Sue

Sue is the founder of Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents blog, established in 2005.. She has an MSW from the University in Pittsburgh and a BA in Political Science from Marymount University. Her undergraduate claim to fame is a six month stint as an intern with then Congressman Rick Santorum in 1991. Born and raised in West Mifflin, Sue attended college in Washington DC, then graduate school in Louisiana and ended up in Kentucky doing social service ministry. She returned to Pittsburgh in 1997. She now lives on Pittsburgh’s Northside with her wife, Laura. She was among the first out LGBTQ people named to Pittsburgh’s 40 Under 40 in 2004 and is a graduate of Leadership Development Initiative Class VII. After being fully and permanently disabled in 2010, Sue has continued to serve the community. She founded the Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project to address hunger and environmental issues. In 2015, she launched the #AMPLIFY LGBTQ archive in conjunction with a two-year artist in residence stint with Most Wanted Fine Art. Sue and her wife have fostered over 25 kittens through Pittsburgh CAT and Homeless Cat Management Team, and now manage multiple community cat colonies in their neighborhood. In 2020, Sue cofounded the Pittsburgh MasQUe ProjecT to support the queer and trans community during the pandemic, distributing tens of thousands of face masks and other supplies throughout the region. In 2021, Sue created the #PghCatFolx projects to support neighbors working with community cats. Under that heading came the Dr. John P. Ruffing DVM Pet Food Projects, memorializing one of her very best friends who died in 2007. In 2021, Sue worked with community leaders to develop and establish a 501c3 nonprofit organization, Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities (PLC) where she currently serves as Board President. PLC absorbed the #PghCatFolx projects. Also in 2021, Sue was the first person in history appointed to the City of Pittsburgh LGBTQIA+ Commission and was unanimously elected as one of three inaugural co-chairs. Her blogging has garnered numerous awards Favorite GLBT Media Publication - 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 (Keystone Alliance Gaylife Newsletter Reader’s Poll) Favorite GLBT Social Media - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (Keystone Alliance Gaylife Newsletter Reader’s Poll) Best Local Blogger - 2016, 2019 (Pittsburgh City Paper Reader’s Poll) LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s Best Blogger - 2020 (SisTersPgh, People’s Pride of Pittsburgh) Outstanding Blog - 2019, 2022 (GLAAD Media Awards) Sue has also personally been honored Person of the Year - The Advocate Magazine, 2022 15 Lesbian Icons - LGBTQ Nation, 2023 LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s Best Lesbian Activist - SisTersPgh, People’s Pride of Pittsburgh 2022 Sue believes in identifying and filling gaps in supports & services rather than recreating the wheel. She uses both her undergraduate and graduate degrees on a regular basis as a blogger and activist and regularly circulates her 1991 internship photo just to shake things up on her social media feeds. Her own experiences with cPTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and other health challenges have fueled her health blogging and activism. She also writes extensively about her family history, drawing on her amateur genealogy hobby. The blog regularly reviews arts and cultural events as well as exploring restaurants, soap opera storylines, and hyper-local news. Sue and her wife Laura have been together since 2003. They were married on a very cold February 2, 2021 in their backyard at a very small ceremony co-officiated by their pagan priestess friend, Anne, and then-Mayor Bill Peduto. They have six niblings, four in Pittsburgh and two in Philadelphia.

Posts by Sue:

Main PagePolitics

Pgh Stonewall Dems Search for Social Media Editor

January 28, 2010 by
Pgh Stonewall Dems Search for Social Media Editor

I'm very pleased that Steel-City Stonewall Democrats are on the search for a volunteer to focus solely on social media.  I've been working on this project with other local LGBT social media users and really want to applaud the group for embracing these tools to support their mission.  The job description is also attached to […]

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Tuesday

January 27, 2010 by
Tuesday

Peduto endorses Joe Hoeffel. “Joe Hoeffel is a progressive leader who will fight for Pennsylvania,” Peduto said. “I am supporting Joe, because he understands the challenges facing communities like Pittsburgh, and he isn’t afraid to make the tough decisions to change the direction of our economy for the benefit of working families. He has a […]

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Florida Gay Adoption and Other Stuff

January 22, 2010 by
Florida Gay Adoption and Other Stuff

From the Orlando Sentinel comes a thoughtful story on an impending court ruling regarding the constitutionality of a statewide ban on LGBT adoption. Florida is the only state that outright bans adoptions by gay people, although it allows gays and lesbians to be foster parents. In November 2008, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman ruled that […]

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Does background as Scout master bias judge in Philly Scouting case?

January 22, 2010 by
Does background as Scout master bias judge in Philly Scouting case?

The Philly Gay News is reporting that the federal judge who recently issued an injuction in a case involving the City of Philadelphia and the Boy Scouts was himself a Scout official. The twist is that his time with the Scouts did overlap his time on Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.  Philadelphia has been providing a City […]

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Focus on the Family and ther Superbowl: Is CBS biased toward anti-choice social issues?

January 20, 2010 by
Focus on the Family and ther Superbowl: Is CBS biased toward anti-choice social issues?

Major fail on the part of CBS with regard to accepting faith based advertising. You might recall back 2006, the United Church of Christ wanted to run a series of ads reaching out to the “unchurched” with a bit of pizzaz.  CBS rejected the advertising, deeming them “too controversial” for network television.  Here is one […]

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Lutherans leaving diocese

January 20, 2010 by
Lutherans leaving diocese

I am so tired of reporting on this, but I suppose I must. An Evangelical Lutheran church in Monroeville will vote this month whether to remain in its denomination, the first Lutheran church in Southwestern Pennsylvania to take such a step. The Jan. 31 vote at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church comes largely in reaction to […]

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Holy Smokes – The ACDC Responsive?

January 20, 2010 by
Holy Smokes – The ACDC Responsive?

Yesterday, I wrote about the ACDC's failure to put information about committe folks on the website.  Blah, blah, blah … accountability, transparency, connections.  All that jazz. Today … the information is available on their website. Here's the link. It is actually the same link as in my original blog post so I need to fix […]

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January 19, 2010 by

As you may know, California is the scene of a critical trial on Proposition 8 right now.  It was originally supposed to be broadcast, but the US Supreme Court nixed that.  Your best bet is to follow the live Twitter feed vis a vis #Prop8.  Contributors/observers include the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Advocate […]

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Sigh. Cat Specter, why do you disappoint me so?

January 19, 2010 by
Sigh. Cat Specter, why do you disappoint me so?

Dear Cat, There is no such thing as gay sex. Any sexual act performed by LGBTQ persons can be performed by straight persons.  Anal sex is not gay sex.  Oral sex is not gay sex. Swinging from a trapeze wearing a dildo is not gay sex.  It is simply sex.  In today's column you made this slip […]

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Is the ACDC intentionally out of touch with local Democratic voters?

January 19, 2010 by
Is the ACDC intentionally out of touch with local Democratic voters?

Over the past four years, I've made no bones about my dissatisfaction with Allegheny County Democratic Committee.  Back in 2007, I tried to get information on my committeepersons.  First attempt.   Received a call back with my particular information, but no systemic response as how to access this information independently. I received another phone call with […]