Love Thy Neighbor

Duck Dynasty Phil Robertson

A Lump of Coal for Reg Henry and Two for the Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh transgender

It is nearly 2014 and we continue to have to battle with our alleged allies over issues like not using the word “transvestite” (or a thousand other words), especially our allies in the media. Today, Reg Henry’s column in the Post-Gazette hit that low note once again. Given Vladimir Putin’s ill treatment of gay people […]

How To Know If You Are Anti-Gay

God Hates Fags

Noah Michelson has a piece up over at Huffington Post with a simple checklist to determine if one is anti-gay. So, to clear up any confusion, here’s an easy test to see if you’re anti-gay:  If you have a gay friend (or sister or coworker or…) but still think that queer people should not be […]

Send Me a Holiday Card, I’ll Donate $1 to Pittsburgh’s LGBT Community Center

Pittsburgh Christmas lesbians

The first card we received this year was sent to “Sue and Laura” – it’s from my very conservative Christian cousin’s family so I’m glad they at least acknowledge our relationship. But I wish they realized Laura has a last name. It has been ten years. The second card was sent to the “Dunhoff-Kerr Family” […]

What Does My Community Center Mean To Me?

Community Center

As you’ve most likely figured out, I’m invested in Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ Community Center – known as the GLCC (Gay and Lesbian Community Center.) Thus, I am often asking you to also invest either with your time, your donations or your participation in events and programs. So let me tell you why. In 1995, I was […]

GLCC Issues Emergency Appeal for Donations of Blankets, Coats

Pittsburgh homeless

Pittsburgh’s Gay and Lesbian Community Center (GLCC) has been collecting “Winter Gear” for several months as part of its commitment to the Service Access for Youth (SAY) coalition. This coalition of 22 organizations and businesses provides physical, emotional, and social supports for homeless youth, including LGBTQ youth. The Winter Gear drive has also been able […]

Why Use The Term “Alleged” When Reporting on Crimes Against LGBTQ People

I’ve had a few questions about the use of the term “alleged murder” to refer to the deaths of Betty Janet Skinner and Brittany-Nicole Kidd-Stergis in Cleveland last week. I can only imagine the degree of hurt, anger and outrage – perhaps fear? – in the community and it is fair to say that the […]

Upated: Two Transwomen Murdered in Cleveland

Cleveland, Transgender, Brittany-Nicole, Kidd-Stergis, Betty Skinner, Hate Crime

Sad news from Cleveland. 52 year old Betty Janet Skinner was found murdered in her apartment Thursday morning. Cleveland Police say Skinner was physically disabled, required assisted living and received regular home health care.   She was last seen alive by her home health care worker when she left the Devonshire Road apartment of our fallen […]

A Confession – I Reported You to the U.S. Postal Service

USPS

We all hate junk mail, yet through the mail slot it comes almost daily. So I scoop it up, sort it and don’t worry about it for another 24 hours. Except, the post man is not the only perpetrator. There’s a whole slew of folks who like to use my mail slot to deliver their […]

Post-Gazette Profiles Same-Sex Couple for National Adoption Day Story

The Post-Gazette’s Rich Lord profiled Kizzy and Sandra, a married lesbian couple who adopted a sibling group of 4 this past weekend on National Adoption Day. This day is organized to recognize the thousands of children who are eligible for adoption through foster care – something close to my heart. Kizzy and Sandra were married […]