My First Doll

Content Note: sexual violence, assault, intergenerational trauma, child abuse I still have my very first baby doll, a rag doll named Mary. She sleeps in a cradle that was originally a wooden planter. She lived on a relatives dresser for many years and I finally inherited her when that person moved. I’ve written before about […]

Dear David. September 5, 2020

David DeAngelo Pittsburgh

I haven’t written in awhile. As you know, my sweet little dog Ana died suddenly ten days ago. I’m still struggling with this loss. Please forgive my distance. So Wendy Bell got herself silenced on KDKA AM and very likely got herself a national slot somewhere in white supremacy conservative realms. You’ve done important work […]

This Will Get Better for Some of Us: Day 174

CN: depression, suicide I woke up this morning from that thick fog of nightmares, the sort you have to physically wade yourself free from without succumbing to the false awakenings. I pulled my groggy subconscious free from traumatic images and experiences and sat up in bed with a start. As I sat there reorienting myself […]

Q&A with Blogger Mark S. King about Awards, HIV Storytelling, and Finding Hope in a Pandemic

Mark S. King GLAAD Award

As the reigning GLAAD OUTstanding LGBTQ Blog from 2019, it has been my duty to to pass the title and tiara to the 2020 winner, Mark S. King from My Fabulous Disease. While he’s been getting a lot of mileage from his Susan Lucci status as ‘always a bridesmaid, never a bride’ these past years, […]

Michelle Obama’s DNC 2020 Speech

Michelle Obama DNC Speech

I didn’t watch. I absorbed the post-speech analysis, then I read the text. Then I watched video. I think this is something important for you to note.~ Sue Good evening, everyone. It’s a hard time, and everyone’s feeling it in different ways. And I know a lot of folks are reluctant to tune into a […]

Saturday hypomania during pandemic

Content note: bipolar disorder, hypomania, alcohol, pandemic Saturday, I woke up very early again, struggling to breathe. Lots of fire pits roaring these nights so the air is heavy near our homes. I grab my inhaler and sore throat spray to quiet the coughing. I fall back asleep after lots of breathing exercises to keep […]

A mother’s love

Content Note: sexual violence, mental illness, family violence I was born on October 22, 1970. By mid-July 1971, my mother was pregnant again with my brother. Somewhere during that time, she was hospitalized in a psychiatric unit. I was left with my paternal grandparents. By my third birthday, we were all reunited under the same […]

New #ThingsToDo: a List from Eleanor, Age 6

List of Things To Do for Kids

Total Lists Submitted: 9 Total Amount Raised for Food Pantry: $90.00 (out of $1,000 possible) This is our new project #ThingsToDo where we invite youth to create and share a list of things to occupy time and cope with boredom. You’ll fine the details at this link. Your young people are welcome to participate. Here’s the cool thing – in […]

My Year as a GLAAD Media Award Winner

It was pretty exciting to be named OUTstanding Blog in the national GLAAD Media Awards. Exciting is such an understatement, as if I’m trying to capture the awesome feeling of the accomplishment but wrap it in some humility so you don’t think I’m a jagoff. It hasn’t been an experience that revolutionized my entire world […]

Guest Post by Ava: Five Queer Modern Artists to Follow on Instagram

Queer Artists to Follow on Instagram

Our niece Ava has put together a list of Instagram feeds you should be following. This is her first of what I hope will be many blog posts. ~ Sue Here’s a list of queer modern artists and some information as to why you should follow their Instagram. Elton John. For many years, singer, Elton […]