LIHEAP helps you pay your heating bills! A LGBTQ Perspective

LIHEAP LGBT

Guest blogger: Rayden Sorock Did you know there is a program that will help you pay your heating bills if you make under a certain amount of money a year? The eligibility cut off is pretty generous – if it’s just you in the house and you make less than $17,655 a year, you can […]

Mair, 55, Came Out the Same Week As Ellen DeGeneres #AMPLIFY

Lesbian Pittsburgh

Name: Mair Age: 55 County of Residence:  Allegheny, previously Westmoreland Preferred Pronouns: Lesbian How do you describe your identity? Tomboy, butch Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I didn’t know I was gay until I was 33 (1993) and met a women I fell for. Actually, she wrote me […]

Derek On Life As a Gay Man With Asperger’s Syndrome #AMPLIFY

Name: Derek Age: 23 County of Residence: Butler Preferred Pronouns: He How do you describe your identity? I am a single, 23-year-old gay man who happens to be gay and who also happens to live with Asperger’s Syndrome. No matter what people say, I try not to let their perceptions define me as a person. Please describe your coming out […]

Shaquanna Wants Families To Have Positive Conversations With LGBTQ Relatives #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Lesbian

Name:  Shaquanna Age: 32 County of Residence:  Allegheny Preferred Pronouns: Female How do you describe your identity? Organic!  Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face?   Being the oldest sister of three sisters, I grew up in a household where it was okay to voice your opinion, and speak […]

Alec on Being Genderfluid: It’s Confusing Outside the Binary #AMPLIFY

Name: Alec Age: 25 County of Residence: Allegheny County, grew up in Jefferson County Preferred Pronouns: I’ve been defaulting to “she” and “her”, but “he” and “him” are usually ok too How do you describe your identity? I am a human being, who is attracted to other human beings. I identify as Genderfluid. Gender is a social construct and I don’t […]

Raven Has Not Told Anyone That She’s Pansexual Because She’s Afraid #AMPLIFY

Washington County

Name:  Raven Age: 24 County of Residence: Washington Preferred Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? I am pansexual. Once I did more reading into bisexuality, I realized I am attracted to everyone, every gender, every sex. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I have only come out as […]

Janie From Brackenridge: Being Trans Limits Many Things #AMPLIFY

Westmoreland Transgender

Name: Janie Age: 48 County of Residence: Westmoreland Pronouns:  us/they How do you describe your identity? I am transgendered MTF.. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? my parents was my strongest supporters.And tried to find the answers for me and people who was transgender When I was 13. Go figure […]

Cat is Queer, Genderfluid, and Fully Out #AMPLIFY

Pittsburgh Queer

Name: Cat Conley Age:  27 County of Residence:  Allegheny Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? I identify as queer/genderfluid. There are days when I hate any reinforcement of my femininity, and other days when I revel in it. I haven’t figured out a solution yet beyond scowling when someone uses words like “dainty” to describe me. […]

Jesse Talks About Living as a Trans Woman in A Culture of Fear

Transgender Pittsburgh

Name:  Jesse Oak Rise Age:  32 County of Residence:  Allegheny Preferred Pronouns: She / her How do you describe your identity? While physically I appear more masculine, spiritually I feel more feminine and doing what I can to make my physical self aligned with my spiritual self while trying to avoid (more) harassment, beatings, and the possibility […]

Zella Ziona, 21 of Maryland, Most Recent Trans Woman of Color Murdered

Zella Ziona Transgender

More heartbreaking news, this time from Gaithersburg, Maryland where 21-year-old Zella Ziona became the 22nd transgender woman to be murdered in the US during 2015. A witness told ABC7 he saw the victim, identified as Zella Ziona of Montgomery Village, surrounded by four or five teenagers. There was an argument, then he says one of […]