Q&A With Kejuan, 16, Sharing Her Trans Joy On-Stage With Billy Porter in Pittsburgh

I believe it was an example of trans joy because I could just show the world who I was.  I think trans joy means that any trans person can express themselves freely without being judged for who they are. It also means that they celebrate their pride and the beauty of their bodies.  One of […]

Update in Murders of Trans Folx in the US: Part Two

In early April, I published an update on the investigations into the killing of trans neighbors here in the US in 2023, to date. I’m updating now. In April, we had reported on the deaths of eight individuals, today we have It is important for us to follow these stories and push for justice. Justice […]

Black Trans Woman Ashia Davis Killed in Detroit

Ashia Asia Davis

The reported killing of a 34-year-old Black trans woman in Detroit highlights the violence and anti-trans sentiments permeating the 2023 Pride season in the United States and beyond. Ashia Davis – also known as Asia Davis – died early Friday morning on the second day of Pride month. According to CBS Detroit Highland Park police […]

Update on the Legal Cases Behind #ProtectTransKids Project

Protect Trans Kids

It was a litle less than a year ago that the O’Donnell-Collar family first entered a courtroom to resist the racist, transphobic harassment by their next door neighbor. After repeated police calls and detailing many, many interactions, they had finally convinced the District Attorney’s office to issue a summary citation of one count of harassment. […]

Black Trans Man Banko Brown, 24, Shot to Death by Walgreens Security Guard in San Francisco

headshot of a young Black man wearing a yellow sweatshirt and a yellow viser upside down

Banko Brown, a 24-year-old Black trans man, is the most recent reported victim of anti-trans violence after he was fatally shot by a security guard in a San Francisco Walgreens. Banko used the surnames Brown and Paso. At approximately 6:33 p.m., SFPD officers from Tenderloin Station responded to a report of a shooting at 825 […]

Sue Kerr Named One of 15 ‘Lesbian Icons’ By LGBTQNation

When I was a young child, I remember riding with my grandmother in their car and asking her to identify her favorite part of her life. This was in the mid-1970’s. She didn’t miss a beat when she said “In my 50s.” I did the math and realized that was pre-me. She confirmed and said […]

Anti-Trans Lawyer Behind 2017 Failed Bathroom Ban in Pine-Richland School District Running for School Board in 2023

Mike Wiethorn is so committed to harassing and bullying trans and queer kids in the Pine Richland School District that six years after suffering a significant judicial defeat about anti-trans policies, he’s decided to run for a seat on the PR school board District 3 candidate, Mike Wiethorn. Mike is an attorney with 30 plus […]

Honored by Pittsburgh Equality Center

The Pittsburgh Equality Center gave me a great honor by focusing on my work in their newsletter as a Community Leader. In this month’s newsletter, we will explore the history of Lesbian Visibility Day, and I am thrilled to note that we will be spotlighting a special member of the Pittsburgh LGBTQIA+ community – the inspiring […]

Lesbian Visibility Day

I don’t have a lot of bandwidth to share today due to a cruddy stomach virus. I’d prefer to be eating soup than writing this post. But it feels necessary to show up in this space with intent and purpose. Lesbian Visibility Day is dedicated to increasing the awareness of lesbian women and their issues. […]

Reflections on 30 Year Anniversary of March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, Bi Equal Rights and Liberation on April 25, 1993

America’s Civil Rights Agenda Stalled as Attacks on LGBTQIA People Expand Almost thirty years ago, on April 25, 1993, nearly 1,000,000 people marched onto the nation’s capitol in the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, Bi Equal Rights and Liberation. This is a guest blog post by Pittsburgh based queer activist Billy Hileman. Billy was […]