Kristina Grant Infiniti, 47, is 11th QTPOC To Be Killed in 2015

Kristina Grant Infiniti

A 47-year-old trans woman, Kristina Grant Infiniti (also known as Kristina Gomez Reinwald) was found murdered on Sunday, February 15, 2015.  Kristina was a Latina with Cuban heritage. The police according to a NBC6 report are now calling the case a homicide. Note that this news report uses Kristina’s old name. Police didn’t find any sign […]

22 Year Old Ohio Trans Woman Stabbed to Death By Father

Bri Golec

22-year-old Bri Golec has recently returned to a transgender support group in the Akron, Ohio area. She had participated a few years ago, then stopped attending. Recently, she began to more assertively explore her gender identity. Sadly, Bri will not have the chance to continue her journey after an altercation with her father,  Kevin Golec, […]

Vigil Held for Yazmin Vash Payne, Suspect Surrenders

Yazmin Vash Payne

  Trans neighbors and allies turned out Sunday evening to honor the life of Yazmin Vash Payne (also known as Yazmin Paris), a 33 year old trans woman of color who was found stabbed to death in the middle of an apartment fire.  They were joined by Van Nuys Assemblywoman Patty Lopez.  These photos are […]

UPDATED: Trans Woman of Color Yazmin Vash Payne Murdered Near Los Angeles

transgender women

Note: this post has been updated to reflect the preferred name of the victim. Her name is Yazmin Vash Payne. She had previously been identified as Michell Vash Payne and alternately as Yasmine Payne. Some media outlets have posted her old name, but we will not do that. If you have photos of Yazmin, please […]

Five Places To Donate Feminine Hygiene Supplies in Pittsburgh

A recent article on The Huffington Post titled “For Homeless Women, Getting Their Period Is One Of The Most Difficult Challenges” has been a topic of much discussion on Facebook. I’ve written about this in the past, but here are the talking points Tampons, pads and related supplies cannot be purchased with SNAP (food stamps) […]

Why This Lesbian Won’t Leave Facebook

Facebook Name Policy

If you follow me on social media, you may have noticed that I’ve been investigating/poking around the Facebook names policy crackdown – it hit my radar after two Pittsburgh drag performers mentioned being caught up in the thick of it. I smelled a conspiracy and it turns out I was a bit right. As it […]

YOLO So Please Stop Hurting People with “Cray Cray”

cray cray

I can be as much of a language snob as the next person, especially when it comes to middle aged adults appropriating youth terms (as I am wont to do.) Sometimes it is amusing – my former supervisor used to say “Hit Me On My Hip” and slap her hip which was her way of […]

Why I Like to Organize Drives and Collections

The first time I organized a collection, I promised college students a pizza party if they gathered the most recyclable cans in their common area. The year was 1992. I didn’t anticipate the creativity of freshmen male students who apparently ransacked all sorts of nearby residential communities. Thankfully, the Residential Director took pity on me […]

Who Was the Cathy of Cathy’s Closet?

Cathy Cairns

Many of you knew Cathy Cairns. She was a long-time activist and social worker who tackled all sorts of challenges. She worked to bring affordable housing to the Hill District and Larimer. She brought support for women who experience domestic violence to the Beaver County District Attorny’s Office. She brought job training and social services […]

Neighborhood “Drama” and Facebook

Cat Perfection

I once had a crush on FourSquare – I thought it had potential to help nonprofit organizations and small businesses. So I’ve detailed in probably far too much painstaking a manner the experience of being cyberstalked. It is a terrible feeling. And most stalkers get quite excited when they get a reaction from their prey […]