20-year-old Latina Trans Woman Murdered in August in Seattle

Trans Latina Woman

Her name was Zoella Rose Martinez, she also went by Zo Zo or Zoey. She was 20-years-old. Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, she was a Latina trans woman who had her whole life before her. And while her death was not reported at the time, her family confirmed her identity recently to a local […]

Black Trans Man Mel Groves Shot to Death in Mississippi, Total Official Homicide Toll Reaches 40

Mel Groves Black Trans Man

Campaign of terror against Trans, Gender Nonconforming, and Nonbinary Americans reaches 40, precariously close to the documented record of 44 violent death in 2020. Image via Facebook Just days after the shooting death of a 26-year-old Black trans woman in Southern Florida comes word of another shooting death of a Black trans person, Mel Groves, […]

Royal Poetical Starz, 26-Year-Old Black Trans Woman, Shot to Death Near Miami

A 26-year-old Black trans woman was murdered inside her vehicle in the Miami Gardens community in Florida. Her name was Royal Poetical Starz and while news of her murder spread among her friends and family, media failed to pick up her story. From South Florida Gay News A prime reason they didn’t know: Miami Gardens police […]

Guest Post for International Lesbian Day: A Boomer’s Bar Life in Pittsburgh

I first met Sue B. a few years ago on social media. She and my wife had mutual friends so we began corresponding and dining out together back when we did those thing. I begged and pleaded with her to put her recollections of queer women’s history into writing. There’s very little first person documentarian […]

21-Year-Old Black Trans Woman Kiér Lapri Kartier Found Dead of Gunshot Wounds near Dallas

Kier Laprice

Her name was Kiér Laprí Kartier also known as Kier Laprice Soloman. She was 21 years old and lived in Dallas. On Thursday, September 30, she became the most recent Black trans women to lose her life in the campaign of terror targeting the trans community. She was found near Dallas dead in a car […]

UPDATED: Placing 2nd in the Best of Pittsburgh Local Blog Category

The results are in in (print) and this blog was voted 2nd place by the readers voting in the City Paper Best of Pittsburgh poll for 2021. That’s not shabby. I was debating posting about it because I wanted to give the City Paper a shout-out for being an important media source especially on queer […]

80+ First Person Stories from Bi+ Western Pennsylvania Neighbors in Honor of #BiVisibilityDay 2021

Bisexual Pittsburgh

Today is Bi Visibility Day – there are hundreds of celebrations and events planned across the globe. Pennsylvania is the first state to have a Governor issue a proclamation – thank you, Governor Tom Wolf (proclamation at the end of this post.) One of my favorite blog projects has been the creation of the #AMPLIFY […]

25 Year Old Black Trans Woman Shot to Death in Chicago

Brianna Ulmer Hamilton

A 25-year-old Black trans Chicago woman is the latest victim of the ongoing campaign of terror targeting the trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming community. Her name was Brianna Ulmer, also known as Briana Hamilton and Brinasty. She was shot to death in the early morning hours in the 7800 block of South Bishop, Auburn/Gresham neighborhood, […]

Disaya Monaee Smith, Black Trans Woman, Murdered near Chicago

Disaya Monaee, a 32-year-old Black transgender woman was fatally shot near Chicago, Illinois on September 6. Disaya was from Chicago, but died about 25 miles away in the village of Dolton, Illinois. Disaya grew up in the Near North Side neighborhood of Chicago. Officers were sent to the Prestige Inn and Suites at 1335 E. Sibley Blvd. […]

20-Year-Old Black Trans Woman Taya Ashton Shot Dead in Maryland

A 20-year-old Black transgender woman, Taya Ashton, has become the latest victim in the violent epidemic of murder targeting the transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming community. Tavahn Ashton of Suitland in Prince George’s County, Maryland was pronounced dead on Saturday, July 17, 2021. On July 17, 2021, at approximately 9:55 pm, officers responded to an […]