Trans Man Matthew Spampinato Killed in Hit and Run While Walking Home From Work

Matthew Spampinato

Matthew Angelo Spampinato was a 21-year-old white man living in New Castle, Delaware walking home from work when he was run down by a hit-and-run driver on February 9, 2022. The accident took place along State Route 237 near the intersection with Quigley Avenue. Matthew was born and raised about an hour outside of Atlanta, […]

Trans woman Geri Judd shot to death in September 2021, identity comes to light in March 2022

Geri Judd

Geri Judd, a transgender woman, was found shot to death on 28 September 2021 in her apartment in Bossier City, Louisiana. Her death has just come to light because her gender identity was not adequately noted or reported. According to HRC, the Bossier City Police Department found Judd’s body during a welfare check on September 28, […]

UPDATED: Trans Latina Paloma Velasquez Murdered in Houston

On Saturday, February 22, a young Latinx trans woman was found murdered in her home. Her boyfriend returned from work and discovered her body. Reports indicate she had been there alone for hours with no neighbors hearing gunshots.  There was no sign of forced entry. What happened to her? With baited breath, we waited for […]

Women’s History Month: A Historical List of LGBTQ Organizations in Pittsburgh

Women’s History Month: A Historical List of LGBTQ Organizations in Pittsburgh

Here’s a list of regional LGBTQ organizations I’ve been tracking for awhile. Do you have any data? Start dates? End dates? Other groups to include? Email us pghlesbian @ Gmail dot com Organization Name Founded/Established Closed/Shuttered GLCC of Pgh/Pgh Equality Center 1981 Persad Center 1972 PFLAG Pittsburgh 1989 Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force (PATF)/Allies for Health […]

21-year-old Latina Trans Woman Murdered in Lubbock, Texas

Cypress Ramos, a 21-year-old Latina trans woman, was found dead on February 13, 2022 in her hometown of Lubbock, Texas. Cypress died from blunt force trauma. Her suspect was quickly identified as 32 year-old Allan Montemayor and has been arrested and faces a murder charge. Her body was found inside a storage locker in a […]

Martina Caldera, 38, was Killed on December 6, 2021

Martina Caldera was 38-years-old. Martina Caldera, a Latina transgender woman, was found fatally shot in Houston, Texas on December 6, 2021. Caldera’s death is at least the 56th violent killing of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2021. Her death is at least the 6th 2021 homicide to come to light in 2022. Investigators […]

25-year-old Black Trans Woman Naomie Skinner Murdered in Detroit

Naomiee Skinner

Naomie Skinner was a 25-year-old Black trans woman from Kentucky. On Saturday, February 12, 2022, she became the third trans person reported dead in 2022. Per The Detroit News: A Highland Park man is accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend after an argument escalated and then dragging her body out of an apartment and into […]

A Year in the Life of a City of Pittsburgh Commissioner on the LGBTQIA+ Commission

One year ago, I was among a group of 17 individuals nominated and approved to serve as Pittsburgh’s first LGBTQIA+ Commission. That was February 9, 2021 so a little more than a year. Sue Kerr, Kathi Boyle, Richard Parsakian, Leonard Orbovich, Sarah Rosso, Jam Hammond, Guillermo Velazquez, Denise DeSimone, Luca Salerno, Tiffini Simoneaux, Nekia Burton […]

Mayor Gainey Appoints Out Trans Latina Maria Montaño as Press Secretary, Unveils Letterhead With Pronouns

Maria Montaño

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey made a landmark announcement today, sharing that he has appointed Maria Montaño as his Press Secretary. Montaño is an experienced communications professional who brings a lot of talent and wisdom to the position. She also happens to identify as a proud trans, queer, Latinx woman. Montaño is possibly the highest ranking […]

Two Additional BIPOC Trans Women Died in 2021

Rubi Dominguez and Keeva Scatter

PinkNews and TransGriot join the HRC in shining a light on the deaths of two trans women of color, both during 2021 and but only now coming to light with robust details. On Friday July 16th in Arlington TX, Arlington police were called to the 2100 block of N. Collins Street around 3:30am to find […]