My Family Story: The Unknown Legacy of Anna Gottheld (1874-1949)

Perhaps that is her story, her legacy even. She like so many women in history are lost to us in terms of details, but real to us in terms of having actually been here and part of the tapestry of our lives. She existed in all of her unrecorded, complicated and stark reality. Her legacy is real even if the details are shrouded. Perhaps this post will unearth more details or perhaps it will simply honor the life story that we know.

Rest in power, Grandma Annie.

One Angry Queer Responds to the Trump Trans Military Ban

Reposted with permission from One Angry Queer written by my wonderful friend and colleague, Ian Awesome.  Follow them on Twitter @OneAngryQueer ~ Sue OK. The Trump trans military ban. If you know me you of course know two things about me: I used to serve in the military and that I’m some kinda wacky kinda trans that […]

Roots Pride Organizes Final Edition Weekend June 3 & 4

Roots Pride will host their final events this weekend to highlight the success of the past three years and the transformative power of resistance. We hope to see everybody that worked so hard to make Roots Pride a reality and all those who will carry on the legacy of standing up for queer and trans […]

#AMPLIFY Lesbian Visibility Day with 59 Lesbian Voices from Western PA

Lesbian Day of Visibility

Today is the day we celebrate the lesbians in our lives – Lesbian Visibility Day. According to Wikipedia. I’ve been diligently trying to track down other sources for this so-called visibility day that started in 2008, but I’ve had little in the way of luck. Google seems to indicate it has not been ‘a thing’ […]

Sometimes I Flinch

Earlier in the month, I had a little Facebook spat with another woman in a local progressive women’s group. She objected to my framing of the killing of Sean Hake and we went back and forth for a while. I had the impression she was connected to  law enforcement officer and was taking my analysis […]

Two Women’s Marches Illustrate The Two Pittsburghs

Two Pittsburghs

(This post grew out of a Facebook post I wrote on Sunday morning.) I think having two marches/rallies centering women in Pittsburgh was a positive thing because it shined a light on the reality that we live in two Pittsburghs, divided by race. There’s an honesty there that is so rarely evident or acknowledged elsewhere. […]

Our Cat Has Pancreatic Cancer and Three Months to Live #NaBloPoMo

Emberly came to live with us in late September 2015. He had been living on the streets near a friend’s home in Brighton Heights. My original thought was that we would take him to the shelter when it was open, but a night in our bathroom was better than another night on the streets. Then […]

Trans Woman Accused of Attempted Homicide in Western Pennsylvania

Claire Wolfever

22 year old Claire Wolfever, a trans woman from Sharon, was arraigned today on charges related to opening fire on a coworker at the Walmart in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. Claire is charged with two counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault, theft, having a firearm without a license and reckless endangerment related to the shooting incident […]

Lavi, 29, is Trans Queer Bi and Wants Your Respect & Support #AMPLIFY

Name: Lavi

Age: 29

County of Residence: I grew up in Greene county. I moved to Allegheny County when i was 18. Ive lived in Pittsburgh the past 11 years

Preferred Pronouns: She, her

How do you describe your identity? trans queer bi white

Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I started coming out when I was about 15 I think. At that time I found support online. There was an online community of mostly other teenage trans kids we helped each other out with what we could.

I didn’t have support from my family and local community. I felt isolated and alone. I was. I tried to run away but it didn’t work.

I came out more finally when I turned 18 and moved to Pittsburgh. It was finally a time when I could start to be myself and figure out who I am.

I still had trouble finding support. I went to transpitt but felt a big generational gap. I learned a lot tho from Nancy. I always remember her.

Black Trans Woman Brandi Bledsoe, 32, Murdered in Cleveland

Brandi Bledsoe

It is with great sadness and anger that I read about the murder of 32 year old black trans woman, Brandi Bledsoe. Her body was discovered over the weekend near her Cleveland home.

Brandi had a job, a passion for art and the support of at least some of her family. Yet, she did not escape the cycle of unrelenting violence against trans women. She also did not escape being misgendered by police or the media, the final indignity that weaves it’s tentacle into almost all of these stories of the lives of our trans neighbors.

From Cleveland.com (note – they use her old name)

Bledsoe was found dead about 10 a.m. in the driveway behind a home on Drexel Avenue, near East 108th Street. 

She was wearing only underwear and had white plastic bags covering her head and both hands, according to police reports.

A 5-year-old boy discovered her body while riding bikes with his 12-year-old brother.  

Police also said she had head trauma. Cleveland police spokesman Jennifer Ciaccia said investigators will take her transgender status into consideration in the investigation. She said the investigation is in its early stages and it’s too early to determine of motive for Bledsoe’s death. 

No arrests have been made in the case.