My first Pride was a protest led by Black trans women and non-binary people. It was stopped by police with rubber bullet guns at the ready. This was my experience as a queer young person coming of age in Pittsburgh. It connects me to the LGBTQ people who came before me more than any bloated,…
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CinéSPEAK: We are deep into Pride Month, and in Philly we have so much to celebrate. Philadelphia has a thriving and diverse LGBTQ community, and the city is a hotbed of queer and trans filmmaking. This list celebrates five incredible LGBTQ filmmakers who call our city home, including two who are a part of the…
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QBurgh: High rates of LGBTQ sexual assault, no centralized resources, and the only R1 University without a dedicated space for LGBTQ students; these are some of the many troubling conditions at the University of Pittsburgh detailed in a first-of-its-kind report by the Pitt LGBTQ Task Force. The report’s goal is to propose steps for the…
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QBurgh: A historic election is brewing in one of Philadelphia’s most iconic, and queer, districts. Deja Lynn Alvarez, an activist and Co-Founder of Home For Hope, launched her campaign earlier this month and announced her run for State Representative for the 182nd district, which includes the iconic Philly Gayborhood. If elected, she would become the…
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Metro Weekly: In the campaign video, created by award-winning queer filmmaker Hansen Bursic, Titus talks about attempting suicide twice before the age of 16, and how they eventually overcame various hardships and odds to create a better life for themself, and — through their commitment to public service — others.
QBurgh: Erie, Pennsylvania might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of groundbreaking political change, but Dr. Tyler Titus would be quick to challenge that perception. In 2017, Titus sent shockwaves through Pennsylvania when they became the Commonwealth’s first out trans person to be elected to public office, serving on…
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CinéSPEAK: Let’s face it: horror is a queer genre. While it’s important to note the genre hosts some of the most problematic depictions of queer and trans people in film, true horror fans are hard pressed not to see how much the genre has built itself around LGBTQ+ stories and themes. Yet, the majority of…
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Temple News: Hansen Bursic is taking viewers back to the 1980s to tell an important story about the transgender experience “Halloween 1987” tells the story of Cory, a gender-questioning teenager whose girlfriend, Meg, wants them to wear a couple’s costume to a Halloween party. Because Cory presents themself as a boy, Meg comes up with…
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CinéSPEAK: If you have been paying attention to LGBTQ news media in the past three months, then you might have noticed LGBTQ “coming out” headlines have been having a moment. First High School Musical director Kenny Ortega “confirmed” Sharpay’s brother Ryan is gay, then Nickelodeon made headlines for including Spongebob from Spongebob Squarepants in their…
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CinéSPEAK: When we see only pain in a community, liberation can feel so distant. It is because of this, celebration and appreciation are some of the most powerful tools against oppression. In Philadelphia, we have come together to mourn the tragic murder of Dominique Fells, a Black trans woman who lived and died here in…
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