Beautiful – the Carole King Musical this weekend in Pittsburgh

This weekend only, the Cultural Trust will present the Carole King musical. You should go. Fri, Mar 18 – Sun, Mar 20, 2022 Beautiful – The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship […]

On Being a Woman

When I was a teenager and young adult, I struggled with the simple concept that I was a woman. I wasn’t questioning my gender identity; I was questioning my validity. Anytime I had to say something like “I’m a woman” in any context, I was self-conscious and awkward and keenly aware that I felt ‘othered.” […]

Statement on Queer Women’s History Month

Queer Women's History Month

I drafted this for another purpose. It wasn’t utilized, so I decided to publish myself just for the record. ~ Sue Women have always walked these grounds we know as Pittsburgh, forging paths and paying the way for future generations. The documented history of Pittsburgh might have primarily been controlled by men, but the living, […]

double, double. toil, and trouble.

My therapist encouraged me to buy some clothing that fits my shrinking body. So a few months ago, I bought two pairs of Old Navy sweatpants and they fit reasonably well. I took a leap and advantage of a sale to buy five more pairs. Same size. Too big. Too big. Slide off when I […]

Trans People Are Relevant

Matthew Spampinato

Yesterday, a family friend of Matthew Spampinosa left a comment on this blog post about his death. I was appalled enough to draft a message in response to her, but my gut tells me she isn’t going to hear me. So I opted to share my thoughts with you. After all, just today Georgia introduced […]

Waiting for the Appliance Repairman

The term ‘appliance repairman’ is almost quaint. Perhaps ‘appliance repairperson’ would be better if more difficult. But Mr. Spirko has been repairing our appliances since 2003 or so, so I’ll allow for the throwback to 1970. Laura and I are both unable to recall how we learned about him. There used to be a Northside […]

And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Tomorrow will be one month without my mother in this world. That feels momentous, like a tick closer on the timeline of her disappearance from this world. A month, then two, then six, and a year. And so forth. Her birthday. Her private significant milestone dates. I’ll put them all in my phone to remind […]

Q&A With Jerry Dickinson, Candidate for U.S. Congress PA-12

Yes, I am committed to a fully inclusive Equality Act that includes gender identity. I would not vote for a version that focuses on sexual orientation and not gender identity as this would exclude a large population of the LGBTQIA+ community. Our trans and non-binary siblings need powerful, equitable representation and protection This is the […]

GI Sue: Part Six in a Chronic Health Crisis

Sue Kerr Cats

G.I. are initials used to describe the soldiers of the United States Army and airmen of the United States Air Forces and general items of their equipment.[1] The term G.I. has been used as an initialism of “Government Issue,” “General Issue,” or “Ground Infantry,” but it originally referred to “galvanized iron,” as used by the logistics services of the United States Armed Forces.[2][3] During World War I, American soldiers sardonically referred to […]

Guest Post: Ukrainian Kokum Scarf and Indigenous People

Kokum Grandmother Scarrf

First published on Facebook by Lenora “Lee” DingusNod-doh-wa-ge-no (Seneca) Artist of Echoes of the Four Directions This Is a kokum scarf or grandmother scarf. Kokum means grandmother in Cree. Today It’s a piece of cloth used in powwows by jingle dancers “as a method of prayer while dancing with pow-wow dresses, It was all so […]