LGBTQ Liberation and Equality in Pittsburgh

Laverne Cox Pittsburgh

The road to equality and/or liberation is bumpy. I use the term “equality and/or liberation” because the juxtaposition of those goals (destinations?) indicates one significant reason for the bumpiness. Indiana and Arkansas happened this week. A lot of my friends (including me) tried to figure out the nuances of RFRA laws, something that only became […]

Sleater-Kinney and 2.5 Wave Feminism

Sleater-Kinney

  Last night, I saw my first riot grrrl concert when Sleater-Kinney took the stage in Pittsburgh for the first time in 19 years. The show was sold-out. It was good. My ears hurt. I recognized about half the songs after marathon listening sessions in the prior weeks. I didn’t care when I didn’t recognize […]

I Have Never Had To Put My Hands Up For The Police

Hands Up Don't Shoot

UPDATED Earlier this week at 1 PM, I stood outside my home in observance of the 4.5 minute tribute to Michael Brown. I wasn’t able to join my Northside neighbors a few miles up the street so I stood alone on my block in the freezing sleet. It was definitely uncomfortable, but not just because […]

Joe Stevens: Queer Culture, Female Roots and Making Music as a Trans Man

Joe Stevens Pittsburgh

Ticket GIVEAWAY – at the bottom of the post Joe Stevens has been making music for quite a while, first as part of beloved duo “Coyote Grace” and now on his own. He is coming to Pittsburgh on Thursday, September 25 to perform at Cattivo with Great Caesar and Night Lights. Tickets are $10 and […]

LaToya Johnson-Rainey is An Ally to the Trans Community

Many months ago, I received an email from LaToya Johnson-Rainey, owner of A Hair Boutique. She had heard about the (then) upcoming Pittsburgh Dyke Trans March and wanted to know how she could help. LaToya ended up donating water to the march, something very much appreciated. And practical. In other words, supportive without asking for […]

In 2013, 72% of anti-LGBT Homicide Victims Were Transgender Women

Island Nettles

This is an important piece from BuzzFeed about the epidemic of violence against trans women, particularly trans women of color. This snapshot commemorates the one year anniversary of the murder of Islan Nettles, a crime that remains unsolved. Out of 18 anti-LGBT homicides in 2013 included in a report by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, almost […]

What VisibiliT Means To Me

Transperience

After the Pittsburgh Dyke Trans March, I was interviewed by Nancy Evelyn Gold for her new venture – Transperience TV which is the first all-trans content media network. I’ll be sharing an interview with Nancy about her venture, but I was very honored that my clip was selected to be posted independently. I conflated 1997 and […]

UPDATED: The Loss of Another Trans Sister of Color – Tiff Edwards of Ohio

Tiffany Edwards

This has been a tough month, no doubt about it. From Repent Amarillo targeting teenaged girls to the Pittsburgh Dyke Trans March being TERFd (and possibly secretly recorded), it has been an exhausting month. But the worst has happened – a fourth trans woman of color has been found murdered, this time in Walnut Hills, […]

Arrest in the 2012 Shooting, Assault of Texas Lesbian Couple

Kristene Chapa Mollie Olgin

    In 2012, two teenaged lesbians were brutally attacked and left for dead in a Texas park. 19 year old Mollie Olgin died and her girlfriend Mary Kristene Chapa, then 18, survived with serious debilitating injuries. News of the arrest of the 27-year-old suspect brought to light the fact that one or both women […]

Horrifying News of Another Trans Woman Murdered

From Naples, Florida comes horrifying news of the vicious murder of 31 year old Yaz’min Shancez, a trans woman. Yaz’min leaves behind a family, friends and coworkers. While her family does misgender her in the media, it seems they had a relationship and certainly must be going through sheer hell right now.  (Note: these articles misgender […]