Hate Crimes, OUTrage and Privilege in Pennsylvania

Let me start with a very clear statement – the assault of two gay men in a Philadelphia neighborhood by a crowd of people was a terrible act of violence and I am very glad that they both survived. I’m also aware that this experience may resonate in their lives for a long time and […]

Allegheny County Email To Domestic Partners

Pennsylvania Equality

I’ve obtained a copy of the email the County apparently sent to 11 employees accessing domestic partner benefits on Tuesday June 24. I’ve noticed a few concerning issues The email uses this language “effective immediately” with no reference to July 31 or a cutoff date. Media reports added that clarification. Effective immediately is a little […]

Cloning Equality

Pittsburgh LGBT

If you could clone one element from another city you’ve visited — a building, a cultural institution, a common street food, etc. — and bring it back to your own hometown, what would it be? I actually put together an entire plan to do this – to study best practices in LGBTQ municipal equality via a […]

Pittsburgh: Not So Equal After All

Marriage equality Peduto pittsburgh equality

Pittsburgh received 72 out of 100 possible points on a recent national survey of municipal equality released by the Human Rights Campaign.  The city was not ranked in 2012.  The index was divided into 6 categories: non-discrimination laws, relationship recognition, municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement, and relationship with the LGBT community. Pittsburgh […]

14 Random Goals for 2014

For those of you anxious about the pre-Thanksgiving Christmas music, this might blow your mind – I was prompted to share my New Year’s Resolutions for 2014. I can’t honestly think that deeply right now. So here are some random things I’d like to do in 2014. 1. Dust off the Wii and see what […]

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 […]

Philadelphia Trans Woman, Diamond Williams, Murdered & Further Violated by the Media

UPDATED Last week, Diamond Williams – a trans woman living in Philly – was brutally murdered and dismembered by Charles Sargent, then dumped in a vacant lot  in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. Sargent is in jail and has been charged. Sadly, the mainstream media added another atrocious twist to this gruesome story by making repeated […]

LGBTQ&A: Emily Kesselman – Graphic Designer, Lesbian Activist

An occasional series where we pose some questions to local LGBTQ folks (and Allies) to learn more about their personal experiences with LGBTQ culture. I “met” Emily via Twitter – she was occasionally RTing things I had posted so we struck up an occasional chat. When I put out a call for help with our […]