“This is What Happens When You Piss Off an Old Lesbian”

Lesbian Transgender Ally

My friend Joyce is a good person – great sense of humor, compassion that extends into forever, good storyteller, and a no bullshit kind of woman. She’s a lesbian, mother of one adult child, and has a cat. And she’s disabled to the point of being mostly housebound especially in bad weather. She lives in […]

Why does J.K. Rowling think her queer and trans fans don’t count?

(TW: transphobia, rape) I’m trying to figure out what’s motivating J.K. Rowling to defecate on her trans and queer fans from a great height, and I’m failing miserably. I’m also at a loss to figure out why the U.K. and Ireland seem to be a nexus for trans-exclusionary bullshit. I have some theories centering around […]

The Criminal Complaint Against Gary Van Horn Illustrates (Again) Divides in Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ Community

The local LGBTQ community is abuzz with the revelation that Delta Foundation President Gary Van Horn has started a Pittsburgh chapter of the Rosco P Coltrane fan club and “unofficially” brought Allegheny County Sheriff Mullen, a few notaries, and his friend “Timmy” along with him. (see images below to interpret that allusion.) Gary has been […]

Suspect charged in murder of 17-year-old Washington State trans teen, Nikki Kuhnhausen

Nikki Kuhnhausen was 17 years old when she disappeared from her hometown of Vancouver, Washington to allegedly meet up with a 25-year-old man she met on Snapchat. That was June 6, 2019. After she was reported missing, David Bogdanov was named a person of interest in her disappearance. Nikki would have turned 18 on July […]

Mairin, 31, is an out and proud lesbian in Philadelphia with Pittsburgh roots #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Philadelphia lesbian

Working around dress codes has always been difficult for me. I dress in men’s clothing and it isn’t always acceptable in professional settings (it is also not always easy to find clothes to begin with!). Every time I start a new job or show up to a dressy function, I worry what people are going […]

PghLesbian Blog Selected for Library of Congress LGBTQ+ Studies Web Archive

Lesbian Blog Library of Congress

I am wrapping up this year on a high-note with a truly unexpected honor – inclusion of our blog in the Library of Congress archives. The United States Library of Congress has selected your website for inclusion in the historic collection of Internet materials related to the LGBTQ+ Studies Web Archive. We consider your website […]

Will Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ Mental Health Center merge with a non-LGBTQ health organization?

Persad Allies Merger

I was informed today that Persad Center faces a dire choice due to finances – either merge with the much larger Allies for Health + Wellbeing (formerly known as the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force) or face potential closure altogether. Without any timeframe for this, I have to make immediate decisions about my mental health treatment […]

Trans Woman Jayme Lyn, 59, Wants Us To Remember the ‘Mature’ Trans Community #AMPLIFY

Trans Woman Allegheny County

  Name: Jayme Lynn Age: 59 County of Residence: Allegheny County, previously Dauphin county and Cumberland county Pronouns: She,her,Ms How do you describe your identity? Transgender woman Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? Hiding for 55 yrs,I found strength in the Diana Sawyer, Caitlin Jenner interview,wife knew about me […]

Political LGBTQ&A with Anthony Saba, Crafton Borough Councilperson-Elect

Openly Gay Arab Man

While on the local level we can only have so much impact, I believe that everything starts at the community level.  I would focus on making sure that all of our neighbors, regardless of their identity, understand what we are fighting for, equality and community. – Anthony Saba A few days after Election Day 2019, the Victory […]

Political LGBTQ&A with Edward Alo, Crafton Borough Councilperson-Elect

Openly Gay Crafton Borough Councilperson

I believe it is extremely important to have various representatives of the LGBTQ in elected office as well as in the public view.  I believe it provides a role model for younger generations.  When I was growing up in the 90s, my first experience with the LGTBQ was from MTV and Will and Grace.  It […]