Cloning Equality

Pittsburgh LGBT

If you could clone one element from another city you’ve visited — a building, a cultural institution, a common street food, etc. — and bring it back to your own hometown, what would it be? I actually put together an entire plan to do this – to study best practices in LGBTQ municipal equality via a […]

Letters to the Editor on LGBTQ Equality

Letter To The Editor Pittsburgh

As disappointed as I am with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s disjointed coverage of LGBTQ issues, I have to applaud the readers who submit letters to the editor with gusto and flourish. Four days ago, Jonathan Dohanich of Monaca wrote to oppose marriage equality  on the grounds of procreation, his distorted understanding of legal protections accessible by […]

Do PA Mayors Performing Marriage Have Ethical Responsibilities Regarding the Legal Status of LGBTQ Couples?

marriage pennsylvania

As I read about Braddock Mayor John Fetterman performing a wedding ceremony for two gay men from Regent Square, I had mixed reactions. On the one hand, it is an act of civil disobedience designed to create a more equal society and I support that step. But on the other hand, it puts an LGBTQ […]

Ten Days, Ten Dollars for LGBTQ Equality

In ten days, Ledcat and I will celebrate our tenth anniversary. That’s a lot of years of love, tears, laughs, hugs and ice cream. We met at the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh. We both responded to an invitation to help organize a women’s discussion group. A week later, we both attended a […]

LGBTQ&A: Mike Testa Works for Equality

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. Mike is the chair of GLEC so I’ve only met him […]

PA State Rep Metcalfe Promises to Reintroduce “Marriage Protection” Amendment in 2013

Well, that didn’t take long. No sooner than a member of the PA Republican delegation comes out than good ole Daryl Metcalfe sends around a memo stating his intent to “be like Florida” (OMG) and reintroduce the damn amendment. Last month, voters in FOUR STATES embraced marriage equality. OK, Minnesota rejected a marriage amendment which […]

Facebook Takes Another Step Toward Equality; Still Hung Up On Words

Facebook is evolving.   Facebook, the world’s largest online social network, has taken another step toward LGBT-inclusiveness, introducing same-sex icons for users to select from when adding marriage events to their profile’s timeline. Previously, the marriages between gay couples were marked by the default “bride and groom” icon. That’s good. Images matter. But I don’t […]

Lancaster Paper Rejects Paid Same Sex Marriage Announcement

Lancaster Paper Rejects Paid Same Sex Marriage Announcement

Jeffrey Klouser and Brent Weaver have been together 7 years and plan to marry out of state. To commemorate a momentous occasion they, like man couples, took out an ad in the local newspaper’s Celebrations section. Unfortunately, the paper’s management decided that such a simple affirmation of a relationship was not in line with community […]

Western PA Bloggers Team Up To Promote LGBT Equality

My colleague Tom Waters drafted this explanation of a joint initiative we are launching … Two prominent western PA bloggers are joining forces to host a first ever LGBTQA bloggers and social media summit. Sue Kerr, primary blogger at Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents and Thomas C Waters of thomascwaters.com are planning a get together that they hope will be informative, interesting […]

Do You Understand What Happened This Week With The Obama Administration and LGBT Equality?

Do You  Understand What Happened This Week With The Obama Administration and LGBT Equality?

I hope you have been paying attention, but it is tremendously complicated.  From FireDogLake The Obama administration on Wednesday decided not to move forward with an executive order prohibiting workplace discrimination among federal contractors that is a top priority for the LGBT community. “While it is not our usual practice to discuss Executive Orders that […]