Update on Holiday Projects for LGBTQ Neighbors

We’ve been working with three local LGBTQ projects to support our neighbors during the holidays. Here’s an update. Persad’s SAGE project works with LGBTQ elders (50+) and each year identifies clients who have minimal or no family engagement. Coupled with living in rural communities on fixed incomes, their holiday support isn’t really strong. In years […]

Nina Wyley Has Been Found and She’s Safe

Very good news in the disappearance of Seleana ‘Nina’ Wyley – she has been located and is reported to be safe. She made contact with family friends. I do not have any details or specifics, but we do have this confirmation from local LGBTQ activist Amber Sloan from M.A.D.E. IT Pittsburgh.  

Black Trans Woman Brandi Seals is the 25th Transgender Person Reported Murdered in 2017

Brandi Seals Transgender

  She was 26 years old. Her name was Brandi Seals. She lived in Houston, Texas. She was a black trans woman. And she is now the 25th transgender person to be murdered in the US during 2017. According to reports from Houston media, it was just around 6 a.m. Wednesday, December 13,  when neighbors […]

FOUND! Update in the Disappearance of Nina Wyley Who Turns 21 Today

UPDATE: Nina has been found safe.  Today, December 13, 2017, is the 21st birthday of Seleana ‘Nina’ Davis. Nina has been missing since December 6, 2017 when she was last seen in the South Side. Her family has tried repeatedly to file a missing persons report, but apparently there is some little known legal issue […]

FOUND! Nina Wyley, a 20-Year-Old Gay, Black Woman, is Missing in Pittsburgh

UPDATE – Nina has been found safe.  Nina Wyley is a 20-year-old black, gay female from East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She’s been missing since December 6 when she was last seen in the South Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Her family is gravely concerned about her. Nina is 5’6″, weighs 180 lbs, and has light brown eyes. […]

UPDATE About Emergency Food Drive for LGBTQ Homeless Youth via Proud Haven

Last week, we shared the news from Proud Haven that they are in urgent need of food related gift cards during December. Proud Haven’s Lindsey Sickler told me they expect to serve at least 30 youth this month. Some will need coats and clothing; almost all of them will need food. Hunger is a tremendous issue […]

Local LGBTQ Links We’ve Been Reading This Week – Dec 8

Liz Navratil and Angela Couloumbis at the Post-Gazette have a wrap-up of the calls for State Representative Daryl Metcalfe to be held accountable for his homophobic rant this week. The party is called to demote him and he is called to step down. Don’t hold your breath. Ryan Deto at the City Paper has his own […]

Emergency LGBTQ Youth Food Drive – Please Help With a Gift Card

As you know, we have multiple agencies supporting LGBTQ youth and young adults. They work together. One of the leading organizations is Proud Haven. We’ve been supporting their drive to collect Burlington Coat Factory cards to help youth purchase their own winter gear. I just learned a few minutes ago that the unofficial food pantry […]

CBS Journalist Mocks Sexual Harassment via Tweet, Probably Faces No Consequences

Marty Griffin Pittsburgh

CBS Pittsburgh affiliate KDKA has this guy named Marty Griffin. He hosts a 3 hour morning show on the radio station, alongside a lineup of all male hosts working at the station. He also reports regularly on the television side, including a segment where people ‘Get Marty’ to solve consumer problems. I don’t like or […]

US Supreme Court Leaves Stand Texas High Court Ruling Undermining Marriage Equality

Domestic Partner Benefits

This is a nightmare scenario for me. I am not being histrionic, or perhaps I am being consistent with the histrionic level I’ve been maintaining on domestic partner benefits since 2014.  The US Supreme Court has let stand a Texas Supreme Court  ruling that there is no established right to spousal benefits in same-sex marriages. […]