Microaggressions on the Rise in Pittsburgh?

So I’m going to document the microagressions on this blog. I’m going to make sure you, dear readers, have a glimpse into how the world has shifted for a white, middle aged, middle class, gis gender lesbian on a day to day level. Because it is everywhere, it always has been and I’ve usually been able to acknowledge, but move on most of the time.

But there are too many Confederate flags waving over the trucks and homes of friends of my friends. There are too many Catholic-lite folks who deny the racial divides in Pittsburgh while swigging a craft brew at their favorite food truck. There are too few women in elected office and too many kids not part of the ‘412’ culture. Too many good intentions making things worse while demanding validation for trying. It is the participation trophy demands in social justice work that are draining our resources and preventing us from lifting up the actual contributions from people of color, queer and trans folks, bisexual folks, disabled people, etc. We have too many sacred cows and not enough kleenex for the white tears of indignation and outrage.

Melissa, 23, is Androgynous and Queer in Butler County #AMPLIFY

Queer Butler County

Name: Melissa Age: 23 County of Residence: Butler, formerly Allegheny Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/They/Them How do you describe your identity? I consider myself more of an androgynous person. I identify my sexuality as “queer”. Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I didn’t have a big to-do with my coming out. I told […]

TWOC Shante Thompson, 34, Murdered in Houston

Shante Thompson murder

Shante Thompson was 34 years old. Next month would have been her 35th birthday. She had a mother and friends who loved her. Last night, she and her male friend were brutally murdered in Houston by a group of eight men. From KHOU (Shante’s family is quoted misgendering her.) There was a barrage of bullets […]

Ade is Pansexual, Androgynous and Finds Comfort in Their UU Community #AMPLIFY

Monroeville queer

Name:  Ade Age: 32 County of Residence: Allegheny, formerly Westmoreland and Crawford Preferred Pronouns: I’m not picky, but I appreciate “they” or other neutral pronouns How do you describe your identity? pansexual, androgynous (non-binary and genderqueer also work), white, pagan, neuro-atypical Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? I told a […]

Miss Erie Pride 2015: Embrace Who We Are Meant To Be #AMPLIFY

Erie Gay

  Read the entire AMPLIFY LGBTQ Q&A archive. AMPLIFY LGBTQ is a new occasional series of blog posts designed to give a “signal boost” to the voices of our LGBTQ neighbors throughout Western Pennsylvania. We are using a Q&A format and will minimize editing their responses. The questions, however, may change as we ask each participant […]

Vic Lives Closeted in Westmoreland County #AMPLIFY

Westmoreland LGBTQ

Read the entire AMPLIFY LGBTQ Q&A archive. AMPLIFY LGBTQ is a new occasional series of blog posts designed to give a “signal boost” to the voices of our LGBTQ neighbors throughout Western Pennsylvania. We are using a Q&A format and will minimize editing their responses. The questions, however, may change as we ask each participant to […]

22 Year Old Ohio Trans Woman Stabbed to Death By Father

Bri Golec

22-year-old Bri Golec has recently returned to a transgender support group in the Akron, Ohio area. She had participated a few years ago, then stopped attending. Recently, she began to more assertively explore her gender identity. Sadly, Bri will not have the chance to continue her journey after an altercation with her father,  Kevin Golec, […]

UPDATED: Trans Woman of Color Yazmin Vash Payne Murdered Near Los Angeles

transgender women

Note: this post has been updated to reflect the preferred name of the victim. Her name is Yazmin Vash Payne. She had previously been identified as Michell Vash Payne and alternately as Yasmine Payne. Some media outlets have posted her old name, but we will not do that. If you have photos of Yazmin, please […]

Ten Most Popular Blog Posts of 2014

2014 In Review

  These are the posts that drew the most viewers in 2014. It is an interesting mix of LGBTQ specific information and human services/poverty stories. Most of the stories are local, but not all. I think this reflects some of the balance I strive for on the blog. 10. Toys for Tots Distribution Information  – this […]

UPDATED: PA State House Candidate Throws Down the Anti-Trans Card

Transgender Bathroom

In a move not surprising but still ugly, the PA Family Council sent out campaign literature for candidate for State House Jason Ortitay distorting HB 300 to paint his opponent, incumbent Rep Jesse White, as a threat to civilized society. White represents the 46th House District which includes portions of both Allegheny and Washington counties. […]