Black Trans Woman Hayden Davis, 28, Murdered in Detroit

Hayden Davis Detroit

Hayden Davis was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. On Monday, July 25, she lost her life there as reported by Dee Dee Watters of TransGriot. In another horrific attack affecting the LGBTQ+ community, a transgender woman was shot and killed in Detroit on Monday evening. Her body was found on the city’s east side, in the […]

Q&A With Trans Neighbor About TERF/Transphobic Stickering in Pittsburgh’s East End

TERF stickers Pittsburgh

Content Note: transphobia, TERF, fascism, harassment, images I went back and forth on whether or not we should do this Q&A because I was worried about 1) unnecessarily freaking out other trans people who have been blissfully unaware of these stickers 2) giving this terf the attention they want, potentially leading others to their cause. […]

Guilty Verdict for Local Woman Harassing Black Trans Teen and Her Family

This morning, a magistrate judge ruled that local woman Darian Balcom was guilty of harassment after erecting a 9-foot billboard in her backyard. The sign read ‘Transing is Abuse and Homophobia’ and Balcom direct the sign in to the window of a 15-year-old Black trans teen living next door with her multiracial, queer family. , […]

Murder of Los Angeles Trans Woman Cherry Bush, 48 Officially a Hate Crime

Cherry Ryan Bush Sylvar

Cherry Bush was 48 years old, She was homeless, living in Sylmar a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and is the northernmost neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles. On July 5, a 29-year-old man shot her after making disparaging comments based on her perceived gender identity (and sexual orientation.) She died the […]

Two Black Trans Women Died This Week, in Milwaukee and in Augusta

The week started with a terrible loss on Saturday, July 16, in Milwaukee where 34-year-old Toi Davis, a Black trans woman, was found dead in a local neighborhood under suspicious circumstances. Details around her death are not clear at this point, but the impact of her death among her friends and family leave little doubt […]

When They Said “Happy Anniversary” and No One Clapped

On our anniversary (July 18), we went on a dinner sunset cruise here in Erie. It wasn’t fancy, but it was nice. They asked for people to share birthdays and anniversaries so I impulsively told them it was our 19th anniversary. Laura looked at me and sighed. She was right. I asked the server if […]

500 Yard Signs to #ProtectTransKids

Yard Signs Pittsburgh

When I’m driving, well I know I’m gonna see,I’m gonna see the yard signs put up just for youWhen I’m walking, yeah I know I’m gonna seeI’m gonna see neighbors speaking out just for youWhen I’m biking well I know I’m gonna beI’m gonna be the one who delivers some signs just for youAnd when […]

Update on #ProtectTransKids Yard Sign Effort – 500 Signs!

Protect Trans Kids Pittsburgh

As you may know, Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities has been working with a local family and their neighbors to distribute yard signs throughout the community. The signs read ‘Protect Trans Kids’ and are intended to send that direct message. The idea was planted in mid-June, the first 50 signs delivered to us on June 24, and […]

We #AMPLIFY 15 Non Binary Voices from Western Pennsylvania on International Non Binary People’s Day 2022

non binary umbrella

The AMPLIFY project is an archive of Q&A’s with LGBTQ+ folks who have ties to Western Pennsylvania. Here are 15 contributors who identify as non-binary (or some variant of that spelling) – take a dive into their lived experiences. There are in no particular order. As the public discourse about gender identity continues to take […]

Black Trans Woman Martasia Richmond Murdered in Chicago

Martasia Richmond Chicago Black Trans Woman

TransGriot broke the news that another Black trans woman was murdered in Chicago this week. Her name was Martasia Richmond. She died from multiple stab wounds in the West Englewood neighborhood. From the Windy City Times An individual was found with multiple stabbed wounds after Chicago Police Department (CPD) answered a call of domestic battery […]