How to help me with housing

After I wrote the blog post “Here’s the truth about housing after a divorce” I received two questions – “What are you going to do?” and “Why aren’t you mobilizing your followers?” I don’t know what I’m going to do. The post laid out the assorted options. I have to believe there is a way […]

Here’s the truth about housing after a divorce

As you know I’m in the middle of a divorce. Contentious, one might say. It has been very rough. So many legal questions. We have been together since 2003, lived together since 2005, and domestic partners since 2006. We married in 2021. So its a 2.5 year marriage and a 16 year partnership, a 18.5 […]

Will the Supreme Court Overturn Marriage Equality? What Does That Mean for Domestic Partnerships?

Marriage equality is going to fall. Marriage equality is going to fall. Soon, much sooner than we expected. Potentially very soon. I’ve been saying this all along and pleading with everyone to strengthen functional marriage equivalents (domestic partnerships, civil unions, etc) especially in states like Pennsylvania. PA has a ‘trigger law’ –  a Defense of […]

When Occasional Empty Spaces Get You Down

I am restless today, but in that quiet way where my body is still while my mind leaps from topic to topic. The plan for today was to clean the cab of Gertie. She’s a mess. But it feels like 90 degrees outside so I’ll have to wait a few hours. My back hurts. I […]

16 People Detained by ICE After Violent Raids at Emiliano’s Local Restaurant

An Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on two restaurants in the locally owned and operated Mexican chain, Emiliano’s, left unprecedented damage and destruction in its wake. ICE took 16 of our Pittsburgh neighbors into custody from the restaurants in Richland Township and Cranberry Township. Our neighbors. People who were working hard in a difficult […]

Epstein Files, Civil Commitment Executive Order Remind Us Why Process and Compassion are Due to All Americans. Now Let’s Make Sure Local Leaders Know.

The pain of this week is pretty hard to describe. I’ll try. First, there is the Epstein files/lists/cases and victims. Every news cycle is filled with debates about who is on the list, if the list exists, and should it be revealed. Pittsburgh’s own Congresswoman Summer Lee made a bold move – a subcommittee of […]

My Fear of the Police Kept Me From Rallies in the Street

Two pairs of handcuffs

I really wanted to participate in a No Kings rally today. But I was afraid. For 22 months, I’ve coped with the traumas of my interactions with police during and following the fraudulent involuntary civil commitment authorized by Allegheny County OBH on Sunday, August 27, 2023. The police failed me that day and on ensuing […]

On this day in 2024, I came home after six months of being homeless. And now I need your help.

While not the Ides of March, today is auspicious – marking one year since I returned to my home after 6+ months of homelessness. This is an important milestone because I worked really hard to make it happen (with a lot of help, of course) and because almost no one thought it would. I was […]

Two school districts, parents sue to dismantle Pennsylvania’s LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections

Pennsylvania’s relationship with LGBTQ affirming legislation has been awkward at best. Most importantly, the PA General Assembly has never managed to extend nondiscrimination protections in employment, housing, and public accommodations to include sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. There are municipal protections in about a third of the Commonwealth. And there had been some […]

Man Threatens to ‘Track Me Down’ for a ‘Physical Discussion’ in Response to My Trans Affirming Content

“I’m on my way out anyway. I will find people affiliate with you. I do not stop for protesters. I will run through you” Content Note: threats of violence, transgender content, police Over 20 years of blogging and activism, I have been thrashed and trashed from many corners. I’ve had mean, vicious comments, email, postal […]