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.

It is a blogging date …

It is a blogging date …

Well, I'm soon off for my Vacation Day 2 Adventure — a much delayed, highly anticipated “coffee” with Bram of The Pittsburgh Comet. We are meeting at Amani International Coffeehouse on the Northside. Amani is in between webpages, so I can't post a working link.  I have been rah-rahhing Steel City Stonewall to hold an […]

ACLU Banned Book Week: Gay Penguins Top List

Oh, those naughty little penguins and their homosexual desires.  I know this post is going to attract at least 37 google searches desperate to identify a homosexual tidbit about a professional hockey player, but I am referring to “And Tango Makes Three” which topped the charts of the book most often challenged in school and […]

McCain’s Chief of Staff Openly Gay

McCain’s Chief of Staff Openly Gay

One of our favorite bloggers has just reported that John McCain's Chief of Staff, Mark Buse, is an openly gay man. Mike Rogers has the details.  After I finish shuddering that yet another talented queer person is lending themselves to a virulently anti-gay agenda, I'll be with you.  Western Pennsylvania was home to two of […]

Bitch is Back!

Bitch is Back!

Last week, I posted a little banner to help generate some donations for Bitch magazine — my favorite (and among Ledcat's top 5).  While the little weiner dog indicator doesn't seem to work, the good news is that they met their fundraising goal in 3 days!  The flip side is that independent voices in the […]

If I ran the City Paper and other stuff …

If I ran the City Paper and other stuff …

Here are some articles I would like to read in the City Paper.  In no particular order. 1.  Who are the Flower People?  You know them.  They walk up and down the lanes of traffic at busy intersections, hawking flowers.  There is one older gentleman along Penn Avenue.  I want to buy flowers b/c I […]

Deliberative poll on same-sex marriage

Deliberative poll on same-sex marriage

The Post-Gazette's “Next Page” featured a fascinating article on the implementation of deliberative polling around marriage issues.  My interpretation of this process is that it strives to create an informed voter, rather than create systemic changing dialogue grounded in consensus.  At the core of deliberative polling lies the belief that to develop an informed opinion […]

On pundits and politics

On pundits and politics

Last night, Ledcat and I stayed up very late to go see John McIntire's show at a new season of Late Night Cabaret at Theater Square.  It was a fun evening with lots of snark and wonderful off the cuff comments.  And in the great Pittsburgh tradition, the panel on sexism and racism included three […]

Power and ‘Piscopals

Power and ‘Piscopals

Today's Post-Gazette includes a reflection from a member of Calvary Episcopal Church on the impending vote of the local diocese to leave the US branch and join a more conservative branch.  It is very flourishy, too much so for a beautiful late summer Sunday in the sense that I prefer to go for a drive […]

Episcopals and Closeted Gays

Episcopals and Closeted Gays

Two articles in today's Post-Gazette caught my attention. First, the ongoing drama  of the Pittsburgh Episcopals.  First, the local diocese decides to vote themselves off the American Episcopal Church island over the ordination of woman and gays.  A few Pittsburgh churches stay on the island.  Then the island itself (American Church – stay with me) […]

Pittsburgh Pundits – Sexism, Ageism, Racism, Politics & Comedy

Pittsburgh Pundits – Sexism, Ageism, Racism, Politics & Comedy

Knowing this group, homophobia will be part of the conversation.  Right, John? Pittsburgh Pundits presents…Sexism, Ageism, Racism, Politics & Comedy! Pittsburgh Comedian and TV/Radio Political Pundit John McIntire leads a Pittsburgh cast of political and socially conscious comics and pundits in a combination comedy/political analysis show. Some would suggest there's a thin line between what's […]