Penélope Díaz Ramírez is the Third Trans Woman Murdered in Puerto Rico in Ten Day Period

Just days after reporting on the murders of two Latina teens women in Puerto Rico, we’ve learned of the brutal slaying of a third. Penélope Díaz Ramírez, a 31-year-old trans woman, was beaten and hanged to death at the Bayamon correctional complex, a men’s prison in Puerto Rico. She was murdered on April 13, but […]

Two Trans Latina Women From NYC Murdered in Puerto Rico

Serena Angelique Velazquez, 32, of Queens and Layla Pelaez, 21, of the Bronx were visiting their hometowns in Puerto Rico when they were found dead on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Layla was originally from San Juan. Serena’s Facebook profile identifies her as being both of Russian and Latina origin, fluid in three languages. Their bodies […]

2020 Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ Community Survey by Pittsburgh Equality Center

The Pgh Equality Center is an important community resource. I served on the board circa 2004. I was part of the strategic planning process. I’ve been a volunteer in various capacities. They are currently seeking community input on their services and programs. I urge you to make time to share your thoughts. I do need […]

Transphobic Sandwich Shop Owner Removes Content, Issues Non-Apology

Portogalla Peppers N'at Transphobia

So Robert Portogallo seems to realize that transphobia is bad for business. He removed the content about Dr. Rachel Levine, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Health Department. And added a non-apology. If you take a look at this thread, you will see the heart of the problem. Bob Portogallo posts some “funny” content and it unleashes […]

Braddock Sandwich Shop Owner Spews Transphobic Content on Facebook Targeting Dr. Rachel Levine

Portogalla Peppers N'at Transphobia

Content Note: transphobia, sandwich, Braddock, complicity, homicide Until this afternoon, I had never heard of Robert Portogallo. He’s a Swissvale High School graduate, alumni of Point Park, and owner of Portogallo’s Peppers N’at, a sandwich shop in Braddock. He’s also a transphobic jagoff who decided to target Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health who […]

Pennsylvania Trans Woman Johanna Metzger, 25, Was Murdered in Baltimore

Johanna Metzger murder

Amidst the many layers of horror we must address due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is one particular strand manifesting itself in Pennsylvania – transphobia. The Secretary of Health on the state level is a trans woman named Dr. Rachel Levine. She’s absolutely brilliant and has been broadcasting a live press conference with Governor Tom […]

Three Western PA LGBTQ Owned Small Businesses Offer #WarshYourHands Shirts, Soap Package

Project addresses COVID-19 Needs With Pittsburgh Twist #WarshYourHands is a collaboration of three Western Pennsylvania queer-owned small businesses who have created a package of a shirt, soap, and digital snowflake to promote public health. Etna Print Circus and Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents are working with Erie based Dragonfly Lake Scents to make this unique Western Pennsylvania […]

Help Connect Trans and Queer Neighbors with Face Masks in Pittsburgh

Sue and Laura in Face Masks

Update: as of April 13, we have received requests for 39 masks and identified five sewists and sources. Update: as of April 11, we have processed requests for 17 masks, received another 9 requests and identified two sewists. Laura and I were able to order masks last week through Operation Face Mask Pittsburgh. She has […]

84 Trans Stories from Western Pennsylvania on the Trans Day of Visibility

Transgender Awareness Week

March 31 is the International Transgender Day of Visibility, devoted to raising the visibility of transgender and gender nonconforming (GNC) neighbors both in terms of their resiliency and successes as well as the realities of transphobic bias and violence. I’ve curated 84 stories from our #AMPLIFY project to illustrate the multi-faceted experiences of transgender neighbors […]

Lexi, 33, was a Black Trans Woman Murdered in Harlem

I don’t have many details about the life of Lexi “Ebony” Sutton. She was 33. She has friends who mourn her. I’m not sure if Ebony was a nickname, a house affiliation, etc. There are far too many details about the horrific murder that took her life in Harlem in the early hours of Saturday […]