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, […]

Mocking Violence Against Trans Women Is Not Acceptable

Trans

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” – Mahatma Ghandi It is my opinion that being an ally to the trans community requires me to believe the people in that community. I believe when they tell me that words like “tranny” and “shemale” and “shemail” are […]

A Lump of Coal for Reg Henry and Two for the Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh transgender

It is nearly 2014 and we continue to have to battle with our alleged allies over issues like not using the word “transvestite” (or a thousand other words), especially our allies in the media. Today, Reg Henry’s column in the Post-Gazette hit that low note once again. Given Vladimir Putin’s ill treatment of gay people […]

Why Use The Term “Alleged” When Reporting on Crimes Against LGBTQ People

I’ve had a few questions about the use of the term “alleged murder” to refer to the deaths of Betty Janet Skinner and Brittany-Nicole Kidd-Stergis in Cleveland last week. I can only imagine the degree of hurt, anger and outrage – perhaps fear? – in the community and it is fair to say that the […]

CBS Program “Mike and Molly” Says F*ck You To LGBT Community

Last season, the hit CBS sitcom “Mike and Molly” went astray with two jokes about transgender women, specifically using the slur “shemale.” That very same weekend, a movie starring Melissa McCarthy used another slur, “tranny.” Trish provided some brilliant insight into exactly why these terms are slurs and not fodder for humor, especially on CBS […]

This Is Why the GLCC Matters to Pittsburgh

A terrible story from Jamaica via the AP in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — Dwayne Jones was relentlessly teased in high school for being effeminate until he dropped out. His father not only kicked him out of the house at the age of 14 but also helped jeering neighbors push the youngster from the rough Jamaican slum where he […]

A Tale of Two Birthday Parties – Not All Endings Are Happy

Saturday evening, a group of friends joined Ledcat and me to celebrate her 50th birthday. We had dinner at Cambod-Ican Kitchen, a Cambodian fusion restaurant on the South Side of Pittsburgh. It is one of our favorites and we consider the owners to be very dear to us. We had champagne, we had birthday cake, […]

Why Can’t I Use “Nice” Words When I Ask For Help? ALL THE VULGAR WORDS!

I’m circulating a petition asking a local business owner to meet and discuss a situation where an employee used the word “tranny.” I’m encountering resistance from people who would prefer I not include the word “tranny” (even in quotes) because it offends them. It is vulgar. Or its so in their face. It is not […]

Funeral Plans/Memorial Events for Cemia Dove (Cemia Acoff) on Monday May 6, 2013

Jacob Nash of the Cleveland Transgender Community Outreach Committee  has graciously kept our blog in the loop on the community’s response to Cemia Acoff’s death.  Ce Ce’s funeral will be at Temple Baptist Church 1862 Noble Rd., East Cleveland, Ohio with calling hours at 10 with the funeral to follow at 10:30am. This all happens […]

Arrest Made in Cemia Acoff Murder; Media Continues Transphobic Coverage

Cleveland Transgender

It is my understanding that the Cleveland Plain Dealer has agreed to meet with GLAAD and local trans activists to discuss their coverage of the murder of Cemia Acoff. Then, last night, I saw this piece which actually has some good news – the FBI working with local police have made an arrest in the […]