UpStairs Lounge, Pulse Nightclub, and 941 Saloon – Intersections of Racial Justice, Trauma, and Identity

In the summer of 2020, a group of activists protested the racist dress code of a local LGBTQ owned bar and restaurant called the 941 Saloon. It was a situation that required a response because this racist dress code disproportionately impacted QTPOC.With the closure of so many LGBTQ owned bars and restaurants, finding a comfortable […]

Little Pridefests Everywhere

The world has changed, as it inevitably does, and we are challenged with moving into a “new normal” rather than clinging to delusions about yesteryear. No, I’m not talking about COVID-19. I’m talking about Pridefest in Pittsburgh. Once upon a time, activist and wise man Jim Fischerkeller shared with me his belief that Pride moves […]

Does Mayor Peduto’s Office Have an Animal Welfare Advisory Group?

I am seeking information on a possible advisory group to the Mayor’s Office or the City as a whole on animal welfare for my blog Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents. My information is the organization HUMANE ACTION Pittsburgh fills that role with little to no participation from other groups, individuals, with the exceptions of HAR and Animal […]

Guest Blog Post: When Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ Community Tried to Warn of Rick Santorum’s Bigoted Politics in the early 1990’s

Santorum Gay Community

Guest Blog Post by Billy Hileman. Santorum’s pathetic white supremacist rant that erased the archaeological evidence that 50-60 million people lived on the two continents that white people later named N and S America, was surely harmful. CNN should fire Santorum and promise that they will not employ other white supremacists. We knew Santorum was […]

Q&A With Bill Peduto, Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh

Bill Peduto Mayor

Competitive primaries evince the best out of elected officials. It keeps us honest, and allows us to stay in touch with the communities we serve. I’m proud to have run in multiple tough races, because I think it’s made me a better elected official. We are launching our election season series ‘Political Q&A’ with progressive […]

The 30 Most Read Blog Posts from 2020

Time for our annual round-up of the 30 most frequently read blog posts during 2020. 18 posts focus on violent murders of LGBTQ folx, particularly transgender neighbors. One of those posts was from 2019. One I just wrote on Sunday. This is a ‘trend’ I notice each year and it still hurts a lot. Five […]