“Put a Rainbow On It” – Quirky Video Explores How We Create Queer Safe Spaces

My friend Ian Awesome passed this along … the commercialization of “Pride, Inc” has always been troubling, but perhaps inevitable in our market driven society. The issues about creating false messages of safety and other deceptive practices are worth considering. It is sort of like a Mayor signing a pledge about a marriage he can’t […]

WQED Screens Movie About Gay Episcopal Bishop

Here’s a great and free Pride event from GLEC and WQED Community Cinema. Love Free or Die is about a man whose two defining passions much of the world cannot reconcile: his love for God and for his partner Mark. It is about church and state, love and marriage, faith and identity — and one man’s […]

LGBTQ&A: Christopher Whitlatch Believes Diversity is Good for Everyone

An occasional series where we pose some questions to local LGBTQ folks (and Allies) to learn more about their personal experiences with LGBTQ culture. Click here for a complete list of all LGBTQ&A profiles.  During Pride 2013, we are trying to feature someone each day.  I met Christopher through a storytelling performance at Bricolage Theater – […]

LGBTQ&A: Laura Horowitz Puts the “A” in Ally

An occasional series where we pose some questions to local LGBTQ folks (and Allies) to learn more about their personal experiences with LGBTQ culture. Click here for a complete list of all LGBTQ&A profiles.  During Pride 2013, we are trying to feature someone each day. I met Laura through her brother, Andrew. I think the first […]

LGBTQ&A: Jodi Hirsh Reminds Us Never to be Silent

An occasional series where we pose some questions to local LGBTQ folks (and Allies) to learn more about their personal experiences with LGBTQ culture. Click here for a complete list of all LGBTQ&A profiles.  During Pride 2013, we are trying to feature someone each day. Jodi Hirsh was just a name on an email list for […]

LGBTQ&A: John DeBartola Pushes Boundaries Between Rural and Urban Western PA

An occasional series where we pose some questions to local LGBTQ folks (and Allies) to learn more about their personal experiences with LGBTQ culture. Click here for a complete list of all LGBTQ&A profiles. As editor of the newsletter, John has occasionally featured posts from our blog. I’ve been struck by how vigorously he works to […]

LGBTQ&A: Becky Loves OUTrageous Bingo

An occasional series where we pose some questions to local LGBTQ folks (and Allies) to learn more about their personal experiences with LGBTQ culture. Click here for a complete list of all LGBTQ&A profiles. I first met Becky through a hunger advocacy project – she was a blogger, I was a blogger and we both attended […]

My Big Idea for the New Mayor as Published in the Post-Gazette

I was recently asked to contribute to a compendium piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on “big ideas” for the next Mayor of Pittsburgh. Other contributors include economist Chris Briem, Cheryl Hall-Russell from Hill House Assocation, Jon Rubin from CMU and Leah Lizarondo of “The Brazen Kitchen” blog and more!

ACLU in PA: LGBT Same-Sex Couples Survey

If you are a same-sex couple in Pennsylvania interested in discussing your relationship publicly as part of an advocacy project for marriage equality, please consider taking this survey. Tell us your story: It is the most powerful weapon to create change. Real couples with real stories will convince America that all relationships deserve equal protection […]

LGBTQ&A: Judicial Candidate Eleanor Bush Understands Why Burt Hummel is The Greatest Parent in the History of Television

An occasional series where we pose some questions to local LGBTQ folks (and Allies) to learn more about their personal experiences with LGBTQ culture. Click here for a complete list of all LGBTQ&A profiles. I first met Eleanor and her husband in a coffeehouse in Squirrel Hill – and I was immediately struck by her energy. […]