When Helpers Need Help: Reflection on Life As An Activist

Cathy Cairns

Cathy is 61 years old. Her professional career has spanned nearly four decades in a rural community just outside of Pittsburgh. As she faces her final days with a diagnosis of end stage pancreatic cancer, she finds herself without the financial means to pay for her final expenses – a funeral, gravesite and a headstone. […]

In 2014, I Plan to Spend Time With A Lot of White Straight Men

Sue Kerr Bill Peduto

When you look back at your blog on January 2, 2015, what would you like to see? My exclusive interview with Executive Editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette David Shribman about language, media and style guides. Follow up on the investigations into the assault of two queer women of color at Margaritaville, two queer white men […]

Letters to the Editor on LGBTQ Equality

Letter To The Editor Pittsburgh

As disappointed as I am with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s disjointed coverage of LGBTQ issues, I have to applaud the readers who submit letters to the editor with gusto and flourish. Four days ago, Jonathan Dohanich of Monaca wrote to oppose marriage equality  on the grounds of procreation, his distorted understanding of legal protections accessible by […]

Unemployment Benefits Cut in Pennsylvania; Where LGBTQ Unemployed Can Turn

gay unemployment

73,000 Pennsylvanians stopped receiving emergency unemployment compensation yesterday due to the expiration of a federal extension launched under the Bush Administration. 73,000 of our neighbors without a job and with no income in a still terrible economy where Fight Club determines which person gets the PT barista job. I don’t really have a lot that’s […]

Why I Am Spewing All This Heavy Stuff On My Blog

kindness mental illness

Someone recently told me that they’ve enjoyed reading my NaBloPoMo posts where I respond to a daily prompt because it helps them get to know me better and makes them think. That’s high praise. Inspiring people to think is pretty much the end goal for a blog (with occasional calls to action, of course.) I’m […]

Kindness Is Not Always Random

homeless Pittsburgh

The Prompt: Tell us about the time when you performed a secret random act of kindness — where the recipient of your kindness never found out about your good deed. How did the deed go down? This is a tough one for me. I’ve certainly participated in many  projects anonymously, mostly behind the scenes as a […]

PA Governor Corbett States Support for Non-Discrimination Legislation

Corbett Pennsylvania

In a move that implies the changing dynamics of Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Corbett announced his support for legislation that would expand non-discrimination protection to the LGBTQ community. HB 300 and its companion bill would expand the scope of the state Human Relations Law to include sexual orientation and gender identity in matters of employment, housing […]

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 […]

How To Know If You Are Anti-Gay

God Hates Fags

Noah Michelson has a piece up over at Huffington Post with a simple checklist to determine if one is anti-gay. So, to clear up any confusion, here’s an easy test to see if you’re anti-gay:  If you have a gay friend (or sister or coworker or…) but still think that queer people should not be […]

Send Me a Holiday Card, I’ll Donate $1 to Pittsburgh’s LGBT Community Center

Pittsburgh Christmas lesbians

The first card we received this year was sent to “Sue and Laura” – it’s from my very conservative Christian cousin’s family so I’m glad they at least acknowledge our relationship. But I wish they realized Laura has a last name. It has been ten years. The second card was sent to the “Dunhoff-Kerr Family” […]