When I’m Down and Feeling Blue … Ten Times I Blogged About How to Help

Those who follow me on social media or know me in real time are probably aware of some current big struggles I’m facing. It takes a toll. Today, two people I had believed were taking their own actions on these issues told me they have not done anything and keep asking me to identify how […]

Maria Talks Lesbian Life in the North Hills of Pittsburgh #AMPLIFY

Allegheny County lesbian

  Name: Maria Vincenzia La Monica Age: 33 County of Residence: Allegheny Pronouns: she/her How do you describe your identity? Female, Lesbian, writer, cancer survivor, advocate, enthusiast. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I was deeply closeted until I was 29, I walked out of the closet and into the […]

With Anti-Transgender Editorial, Post-Gazette Officially Proves that Pittsburgh Never Was #StrongerThanHate

The phrase ‘a new low’ seems inadequate to describe the mean-spirited, churlish, vicious, nasty, hateful bitterness of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Editorial Board. But writing out that serious of descriptive words repeatedly is equally insufficient to capture the true evil this Board has embraced. This week, they published this scathing indictment of Twitter’s new speech policies […]

Pittsburgh Man Says He Was Assaulted in Local 7-Eleven Because He Is Transgender

Zahair Martinez Pittsburgh

Zahair Martinez, a Black transgender man living in Pittsburgh, claims he was assaulted inside a 7-Eleven on Wood Street in Downtown Pittsburgh by a group of seven people. This was 10:15 AM on Sunday December 2. Martinez spoke with WTAE “ZAHAIR MARTINEZ TELLS ME HE WAS TARGETED FROM THE SECOND HE WALKED INTO THIS DOWNTOWN […]

F. Dok Harris: “This hate is growing and fermenting. So take a stand and give back in a way that can really help the people who are at the most risk.”

Franco Dok Harris Pittsburgh Current

Check out this story at the Pittsburgh Current and watch/listen to the podcast below. Generous Donation Makes Holiday Brighter For LGBTQ Youth I suggested the story to Pittsburgh Current because we never hear the media covering stories of generosity to the LGBTQ community.  We hear about Secret Santas visiting Wal-Mart every year and anonymous affluent […]

Baptist Pastor Arrested for Murder of Trans Woman Keanna Mattel in Detroit

Keanna Mattel

Baptist pastor Albert Weathers, 46, was arraigned Monday for the murder of transgender woman, Keanna Mattel, according to a post at Planettransgender. Weathers is charged with open murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The 36th District Court set bond at $1 million according to The Detroit News. Other details suggest […]

Keanna Mattel, 35, is 24th Trans Neighbor Murdered in the US during 2018

Keanna Mattel

I learned terrible news tonight from Detroit where a 35 year old Black trans woman was murdered Friday morning, the 24th transgender victim of fatal violence in the US this year. Her name was Keanna Mattel. Note that Keanna’s surname has been spelled with one ‘l’ and with two. We are using the spelling on […]

Suzanne, 39, never felt that honoring her orientation was even an option #AMPLIFY

female bisexual Pittsburgh

  Name: Suzanne Age: 39 County of Residence: Allegheny, but grew up in Armstrong County. Northern Armstrong County bordering Clarion and Butler counties, different parts of Allegheny County, and Mexico City Pronouns: she/her/hers How do you describe your identity? female bi-ish lesbian Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I consider that I […]