Petition: Keep Domestic Partner Benefits Until PA Passes Statewide Non-Discrimination

UPDATE: Nearly 550 signatures in three days. Let’s keep this going.  UPDATE: Over 150 signatures in less than 24 hours. Will you lend your name?Allegheny County in Southwestern Pennsylvania has announced plans to eliminate domestic partner benefits for employees, effective July 31, 2014. Same sex couples who receive benefits have until that date to legally marry […]

I Owe Bill Peduto an Apology

Pittsburgh Pridefest

Last night, Bill Peduto made his first official Pridefest appearance as Mayor at OUTrageous Bingo. He came in looking very relaxed and comfortable in a blue bowling shirt and took the mike like a pro. He acknowledged the longevity and importance of Bingo, Shepherd Wellness and the Gay & Lesbian Community Center. He called a […]

Storyteller Staci Backauskus From Pittsburgh Pride Theater Festival

Pittsburgh Pride Theater

The Pittsburgh Pride Theater Festival returns for it’s sixth season this weekend. We caught up with Judy Meiksin yesterday to learn more about the event. Today, we’ll talk with one of the authors, Staci Backauskus. You can read our interview with director Ted Hoover from last year. The festival runs the first two weekends in June on the third floor of Bricolage Theater on Liberty Avenue. […]

Pittsburgh Museum Faces Backlash for Supporting PrideFest, LGBTQ Community

Toonseum

On Tuesday night, Joe Wos of the ToonSeum shared on Facebook that a community member had cancelled their membership because of the ToonSeum’s involvment in the LGBTQ community and PrideFest. We profiled Joe as an ally in 2013. Here’s his post: Today I got an email saying “we will not be renewing our membership because […]

Poet and Playwright Judy Meiksin Talks Pittsburgh Pride Theater Festival

Pittsburgh Pride Theater

The Pittsburgh Pride Theater Festival returns for it’s sixth season this weekend. We caught up with Judy Meiksin to learn more about the event. Tomorrow, we’ll talk with one of the authors, Staci Backauskus. You can read our interview with director Ted Hoover from last year. The festival runs the first two weekends in June […]

Lucas and Brad and Felix and Sonny and Will: Soap Opera Gay Storyline Updates

GH Lucas Gay Kiss

I use gay in the headline with intent – the stories are all about gay men. The good news is that two of the three men are queer people of color (Felix and Brad) and that the stories are pretty good in a soapy way. But as they unfold, it does make me pine for […]

UPDATED: Why I Won’t Ask Mayor Bill Peduto To Marry Me

Sue Kerr Bill Peduto

If you were one part human, two parts something else — another animal, a plant, an inanimate object — what would the other two parts be? I’ve always felt like a mutant, in part due to being ostracized as a poor kid with big eyes and huge glasses and in part due to being an adult […]

Five Articles about Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ History You Don’t Want To Miss (re)Reading

Pittsburgh Pride

I’ve been on this kick lately of reading archived media coverage of Pittsburgh’s LGBTQ history. I set up several “Scoop.It” sites to curate the information. One is specific to the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh and the other is general LGBTQ Pittsburgh history. Scoop.It is a neat tool – you can follow my […]

NEW WAY TO ENTER! Review and Giveaway: ‘Eating Fire: My Life As a Lesbian Avenger’

Lesbian Avengers

UPDATE – I ditched Rafflecopter. To enter, just leave a comment. Make sure I can get in touch with you via your comment by linking it to your email/Facebook, etc. That’s it. Comment. (Folks who entered via Rafflecopter have had their entries transferred – no worries.) As we gear up for Pride and the 45th […]

That One Time At The Dyke March

Pittsburgh Pride

So one year, I was asked to speak at the Dyke March. I was flattered, but I’ll say right here – I blew it. I was absolutely terrified to speak with this group of women and felt like I had nothing to say. I was super anxious and I did not prepare and it was […]