Imagine leaving your favorite bar or club in the wee hours of the morning only to be greeted by a police raid. Imagine being assaulted, arrested, or even molested by an officer just for being in a gay club. This ...
A vacation is reason to get away, but a celebration is a reason to travel! As June rapidly approaches I realize I am not only thankful of the fact that I can live in a city where I am proud ...
At the intersection of Highways 156 and 159 in Ohio lies the real-life town of Knockemstiff. This “town” is nothing more than a few trailers, a handful of people, and a welcome sign. Now, turn this town over to Donald ...
“The women’s suffrage movement was successful because women and men who supported fairness stood shoulder-to-shoulder. The fight against Jewish defamation was successful because people of all faiths took stands against discrimination. The AfricanAmerican civil rights struggle was supported by people ...
The debate surrounding women in the workplace — why so few at the top, why is it so hard to “have it all” — hit a new decibel level recently when the COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandburg, released her book ...
In Sankskrit, the language of ancient India, yoga means union — Union of the Mind, Body and Spirit. What we traditionally think of as “yoga” in the West is really more accurately called “asana” or posture. Asana is only one ...
Each year, about 50,000 new HIV infections occur in the United States, a statistic that has not changed since 2006. Despite efforts to promote safer sex education and expand access to condoms, the number of new infections in gay men ...
Social media has changed how and what we share, how we interact and even how we come out of the closet. Coming out now can be as easy as one family member viewing your profile and seeing a full montage ...
Women, regardless of age or sexuality, have unique concerns when it comes to trekking the globe, but for a long time there was a void in information when it came to women-specific travel. Go! Girl Guides, publisher of the world’s ...
Amid national championships, new stadiums, and cheering fans, women’s sports teams like the Pittsburgh Passion, Steel City Roller Derby and Pittsburgh Angels are just three teams in town that build camaraderie and foster a positive atmosphere for gay and straight ...
For the past six years, BNY Mellon, the global leader in investment management and investment services, has scored a 100 percent rating in the 2013 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). Administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, this comprehensive Index has ...
Lady Bunny is perhaps best known as the larger than life drag queen that put Wig Stock on the map. The blonde bombshell has been best friends with RuPaul for more than 30+ years and frequently makes guest appearances on ...
“How can I get involved?” “I’d like to meet more people.” “It’s important for me to give back.” Getting involved seems simple, but sometimes people just aren’t sure how to do it. You want to help. You have the time. ...
With Spring quickly approaching, a common topic discussed in the halls at every high school is “who are you taking to the prom?” Yes, prom season is here again and the gorgeous gowns and sharp black tuxedos will be surfacing ...
Comedienne. Chanteuse. Feminist. Actress. Activist. These are just a few words that come to mind when you think of Sandra Bernhard. The legendary comedian is coming back to Pittsburgh for one night only in April for a night of sophisticated ...
Dear Friends: Welcome to Spring! Could it be that the snow has melted off of Mt. Washington and we are finally seeing signs of longer days and warmer nights? Our April issue is celebrating spring and the outdoors with our ...
Even though Kerri Angeletti has worked at Dancer’s Pointe in the Strip District for 11 years, she sees most of the silk ballet shoes go out the door with women. “Dancing on pointe really works different muscle groups than what ...
First Class seats, a private car with a driver, and a luxurious suite in the most opulent hotel…these are all things that comprise a fabulous vacation and NONE of the things that I had when I went cage diving with ...
I’m a girl, raised in the south. And I’m a lesbian. I moved to Pittsburgh almost five years ago. I was born and raised in a small redneck town in Georgia, just within the metro Atlanta area. Being out in ...
2012 was a watershed moment in American politics and gay and lesbian rights. The winds of change were fast and furious, and change came sooner than many expected. The President of the United States and the Vice President not only ...
If better health and a longer life aren’t motivating enough to get you to exercise, then maybe more and better sex will do the trick. Read on to find out how regular exercise promotes a rockin’ sex life. Research shows ...
You could fit into a compact what I know about drag so, naturally, who better to interview Pittsburgh’s own Alaska Thunderfck? Yes, you read that right. Alaska Thunderfck. The local queen who describes herself as “big, beautiful, and bat sht ...
I cannot possibly think of a day when a single person puts more pressure on themselves than on Valentine’s Day. Right now, there are single people all over the city who are hiking up their skirts and rolling up their ...
It is that time of year again. The time when television sales spike, party lists are composed, pizzas are ordered at astonishingrates, and millions flock to their living rooms to watch who will take home the ultimate trophy. Yes, Super ...
Brian K. Sims is not only a civil rights advocate, but he’s also a policy attorney, public speaker, and the first openly LGBT individual to be elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and to the Pennsylvania Legislature. He represents ...
A little drag and a little Broadway? We’re in. Priscilla Queen of the Desert, coming March 5 through 10 to the Benedum Center, features more than 500 costumes and 200 pairs of shoes, says ensemble member Alex DeLeo. “It’s pretty ...
“All of our members are equal.” This mantra is one of the cornerstones of the LGBT cause, and it’s also the slogan for the Riverset Credit Union. “We don’t have stockholders,” Lisa Florian, director of business development and marketing at ...
Like most of us writers, Nikki Allen started to write whenever she was old enough to pick up a pen. The words she writes are inspiring. (I would compare them to a ripe peach, juicy: delicious, and you cannot get ...
Small roads, smaller cars and the smallest bathing suits you’ve ever seen (if there are bathing suits at all). And this is only the beginning of what you will see during a visit to St. Barts, an island nestled in ...
When I was in college, my professors warned us from opening papers with grandiose blanket statements like: The world is enormous. There are billions of people on this earth, doing a million different things at once. Or, we are all ...
SQUARE CAFE I would venture to say the Square Cafe has the BEST coffee mugs in the city. Heavy, with a comfortable handle and they hold A LOT of coffee. In addition to their spectacular coffee mugs and coffee, the ...
You may have seen James Craig training for his next marathon, running the streets of Pittsburgh. Or maybe you’ve seen him sipping cocktails at Spin or perhaps eating at Verde with his boyfriend. But this man about town also often ...
As the Art Director for Equal Magazine and an internet addict, I find interesting things all the time while I’m searching online for the perfect photo. Like this list for instance, which I knew immediately that I had to share ...
On January 16, Pittsburgh’s own PNC Park hosted the Safe Schools Summit: Bridging The Gap Between Anti-Bullying Efforts & The Experience of LGBTQ Youth. The Safe Schools Project is designed to ask and answer the question, “What will it take ...
Isn’t love a drag? Thankfully, in Pittsburgh, it is. In this — the most romantic of months — we are celebrating our city’s big-hearted (big-lipped, big-haired, and boldly beautiful) drag scene! We are thrilled to feature Alaska Thunderf*ck on our ...
We all know the names of the more mainstream sexualities — gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual. But there are a few other sexual orientations which aren’t as well known, let alone recognized, by the socalled “mainstream LGBTQ” community. For example, if ...
“Most people think a role like mine [is to have] responsibility for recruitment and training,” says CastleberrySingleton. “Our efforts are focused on employee engagement.” Pittsburgh is a state of its own. “California is a large state with lots of individuality,” ...
Meet Jeanna Rayman. She loves sports. She grew up in North Huntingdon, playing everything from softball to tennis. An adorable aside: Jeanna even met her girlfriend, Lacey, playing basketball. “We were playing on opposing teams when I finally realized she ...
What do lesbians bring on a second date? A U-Haul. As self-deprecating as that joke actually is, it’s also a slap in the face of reality. Women certainly share a bond that is untouchable. The empathy, the emotion, and the ...
Have you spent the past month celebrating those history-making election victories for LGBT rights? Then, maybe you should write Squirrel Hill native Evan Wolfson a thank-you note. The founder and president of the Freedom to Marry Coalition was, after all, ...
You know that moment when something important from your tweenage years smacks you in the back of the head? We’ve all got parts of our awkward young selves tucked away out of mind, happily forgotten so we can go on ...
Three and a half years ago, William Wingo went to the Animal Rescue League to find a friend. He walked down rows of sad, whiny, barking dogs until he saw her: a honey-colored pit bull with matching eyes. “She stood ...
Remember that one holiday season when all of the shopping was done in early December, your to-do list was compact, concise, and full of crossed-off items; every person you exchanged gifts with got a little misty-eyed after opening their present, ...
After a campaign that seemed longer than President Obama’s first term, the advertisements are gone, vitriol has disappeared, and the result is clear and resolute: President Obama has been reelected. Despite unemployment numbers and an economy that many view astenuous, ...
Here’s the deal: It’s the end of the year, and here come the holidays. One of the highlights is Hanukkah — The Festival of Lights. The gist of the holiday is that after the successful rebellion against Antiochus IV, the ...
‘Tis the season to celebrate! We rallied some gorgeous girls and guys to help us toast to the holiday — and to compile the ultimate gift guide for every adored darling on our list. Peruse our picks for what to ...
This year, instead of fighting the maddening crowds at the mall, why not start a new tradition of visiting a local art gallery for some unique works to complete your holiday list? Art comes in all shapes and sizes, styles, ...
Coming of age in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, I watched such situational comedies as The Facts of Life, Who’s the Boss, Growing Pains, Family Ties, and The Cosby Show. Not surprisingly, none featured any “openly” gay characters. Although ...
Dan Rossi grew up in a strict Italian-German household. But his inclusive family helped Rossi to foster an inclusive career, and, as executive director of the Animal Rescue League, love is a big part of the workday. EQ: What’s your ...