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities#PghCatFolx projects There’s plenty of room for your gently used pet items that we will distribute to cat colony caretakers, rescue groups, and pet owners. This is the precursor to our Free Pet […]