UPDATED: Allegheny County Will Terminate Domestic Partner Benefits on June 30

Allegheny County Pennsylvania

As we explored last year, Allegheny County plans to eliminate domestic partner benefits for LGBTQ employees effective June 30, 2015. Heterosexual employees were never offered access to these benefits. From the County Communications Director, Amie Downs: [This] is correct and those employees will be reminded/given notice again of the policy. Eliminating domestic partner benefits is […]

Billy Hileman on Pridefest Controversy: ‘I Stand With The Protestors’

Diversity Pittsburgh Pridefest

Late last week, longtime LGBTQ activist Billy Hileman began posting images on Facebook calling out the Delta Foundation around their decision to invite Iggy Azalea to perform at Pittsburgh Pridefest. Hileman coordinated Pridefest organizing in the 1990’s. He agreed to answer a few questions for me. “Defending Iggy doesn’t work. Iggy Azalea has no business […]

A Vigil for Andre Gray

Andre Gray Vigil

    I stood in an empty lot, my bag resting on the park bench as I adjusted the hood of my sweatshirt. A few minutes earlier, I was eating dinner across the street.  Then the media outlets called and told me if someone wasn’t available to interview instantly, they would kill the story. Kill […]

Pgh Lesbian Blog Voted Favorite GLBT Media, Favorite GLBT Social Media

Best LGBT Media

We are honored to learn that we’ve been voted as the winner in two categories of the reader’s choice awards: Favorite GLBT Media Source (the blog) and Favorite GLBT Social Media Source (Sue Kerr.) Sue was also named 2nd Runner Up in multiple categories including Lesbian of the Year, GLBT Person of the Year and […]

The Advocate on Why LGBT Visibility in the Workplace Matters

Yesterday the delightful local lunchtime eblast Eat That, Read This referenced an issue near and dear to my heart – LGBTQ visibility among municipal and other governmental workforces. mayor peduto’s administration noted for being diverse. not mentioned in this piece: how many awesome staffers, at all levels, are gay! Adam his the nail on the […]

Don’t Ask Me To Extend an Olive Branch Unless You Have Your Facts Right UPDATED

Dove

Bruce Barron, a Pittsburgh resident and former staffer for Rick Santorum, penned a loathsome piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette requesting that the LGBTQ community offer Christians an olive branch. He’s suggesting that we allow Christian business owners “conscientious objector” status with regard to discriminating against LGBTQ persons in private business matters. Like baking wedding cakes. […]

WESA 90.5 Explores LGBTQ Poverty

WESA

This past week, WESA aired two segments addressing an often overlooked issue in the LGBTQ community – poverty. Deanna Garcia put together a solid segment focusing squarely on poverty, using data from The Williams Institute as well as interviews with local leaders. She interviewed a local lesbian who is disabled and living on Social Security. […]

My New Gig – Artist in Residence with Most Wanted Fine Art

Most Wanted Fine Art Resident Artist

Exciting news to share – after wrapping up my current project, I’m moving in an entirely new direction with social media as a 2015 Resident Artist with Most Wanted Fine Art. The artists in residence each invest their talent into community art projects and exhibit their work. My project will be an expansion of the […]

Hate Crimes, OUTrage and Privilege in Pennsylvania

Let me start with a very clear statement – the assault of two gay men in a Philadelphia neighborhood by a crowd of people was a terrible act of violence and I am very glad that they both survived. I’m also aware that this experience may resonate in their lives for a long time and […]