Mission Accomplished! Gift Card Drive for LGBTQ Elders a Success

Pittsburgh LGBT elders

Congrats, folks. Together, we collected more than $1,000 in gift cards to be distributed to the 9 LGBTQ elders in the SAGE program that we told you about last month. This is so wonderful – we successfully met two goals with the lovely holiday party yesterday (all of the cookies) and the gift cards news […]

Restaurant Review: Papa J’s Server Made My Night

Papa J's Carnegie

“So that being said … tonight, everything changed. So much that I might return to Papa J’s sans coupon (1 per customer per quarter) for some pizza. Tonight our server Peter did something so awesome that I’ll just never forget it – at the end of our meal, he said “I read your blog. I love it.” Both of our jaws dropped and he went on “I recognized both of you when you came in, but I didn’t want to say anything and embarrass you.”

He didn’t want to embarrass me! He didn’t have to worry about that because I took care of it for him when I kicked over the bag carrying the extra salad and realized the pocket of my new too-big-for-me jeans was caught on my seat as I tried to stand up to talk with him. So I’m sort of slouched in my seat trying to unhook my pants while flailing around with my leg to lasso the wayward styrofoam container (no leakage!) and smiling at the first person to not want to embarrass me.

I was a little overcome and unsure what to say beyond ‘Thank you, I am glad you like it.”

Should I have asked him to become Facebook friends? Should I cyber spy to find Peter of Papa J’s and tag him on my post? What do cool people do in situations like this?”

UPDATED One Week Left to Donate Gift Cards for LGBTQ Elders #ReachOUT

Persad SAGE party

We met our goal in less than 24 hours after posting this recent update! Thank you, Pittsburgh! The headline is this – we still need gift cards for some of the LGBTQ elders connected to the SAGE project with Persad Center. They are all over 55 and have little to no family support so this […]

I am Brittle in My Anguish

I’ve been anxious my whole life long, but I haven’t always been afraid. There have been individual moments, of course, including my experiences with violence and assault. But what I feel now is different, dare I say more of an existential fear about my actual existence? I do not have much family. My parents and […]

Carlisle Approves Non-Discrimination Ordinance, 37th Pennsylvania Municipality to Do So

Non-Discrimination Pennsylvania

On Thursday December 8, Carlisle Borough in Eastern Pennsylvania voted 5-2 to approve a local non-discrimination ordinance that includes sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes. Carlisle is the 37 municipality to take action to protect LGBTQ residents while the PA General Assembly remains unable to move forward on similar statewide legislation […]

Update in the Murder of Pittsburgh Lesbian Shanique Saunders

Shanique Saunders Pittsburgh Black Lesbian

First, a clarification – Shanique’s surname had been originally reported as Sanders. Today, I realized that the reporting was changed to Saunders. I confirmed that Saunders is the surname of her mother. I am very sorry for the error and am working to determine where the original information was sourced. I honestly don’t know how […]

Ravenna, 37, Pansexual Trans Woman Living in the Allegheny County Suburbs #AMPLIFY

Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I came out at 26 years old. It was tough. I was on the verge of suicide and I had a 2-year-old son depending on my existence.

I dropped a bomb on my life. On relationships. It was the only way. I had no friends. Nowhere to really start. I just got myself out into the queer community. My personality aided greatly in forming my initial friendship and support base. Those early days were very lonely though.

How would you describe yourself NOW in terms of “being out”? Been living openly as a pansexual trans woman for 10 years. I’ve gone through all of the legalities and am quite open in my personal life. I do like to maintain my anonymity in my daily life. I still work where I did through my transition. Work was tough but I fought and survived the experience.

Vanessa, 31, Describes Her Transition & Life as Pansexual in Washington County #AMPLIFY

Trans Pansexual Washington County

How would you describe yourself NOW in terms of “being out”? I carry myself allot better that i ever have before, my confidence is much greater and have gained a better sense of living. Being happy that I’m now who i am and not pretending to be someone i never was has lifted a great deal of weight off of my shoulders and has given me hope and something to look forward to.

Top Things I Wish Pittsburgh’s Best Local Blogger Got To Do

Best Local Blogger Pittsburgh

I’ve been savoring my surprise nab of the Best Local Blogger category in the Pittsburgh City Paper’s 2016 ‘Best of Pittsburgh’ awards. By savoring, I mean that I agonized over how much I hated the accompanying photo, missed the award party because of anxiety and have awkwardly inserted the factoid into as many conversations as possible simply because Ledcat dared me to do so. I said it at least 10 times when I was in a blogging panel. Yes, I did use the phrase, “I traffic in the currency of exposure.”

I’m Cranky, Sad and Defiant. December, Here I Come.

There is no opening sentence that will accurately describe my emotional mindset right now. How about “my month has been a delightful Panoply of precursors to the next four years as well as most of what’s been happening forever that I never thought about?” I started out after the election feeling numb and cutting myself […]