Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

I am honored to share the news that we have been honored in two categories by the first LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s Best Awards sponsored by the People’s Pride and SisTers Pgh.

People’s Pride PGH – Breaking The Cistem Presents LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST: Award Ceremony. This ceremony will honor the work of our LGBTQIA communities and forebears That have worked tirelessly to push our communities forward toward not only surviving but THRIVING! The people, organizations, and businesses that win these awards are to be honored for the work they continue to do for our community without question and without hesitation apologetically!

I was honored in the categories of ‘Best Lesbian Activist‘ and ‘Best Blogger‘ – two categories! On many levels, they are fused together, but there is a piece of my lesbian identity that is fist-pumping for being acknowledged beyond the blog.

When I kicked off in 2005, I chose the name ‘Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents’ because I was using a version of that for segments on local radio stations. And I couldn’t think of anything better. And pghlesbian.com was available. Now that we’ve become the longest running LGBTQ+ blog in Pennsylvania, I appreciate the importance of holding fast to lesbian identity as an intersectional approach to ‘corresponding’ about the community. I feel much more comfortable among my younger queer-identified neighbors than among lesbians my own age, but that doesn’t absolve me of the responsibility to reclaim and defend lesbian identity from delusional Fourth Wave TERF acolytes. Nor can I shirk the responsibility of reminding the Second Wave mostly white feminist lesbians that it ain’t all about us.

I share all of this because the theme of this year’s People’s Pride was ‘Breaking The Cistem’ but evolved into ‘Black Trans Lives Matter Too ‘ – so it is especially significant (to me) for this white cisgender lesbian to be selected in both categories and during the inaugural year of the awards. I try diligently to support and celebrate my Black trans friends and neighbors. Often, I fall short of that mark but these awards remind me that it is essential to continue trying. 

I missed the awards ceremony because I was in the Allegheny Forest with spotty cell service. I did get to log in to enjoy the music.

Full disclosure – I was a fundraiser for several SisTers Pgh events including the 2017 March for Visibility and People’s Pride in 2019 and a Bronze sponsor in 2019 for the People’s Pride.

Thank you to everyone who voted and to SisTers Pgh for manifesting another vision of Pride that is very much needed in Pittsburgh. I remember quite vividly meeting Ciora Thomas in 2014 through her then-television series with Transperience Television – she opened my eyes to entire swaths of community experiences I had not properly understood. It was a transformative experience for me. I am grateful for the opportunity to take that experience and put allyship into practice in the years since.

Congratulations to all of the honorees

LGBTQIA’s BEST Awardees 2020

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Non-Profit Award is Dreams of Hope

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Music Artist Award goes to Brittney Chantele

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Local Business of 2020 is Body Euphoria

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Medical Provider is Allies for Health and Wellbeing

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Employer is Allegheny Health Network

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s Best Lesbian Activist Award goes to Sue Kerr of the Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Gay Activist Award goes to Michael Tikili from Allegheny Health Network

.LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Bi Activist Award goes to Jessica Benham

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Queer Activist Award goes to Christina Castillo

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST: Asexual Activist Award goes to Khadijat Yussuf

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Transgender Activist Award goes to Ciora Thomas
of SisTers PGH

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Disability Activist Award goes to Cori Frazier

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Mental Health Service Provider is Allies Health.

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST YouthLED Initiative Award goes both to Dreams of
Hope and Black, Young and Educated.

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST: Ally Award goes to Dr. Jessie Ramey of the Chatham Gender and Equity Commission

.LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Visual Artist Award goes to Vanessa German and
Christina Acung Castillo

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Blogger of 2020 is Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Bar Award goes to Mixtape

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Place of Worship/Church of 2020 is East Liberty Presbyterian.

LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s BEST Non-Binary Activist Award goes to J. Coley Alston