Niki Talks About Living as a Gender Queer Trans Woman in Pittsburgh #AMPLIFY

Name:  Niki Age: 32 County of Residence: Allegheny. Washington county where I grew up. Crawford county, Erie county. I went to college in both places Preferred Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? My sexual orientation I describe as either bi, pan, or queer. I don’t care too much about those specific kinds of labels, just that gender isn’t important to […]

Cavanaugh, 25, Talks About Genderflux Identity and the Value of Self-Care #AMPLIFY

queer Pittsburgh

Name: Cavanaugh Age: 25 County of Residence: Allegheny Preferred Pronouns:  They or He How do you describe your identity? Queer, Afrolatin@, fat, trans, polyglam femme. Tenderqueer. I recently heard the word “genderflux” and I really love it. The idea is that my gender, and by extension my presentation, is sometimes a really, really loud version of itself and sometimes […]

#AMPLIFY Trans Voices on the Trans Day of Remembrance and Resilience

Transgender Day of Remembrance 2015

Today is the International Trans Day of Remembrance as well as a day to honor trans resilience. In lieu of our usual Friday #AMPLIFY profile, we are sharing these previously published Q&A posts with transgender neighbors living in Western Pennsylvania. Visibility is an important component of resiliency and a luxury many of us may not […]

Trans Day of Remembrance Events in Pittsburgh

Transgender Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Transgender March of Resilience  Friday, November 20, 2015  at 5:30 PM Schenley Plaza Trans Voices: Open Letters Friday, November 20, 2015 at 7 – 10 PM CMU Washington PA Transgender Candlelight Walk in Remembrance  Friday, November 20, 2015 at 6 PM in Washington PA Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil Sunday, November 22, 2015 at […]

Roman Knows to the Depths of His Soul That He Is a Man #AMPLIFY

Pennsylvania Transgender

  Name: Roman Barker Age: 35 County of Residence: Allegheny, formerly Westmoreland Preferred Pronouns:  He/Him/Sir How do you describe your identity? I am a Caucasian male Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I started out telling my mom I was “bi” – first you have to understand that my mom […]

Kaley is Trans, Queer and a Fan of Gender Outlaws

Transgender Beaver County

Please note that this is our 70th published AMPLIFY q&a since we began in late May 2015. Thank you to Kaley and everyone who has shared their story. Name: Kaley Age: 30 County of Residence: Allegheny, Grew Up in Butler County Preferred Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity?  I am first a human being, then a woman, […]

Janie From Brackenridge: Being Trans Limits Many Things #AMPLIFY

Westmoreland Transgender

Name: Janie Age: 48 County of Residence: Westmoreland Pronouns:  us/they How do you describe your identity? I am transgendered MTF.. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? my parents was my strongest supporters.And tried to find the answers for me and people who was transgender When I was 13. Go figure […]

Jesse Talks About Living as a Trans Woman in A Culture of Fear

Transgender Pittsburgh

Name:  Jesse Oak Rise Age:  32 County of Residence:  Allegheny Preferred Pronouns: She / her How do you describe your identity? While physically I appear more masculine, spiritually I feel more feminine and doing what I can to make my physical self aligned with my spiritual self while trying to avoid (more) harassment, beatings, and the possibility […]

Zella Ziona, 21 of Maryland, Most Recent Trans Woman of Color Murdered

Zella Ziona Transgender

More heartbreaking news, this time from Gaithersburg, Maryland where 21-year-old Zella Ziona became the 22nd transgender woman to be murdered in the US during 2015. A witness told ABC7 he saw the victim, identified as Zella Ziona of Montgomery Village, surrounded by four or five teenagers. There was an argument, then he says one of […]

Big Burrito Group Updates Trans Inclusive Language

Big Burrito Transgender

You may recall earlier in the year we reported that the folks at Big Burrito had made an ill-conceived attempt at humor by referencing Caitlyn Jenner in their “celebrity” portion of their menu at the Mad Mex restaurants. After backlash from the community, Chef Bill Fuller and his team pulled the menu and issued an […]