Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Just to be very clear – no one has suggested that Animal Friends or Humane Action Pittsburgh are endorsing Guy Reschenthaler. I have stated that they are giving him a platform by inviting him to speak at their meeting – this is the problem.

This is how spin works. People pick up fragments of a concern or issue and they try to flip it back on people like us, you and me. People who read and write blogs. People who pay attention. People who follow me on IG and know that my concern for animal welfare is not the angle to take.

Animal Friends has a massive network of resources and a lot of people who will go to great lengths to protect their reputation, even if that means trying to distort my words and the concerns I have for you and our community. If they simply disagreed with me, they wouldn’t try so hard.

The theme that “we don’t endorse candidates” is insulting. I know that because I am a well-educated person with degrees in political science and social work. I know that nonprofit organizations cannot engage in partisan activities. I’ve written about that plenty of time. Nice try.

But it does open the door back open to the real elephant in the room – creating political cover by giving State Senator Guy Reschenthaler a platform on which he appears credible and responsible DOES impact his next election. That’s the issue, folks.

That will mean Animal Friends and Human Action Pittsburgh are complicit in the second election of a bigoted, racist, pro-fracking, anti-poor people man who loves his guns. 

Discrediting me and trying to undermine the truth I am sharing is what I expected to happen. It isn’t my first time at this puppy rodeo. And maybe no one really will care enough to say to Animal Friends ‘Hey, this is not acceptable from your organization.’  But I am saying it.

The world of animal rights is struggling with how to incorporate intersectional analysis – to understand how racism, poverty, sexism, and homophobia play a role in rescuing animals. I get that this is a journey that started much too late and will be difficult.

But for the life of me, I do not understand how any self-respecting anmal rights advocate will team up with a fracker, whereever you fall on the welfare-liberation continuum. How can you destroy our precious water and land, but expect the puppies and raccoons to be okay?

You can continue to target me, but I am not the thing about which you should worry. I’m just a lesbian with a blog. You should worry about the people who are rising up to reclaim their country, their liberty from corporate interests. People who understand that water is life. People who do love their dog, but also love the children in the neighborhood and their female friends married to abusive men and understand how these things are connected. You have cut yourselves off from the environment that created these beautiful animals we serve. And that is your greatest mistake – you have cut the tie that binds you to this world.

You can do better. You have so many teachers right here in Pittsburgh who can help you remember why you started doing this work and how you can plug into a future that is not dystopian. There are artists, activists, leaders, healers, teachers, preachers and so many people who can help your organization and your individual souls to reconnect with the land, the skies, and the water.

You are definitely cutting yourself off from your community.

If you can’t attend, perhaps you can leave a question or comment for the State Senator Guy on the event FB page.

You can contact Humane Action Pittsburgh via their website, or email

You can contact the Animal Friends contact for HAAP Carol Whaley, Director of Clinic Services, at 412-847-7094 or cwhaley@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org. Because of her direct involvement in the Humane Animal Action group AND the Animal Friends for Life projects, she really is the key person to address how these intersect.

You can contact Animal Friends generally or the Animal Friends’ Communications Department by writing to STremblay@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.

Or go to the meeting. Ask questions.

And don’t forget to support independent blogging because we certainly aren’t getting kickbacks from any politician ever.