Pittsburgh Pridefest: The Resistance Years

  The roots of what we’ve come to know as Pridefest in Pittsburgh are, as with many cities, deeply embedded in LGBTQ culture and more as we moved from the multiple resistance efforts in the 1960’s to a nationwide demand for visibility and freedom. At no point was this more apparent than in June 2015 […]

New Pride Events in Pittsburgh Shake Up The Status Quo

A few years ago, a group known as Roots Pride stood up in a very public way against the structural racism embedded in the current incarnation of Pittsburgh Pridefest. With very limited resources, organizers coordinated community meetings, activities and events to celebrate the LGBTQ community of the region and the spirit of Stonewall – creating […]

Pittsburgh Pridefest – Part Two

Pittsburgh Roots Pride

I’m going to share my thoughts in a four-part series, built around four distinct events – a face-to-face meeting with Pridefest organizers, a community town hall meeting organized by Roots Pride organizers, the protests at Pride in the Streets on Saturday evening and, finally, Pridefest itself on Sunday. These are events I personally attended/witnessed as […]

Pittsburgh Pridefest – Part One

Pittsburgh Pridefest

More than a week has passed since Pittsburgh’s Pridefest and I’ve used a lot of that time to reflect on my experiences in what has been quite an atypical Pride experience. I’m going to share my thoughts in a four-part series, built around four distinct events – a face-to-face meeting with Pridefest organizers, a community […]

About The Pittsburgh Pride March

Pittsburgh Pridefest

There have been multiple calls for people to boycott the annual Pittsburgh Pride March as a show of solidarity with those in our community who are crying out against the Delta Foundation and the oppressive structures it represents. Some have taken umbrage with that call, suggesting it is a divisive tactic that hurts the larger […]

UPDATED Pittsburgh Will NOT Enforce Free Speech Zones at Pridefest

Pittsburgh Pridefest

That was quick. This came in from the City of Pittsburgh via Sonya Toler. Sight and Sound zones are outside of the following locations: 100 Wood Street PNC 1st Side Park BNY Mellon Plaza PNC Triangle Park 620 Liberty Avenue Liberty Center Federal Building Corner Adjacent from the Federal Building The Zones will be there […]

UPDATED Pittsburgh Designates Zones for LGBTQ Community To Protest , Gives 24 Hour Notice to Community Groups

Pittsburgh Pridefest

UPDATE Saturday: Since I wrote this at 11:30 PM Friday, the City has changed the policy about free speech zones and will not require people to use them. More here. I think Mayor Bill Peduto made a significant error in judgment this week regarding Pridefest by failing to disclose plans for “designated areas for protestors” […]

Update on Pittsburgh Pridest

Pittsburgh Pridefest

Events are unfolding at such a dramatic pace that I simply cannot come up with a more original headline. Iggy Azalea has cancelled her appearance at Pride in the Streets. She was supposed to perform Saturday June 13. She cancelled on June 8. The Delta Foundation promises the replacement entertainment will be announced soon. Rumors […]

Iggy Azalea Cartoon by Joe Wos

iggy azalea Pittsburgh

Pgh City Council President Will Not Participate in Pittsburgh Pride

Bruce Kraus Pittsburgh

A statement released by openly gay City Council President Bruce Kraus reads as follows: I have to add something here – Kraus has had conversations with former members of the foundation’s board. That’s a group from whom we have heard almost nothing. There’s a lot of unpacking to be done here.