TWOC Jaquarrius Holland (Brown), 18, Murdered in Louisiana

Jaquarrius Holland

A long time ago, I lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For three years. And being Mardi Gras today, my mind wanders that direction. But this year, I’m thinking about something different – the three trans women who have been brutally murdered this past weeks. I wrote about Chyna and Ciara, both of whom were killed […]

Ciara McElveen 2nd Trans Woman of Color Murdered During Mardi Gras Weekend

Ciara McElveen

48 hours after the death of Chyna Gibson comes word of a second trans woman of color murdered in New Orleans. Ciara McElveen was 26 years old. She was a New Orleans native, a graduate of Dutchtown High School and had studied at Dillard University.  Ciara McElveen Photo Source: Facebook[/caption] Sadly, she was the latest victim in the […]

Here’s Five More Ways Jackie Evancho Can Support Trans Youth Right Now

Jackie Juliette Evancho

So this is where we are. Singer Jackie Evancho performed at the Inauguration of Donald Trump in spite of repeated warnings about the danger he posed to the transgender community, including mine. She did it anyway. This week, President Trump revoked Title IX guidelines that protected transgender children in schools from sex based discrimination. It […]

Bi and Demi, Kristen Wants You to Get Uncomfortable With Your Privilege #AMPLIFY

Allegheny County LGBTQ

Describe your geographical community. Suburban. East of Pgh. Not especially QUILTBAG friendly, no. I wouldn’t talk about going to Pride around here, in Public. I grew up in Pgh, and lived through the ’70s where my mom would party at Pegasus with my godfather and his partner. I lived through the ’80s where my godfather went to too many funerals. I’ve seen the changes, but it still feels like not enough. I visit Canada regularly and it’s just… normal, there, to see businesses advertising to Same-sex couples. To see those couples represent an average family, because they do, numerically.

Describe your local or regional LGBTQ community. I have a fairly good group of friends and colleagues, but my home area is… Not great and I’ve had some negative experiences with the Pgh community being very white, very cis, very class privileged, very LG dominated and very trans exclusionist. I may be cis, but I’m not going to sit by and ignore that. It’s a little… Lonely. I commute into the city, but coming back in isn’t always easy just to socialize and I’m not in my 20s, clubbing is just not my thing.

Caiolin, 56, is Just Another Woman Who Happens To Be Trans #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Transgender Women

Name: Caiolin Age: 56 County of Residence: Allegheny County Preferred Pronouns: She, her How do you describe your identity?  Female, heterosexual, white, Irish German atheist. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I am a trans-woman that transitioned after 30 years of marriage and two children. I had fooled myself for […]

JoJo Striker is Third Trans Woman of Color Murdered in 2017

JoJo Striker

She was 23 years old, a black trans woman and her body was discovered in an abandoned garage on February 8 in her hometown of Toledo. It took over a week for her death and true identity to be brough to light because of the trifecta of reporting on this epidemic – misgendering, dead naming […]