The next Podcamp Pittsburgh is quickly approaching.  I tossed out the idea to Justin about a panel on diversity in Pittsburgh's blogosphere.  Then I tried to think of who I would ask to participate in that type of panel discussion.

I came up with Greg from Pitt Rehab.  I know a handful of other queer bloggers, but they aren't blogging regularly and often focus on personal issues.  I can certainly turn to the 40+ women blogging at The Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society. 

Is that it?  How can I have been blogging for almost three years (December) and not be connecting with a more diverse group of bloggers?  That's pretty embarrassing. 

Or is that the point -- our burghosphere is pretty homogenous.  Michelle Massie's piece in the Forum section of the Post-Gazette gave me pause.  My world has shrunk dramatically since I came back home to Pittsburgh.  When I was in Louisiana, for God's sake, I had friends from all over the world.  What the hell happened? 

Would this be an interesting discussion?  I don't want to get into a battle about the digital divide; I want to find ways to heterogenize the burghosphere.  It would be great to see more queer bloggers b/c my perspective is always limited by my own experiences.  It would be great to have an honest discussion about gender-based hate and how a quiet project to amplify women's voices has attracted so many different women.  It would be wonderful to have a group of bloggers make the commitment to do something.  Change the venue of the blog gatherings to be more attractive to a different group.  Invite new voices to join your blog.  Other ideas? 

Worth pursuing?  Or will it be Greg and I having a surely enlightening but limited conversation.