Pizza Milano and the Post-Gazette: Anti-Blackness in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Pizza Milano

I’ve been a little off the grid this past week. Of course, I’ve been paying attention to critical stories unfolding in Pittsburgh this week. These are stories I’ve been sharing via social media and would normally blog about. Front and center are the stories about the assault of Jade Martin by employees at Pizza Milano […]

Updates in Murders of Trans Women Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien & Viccky Gutierrez

We aren’t half way through the first month of 2018, but have already reported on violent murders of two transgender women.  Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien, 42, was killed in Massachusetts on Jan. 4, 2018.  On Wednesday, January 10, the body Viccky Gutierrez was found burned in a building in South Los Angeles. Christa was murdered by her […]

Viccky Gutierrez Is the Second Trans Person Reported Murdered in 2018

Friends and family report that Viccky Gutierrez, 33, is the second known victim of homicide in the US during 2018. Wednesday evening, Bamby Salcedo, President & CEO of TransLatin@ Coalition, announced in a Facebook post the death of Viccky Gutierrez: “It is with deep sadness, rage and pain that I have to share with all of you […]

Donate Girl Scout Cookies to Local LGBTQ Youth Projects

This is one of my favorite projects each year – my friend is 14 and she is a Girl Scout. She and her Mom have been selling cookies for many years. For the past several, they accept orders for cookies to be donated to local LGBTQ organizations that work with youth.  She has lots of […]

RIP Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien, 42, First Trans Woman Murdered in 2018

Christa

A 42-year-old in the town of North Adams, Massachusetts is the first known transgender person to be killed in 2018 in the United States. Her name was Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien. The man who confessed to police that he killed Christa is her husband, 47-year-old Mark Steele-Knudslien. He is awaiting arraignment. An autopsy will be conducted Sunday […]

Arrests of two public employees on sexual misconduct charges brings realities of #MeToo to Pittsburgh

Jim Sheppard Mike Diebold

Two arrests this week of public employees on sexual misconduct charges brings home the reality of #MeToo to the Pittsburgh region. First came word that Jim Sheppard, an analyst in the office of County Controller Chelsa Wagner, was arrested on charges of harassment, stalking, and related crimes in regard to his ex-boyfriend. Sheppard had previously […]

Getting ready for a hysterectomy on the ‘most miserable day of the year’

lesbian hysterectomy

Thanks to the folks at HysterSisters, I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do to prepare for the upcoming surgery. Note: that site is lovely, but very gendered and heteronormative. There are boards for LGBTQ folks, but just prepare yourself. I’ve prepared ahead of time Ledcat took off several days from […]

Last Minute LGBTQ Donations To Consider in 2017

There’s a lot of good work going on in Pittsburgh and the larger region. If you are considering some end-of-the-year gifts, we offer these for your consideration. This is a time when $5 or $10 can have a huge impact. PublicSource – a critical resource for investigative journalism. Gifts up to $1,000 will be matched […]

Ann Veglia-Eisler Has Been Found

I am so glad to share this news. Ann Veglia-Eisler, whom we had reported missing as of December 5, has been found and is reportedly safe. I do not have any further details. But I am in awe that two members of our community, with absolute no connection to one another, went missing in a […]

Bookending My Reproductive Justice With Margaret Atwood

In March 1994, I was rushed to the hospital and scheduled for surgery after months of excruciating uterine cramping. I underwent a laparoscopic procedure to remove endometrial growth from inside my abdominal cavity and also remove my appendix. I was hospitalized for three days, maybe four. I was a graduate student at LSU. I had […]