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:

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Update from press conference

August 27, 2009 by

I am lurking around picking up juicy tidbits. Caught Doug Shields on his way in to meet with Public Safety Director, Michael Huss. So he stopped to give KDKA an interview. He assures civil rights will be balanced with public safety. He also claims police are there to protect the G20 folks not crack down […]

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August 27, 2009 by

Al Hart from the UE comments that losing two days pay is a hardship. They are asking City Council to speak up for the average people. ******************************* Sue Kerr Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents www.pghlesbian.com Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

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Live from Merton Ctr Conference

August 27, 2009 by

I am downtown at City County Bldg for the Thomas Merton Ctr press conference. I am blogging on blsckberry so I hope this comes thru. If u could send me a tweet or text telling me you can read this, that would be awesome. So far, WPXI and WTAE are here and a handful of […]

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Lutherans and Letters

August 25, 2009 by

Ann Rodgers talks with a few local Lutherans about their reaction to the recent decision to accept partnered gay clergy.  The language of acceptance was carefully tailored to allow those who object to equality on the basis of their religious beliefs to be free to continue to associate their bigotry with the Lutheran denomination. Wow.  […]

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Newsflash: I’ll be working with Pridecast

August 24, 2009 by

Good news this Monday morning, especially for those of you wishing OUT in Pittsburgh media had more lesbian content and coverage.  I've been invited to be a recurring guest on their biweekly podcast, PRIDEcast with Jason Lucarelli. This will be a great chance to talk about important issues such as HB 300, the formation of […]

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Finally, Pgh Media Discusses G-20 Issues Rather Than Tactics

August 23, 2009 by

I am thrilled with today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  I don't agree with all the content (the gushing over Stanley Lowe made me choke), but the fact that we have content on a Sunday rather than New York Time reprints is wonderful. My delight was tripled when I read the piece on the G-20 by arguably the […]

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What exactly is going on in Maine?

August 22, 2009 by

You may have heard some rumblings that there's a ballot battle up in Maine.  Perhaps you wonder what its all about and what it means for Pittsburgh. Maine affords marriage equality to all residents.  This means same sex couples can marry and enjoy the privileges and rights associated with that institution, both legally and personally. […]

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Pgh Queer Round Up

August 22, 2009 by

The Post-Gazette has a little blurb about Obama's flip-flop on DOMA, making the excellent point that toning down the support requires action on the promise to repeal.  Never mind his conservative critics. Mr. Obama, who hasn't fulfilled his pledge to end “the don't ask, don't tell policy” on gays in the military, has a lot […]

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Prove your gender. With photos. Philly?

August 20, 2009 by

I'm not sure Allegheny County Council should brag about adopting the “Philadelphia” model of non-discrimination legislation.  First, there was the private swim club that refused to honor a contract to let children swim there because it (let me make sure I have the quote right) … “changed the complexion” of the pool.  Now comes another […]

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Health

August 19, 2009 by

It has been a hell of a week.  On top of everything else, my “little cold” escalated into bronchitis, a throat infection and an ear infection.  I'm on antibiotics and couch rest for a few more days.  This is a busy time at work so I'm pretty frustrated. I tried blogging but IE kept closing so […]