First United Methodist Church Withdraws from Pgh Pridefest To Stand With Marginalized LGBTQ Community

Church Withdraws From PrideFest

I received this statement from First United Methodist Church in response to recent disclosures about Pridefest ~ Sue PRIDE 2015 RESPONSE– First United Methodist Church, 5401 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15232 Our response to the contracting of IGGY AZALEA for be the musical headliner for PrideFest 2015. IGGY AZELEA is a rapper who in both […]

AMPLIFY! Tara Wants Us To Talk About Intersectionality

Tara Sherry-Torres

Today, we launch AMPLIFY LGBTQ – a new occasional series of blog posts designed to give a “signal boost” to the voices of our LGBTQ neighbors throughout Western Pennsylvania. We are using a Q&A format and will mostly avoid editing their responses. The questions, however, may change as we ask each participant to tell us […]

Delta Foundation, Mayor Peduto Resist Transparency About Pridefest Security Plans

Pittsburgh Pridefest

Let it not be said that this divisive blogger doesn’t *try* to get along. I began emailing The Delta Foundation and Mayor Pedutor’s PR folks (Tim & Katie) on May 9 with questions about security plans, prompted by the decision of Repent Amarillo to file a lawsuit against the City of Fort Worth for constraining […]

What Are the Safety and Security Plans for Pittsburgh Pridefest?

Pittsburgh Pridefest

Protestors with an avowed anti-LGBTQ bent haven’t historically been a significant presence at Pittsburgh Pridefest. Yes, here and there. But it was really only in 2014 that they garnered the sort of attention that they craved when Repent Amarillo protested at the City County Building, strolled down the Pridefest route and then set up a […]

I Want To Thank Rick Santorum

Rick Santorum internship

I’ve been waiting for this day with great anticipation. Rick Santorum’s entrance into the 2016 GOP Presidential Race comes just in time to commemorate the 25th anniversary of my internship. So not only do I get to trot out this photo (again) BUT I also can totally justify listing that internship from 1991 on my […]

UPDATED: Allegheny County Will Terminate Domestic Partner Benefits on June 30

Allegheny County Pennsylvania

As we explored last year, Allegheny County plans to eliminate domestic partner benefits for LGBTQ employees effective June 30, 2015. Heterosexual employees were never offered access to these benefits. From the County Communications Director, Amie Downs: [This] is correct and those employees will be reminded/given notice again of the policy. Eliminating domestic partner benefits is […]

Vigil Weds Evening in Philly To Honor Slain Trans Woman, London Chanel

London Chanel Memorial

  Friends and family of 21-year-old London Chanel will gather Wednesday at the William Way Center to honor her life and mourn her untimely death. ** Please note that some of her friends spell her name Londyn.  London’s family is taking her body home to Texas for burial We lost a beloved member of our […]

Doug Shields Statement on Pridefest

Doug Shields Pridefest

In the spirit of accountability, I have reached out to members of the Delta Foundation’s Community Advisory Board for their reactions to the controversies surrounding Pridefest. I already shared the response of State Representative Dan Frankel. This is the response of former City Councilman Doug Shields who is currently part of the staff of City […]

Billy Hileman on Pridefest Controversy: ‘I Stand With The Protestors’

Diversity Pittsburgh Pridefest

Late last week, longtime LGBTQ activist Billy Hileman began posting images on Facebook calling out the Delta Foundation around their decision to invite Iggy Azalea to perform at Pittsburgh Pridefest. Hileman coordinated Pridefest organizing in the 1990’s. He agreed to answer a few questions for me. “Defending Iggy doesn’t work. Iggy Azalea has no business […]

Rep Dan Frankel Statement on Delta and Pridefest

Dan Frankel Pennsylvania

Trish Mifflin did a great job summing up the situation about the Delta Foundation. I have been reaching out for some statements. State Representative Dan Frankel has been a member of the Delta Foundation Advisory Board for several years. I asked him to comment on this matter. His formal statement is I don’t speak for […]