I’ve never been to Pittsburgh

The Prompt – There are 90 neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and 130 municipalities in Allegheny County. Tell us about one of each that you’ve never visited. And about one of each that you absolutely adore. I’ve never knowingly been to Esplen or Oakwood or St. Clair in the City of Pittsburgh. In Allegheny County, I’ve never […]

Where is your coat? #NaBloPoMo2019 #NaBloPoMoPgh

Hallloween costumes

The Prompt – How often did you have to wear a coat with your Halloween costume? Should this be a dealbreaker? It was hit or miss. As I got older, I tried to lean into costumes that were inherently weather flexible. One year, my Dad made me a costume that allowed me to wear a […]

82 Trans Stories from Western Pennsylvania Honor Trans Awareness Week

Transgender Awareness Week

The week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, we have Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address issues the community faces. I’ve curated 82 stories from our #AMPLIFY project to illustrate the multi-faceted experiences of transgender neighbors in Western Pennsylvania. Our project asks people to describe their […]

What qualifies as Pittsburgh Famous? #NaBloPoMo2019

Pittsburgh Famous

The Prompt – There are lots of folks described as “Pittsburgh famous” – what does that phrase mean to you? Please list a few Pittsburgh famous folks that most people might not immediately think about. Pittsburgh famous includes high-profile local folks, often members of the media and politicians, but also artists, creators, quirky neighbors who […]

Twinkle! kid’s drag and talent show devoted to gender fluid and trans kids, and their friends at the Warhol on Sunday

Kid's Drag and Trans Variety Show

See you on Sunday at the Warhol … scroll down for details or follow that link …   Tickets only $10 at the door general admission, or reserve a discounted seat for $7. Purchase your discounted tickets at: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=FHYDAPPBQK2ZG Join us for the 5th annual TWINKLE! Kid’s Drag & Variety Show! You will not want […]

Bridges and Tunnels, Oh My #NaBloPoPgh #NaBloPoMo2019

The Prompt – What are the names of the bridge and tunnel closest to your childhood home? What about now? I’m tickled by how hard these prompts can be even though I created them. I grew up in West Mifflin, minutes from Century III Mall – literally. I had to use Google maps to determine […]

Trump Targets LGBTQ Foster Care and Adoption – My Latest for @PghCurrent

Pittsburgh Needs Policies for Urban Wildlife and Homeless Domestic Animals #NaBloPoMo

The Prompt – Is Pittsburgh a cat or dog city? (Or alligator city?) Explain your answer. I’m a cat and dog person, but I have more cats right now. Thus, I plead the Fifth on this one. I wish the CITY as an entity had more concrete policies with regard to homeless cats and dogs. […]

Political LGBTQ&A with Jonathan Warnock, Indiana Boro Councilmember-Elect

Openly Gay Elected Official Indiana County

I say all the time that I’m just fighting the future, i.e. doing everything I can to mitigate the effects of climate change. Working for LGBTQIA+ rights feels the same. No minority group in history has gotten rights without a fight, and no group will keep them without vigilance. I’ve been involved with this for a long time now, going back to college and grad school working the the ‘gay/straight’ alliance clubs where I went to school. I seem to be unable to turn down the chance to advocate for equality or work to fight our climate future… just ask my husband.

Processing Trauma with EMDR: Week Three

EMDR Trauma Processing

Content Note: trauma, EMDR, child abuse, sexual assault For more info on EMDR, talk with your therapist or visit this page. We decided to incorporate Eye Movcement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) into my therapy. Time has been the major constraint, so I’m documenting on my blog as a record for myself. I have now participated in four […]