Keep away from-a Runaround Sue

Dangerous Blogger

Do you have a reputation? What is it, and where did it come from? Is it accurate? What do you think about it? Oh, ha ha, this is an amusing prompt. Of course I have a reputation, multiple reputations. I am a woman with opinions who has the audacity to voice them and not always […]

How To Fold A Tote Bag (Project)

Tell us about a time things came this close to working out… but didn’t. What happened next? Would you like the chance to try again, or are you happy with how things eventually worked out? This is a prompt guaranteed to launch a thousand “what might have been” tales of woe and heartache. Once upon a time, […]

Five Year Anniversary of a Public Hearing Should Generate More Activism in Pennsylvania

Franco Harris Pittsburgh

Tell us about a time when everything actually turned out exactly as you’d hoped. Five years ago today, Allegheny County Council held a public hearing on a non-discrimination ordinance which included sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. You can read 78 pages of public testimony here. Some of it is brilliant, some of it […]

If I Could Guarantee These People Read My Blog

Pittsburgh Lesbian

If you could have a guarantee that one, specific person was reading your blog, who would you want that person to be? Why? What do you want to say to them? I have a list. It is not in order of preference. First, Mayor Bill Peduto’s deputy chief of staff, John Fournier. It would be […]

My Selfie Won a One-Year Subscription to Bitch Magazine

#365FeministSelfie Bitch Magazine

This is uber-cool, my friends. The first photo I took as part of #365FeministSelfie earned me a subscription to my favorite magazine (so really a free renewal which is awesome!) Talk about positive reinforcement of a plan! I think Gary  Vaynerchuk would approve. I also gotta give Bitch Media props for using Instagram so well. […]

That Time When Dan Onorato Didn’t Make Me Cry

Pittsburgh politics

Eleanor Roosevelt said: “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” Tell us about a time you felt your strength. First of all, Eleanor Roosevelt probably didn’t say this. Many other people have said it, including Phyllis Schlafley and Hillary Clinton, […]

When Helpers Need Help: Reflection on Life As An Activist

Cathy Cairns

Cathy is 61 years old. Her professional career has spanned nearly four decades in a rural community just outside of Pittsburgh. As she faces her final days with a diagnosis of end stage pancreatic cancer, she finds herself without the financial means to pay for her final expenses – a funeral, gravesite and a headstone. […]

She’s My Partner, Not My Sidekick

Pittsburgh Lesbian LGBT

One disadvantage to blogging is that I get “the glory” while Laura (Ledcat) often gets overlooked. And when I get the beat down side of a stick, she gets that, too. Unfair. Let me be clear – we are a family, a team, a partnership even if we are not married. She goes to work […]

FURTHER UPDATED: Beaver County LGBTQ Activist Has a Dying Wish

Cathy Cairns

UPDATE: Please note that the goal was increased due to the realization that a burial plot was not paid off as they originally thought. Many of you know Cathy Cairns. She has been a familiar face at many LGBTQ community events as well as an active participant in housing development projects. I am very sad […]

Peer Pressure Creates Important Conversation in the Queer Community

Pittsburgh LGBT

Can peer pressure be positive? Why or why not? Yes, being pressured toward healthy and positive behavior can be positive. Positive is offering encouragement when someone shares their fitness activities. Positive is not posting your own amazing story in the comments section as encouragement. Positive is a gentle nudge, a reminder, a supportive voice and […]