QBurgh

QBurgh

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PITTSBURGH & WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA'S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE. IF IT'S QUEER, IT'S HERE. QBurgh.com

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QBurgh
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Joe Locke is leaving the Heartstopper sweetness behind! Plus, the Girls are back, Andrew Rannells and Tituss Burgess are serving holiday magic, and Cynthia Erivo is getting fairy fabulous! qburgh.com/heartstopper...

qburgh.comFrom ‘Heartstopper’ to the dark side with Joe LockeJoe Locke, who played a sweet gay teenager on the hugely popular “Heartstopper,” is starring in a film that couldn’t be further from that warm, positive series. “Black Church Bay,” from filmmaker R…
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Fifty years of fighting for LGBTQ+ equality. Three Republican leaders standing in the way. Mark Segal examines how Mike Johnson, John Thune, and Kim Ward shape the fight for civil rights and why the 2026 midterms matter.

qburgh.comThree Republicans and the 50-Year Wait for LGBTQ+ EqualityThree Republican leaders occupy positions of power that can determine whether LGBTQ+ equality legislation moves forward or remains stalled. They are Mike Johnson, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; John Thune, majority leader of the U.S. Senate; and, in my own state of Pennsylvania, Kim Ward, president pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate. Their positions matter because introducing legislation is only the beginning.
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Obsidian brings two nights of queer Halloween chaos to Pittsburgh this weekend! Think femdom, leather, goth beats, outrageous drag, and unapologetic self-expression.

qburgh.comGet Kinky, Artsy, and Queer With Obsidian This HalloweenWith Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, there is no shortage of events for queer yinzers to choose from to celebrate. But if you're looking for something gritty, artsy, and kinky with a spooky edge, Obsidian's Halloween parties may be just what you are looking for. Yes, "parties." For baby bats and those who haven't heard of Obsidian, it is part goth dance party, part visual art installation, part performance art, and part play party.
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The wigs were high, the jokes were FILTHY, and the crown has been SNATCHED! Congratulations to Andi Whorehol, Pittsburgh’s newly crowned Miss City of Bridges Comedy Queen 2027! Next stop: Nationals in Orlando! Check out all the photos!

qburgh.comFaces & Places: Andi Whorehol Takes the Comedy Crown!The wigs were high, the jokes were filthy, and the competition was fierce! Pittsburgh’s funniest drag entertainers brought the camp, chaos, and comedy to Arcade Comedy Theatre on October 24 for the Miss City of Bridges Comedy Queen 2027 pageant. When the laughter settled, Andi Whorehol snatched the crown, earning the title of Miss City of Bridges Comedy Queen 2027 and the opportunity to represent Pittsburgh at the National Miss Comedy Queen pageant in Orlando.
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Orville Peck talks bringing queer-coded Street Fighter icon Vega to life, why the booty deserved its own spotlight, and the raw honesty behind his sobriety album Mule. qburgh.com/orville-peck...

qburgh.comOrville Peck on his queer ‘Street Fighter’ villain, his sobriety album ‘Mule’ and, yes, the buttOrville Peck would like you to look at his butt. For the art. “I told the director from the start, ‘I think we really should show off the butt,’” says Peck, who squatted his way into Vega’s matador…
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Good food. Good cause. Community care on wheels! Metro Community Health Center is rolling out two new food offerings to fight food insecurity, serve up fresh flavors, and nourish Pittsburgh communities.

qburgh.comServing Up Something Good: Metro Community Health Center Hits the RoadOn Thursday, October 22, Metro Community Health Center rolled out the red carpet for Roasted Roots Catering, a food truck that will travel around the Pittsburgh area, serving fresh foods and exciting menus. Metro Community Health Center brought out two new food trucks to better serve the community: Rolling Roots, stocked with fresh produce and meats for its constituents, and Roasted Roots, a catering service that will support Metro Community Health Center with delicious, nutritious food.
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Take up space. Make your voice heard! This week on Slay Weekly, the Penguins Pride Night brings a 4–0 win! Plus, PA drag performers get the mic, election deadlines & QBurgh's November newspaper!

qburgh.comSlay Weekly October 26, 2026advertisement Listen on Spotify Happy Halloween week, Pittsburgh! 🎃👻 The costumes are coming out, the drag is getting delightfully dramatic, and somewhere in this city, somebody is already planning a Halloween look that requires a structural engineer. But before we dive headfirst into spooky season, we've got something else to celebrate. Queer people taking up space. On the ice. Behind the microphone.
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Join YWCA Greater Pittsburgh for an inspiring luncheon recognizing those helping to create a region where everyone has access to personal and professional opportunities. Celebrating leadership, partnership, and action, tickets available now. ywcapgh.org/equity-awards

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The new HepCMyWay Center of Excellence combines hepatitis C testing and treatment with HIV and STI testing, PrEP, harm reduction, and connections to opioid-use disorder treatment. qburgh.com/central-outr...

qburgh.comCentral Outreach Opens New Hepatitis C Center on Pittsburgh’s North SideCentral Outreach Wellness Center has opened a new hepatitis C treatment center on Pittsburgh’s North Side, bringing hepatitis C care, sexual health services, harm reduction, and recovery support to…
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Why do queer and trans audiences love horror, even when it makes us the monsters?

qburgh.comWhy Queer People Keep Falling in Love With Horror’s MonstersQueer horror is having a moment. The recent film “Leviticus” (2026), a harrowing allegory for conversion therapy, was a critical hit. Meanwhile, Ryan Murphy’s undeniably gay “American Horror Story” returned to TV this fall, offering a campier approach to the genre. But queer people’s fascination with horror is by no means new. For trans and queer viewers, …
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Lesbian vampires? Cannibalism? Obviously. From queer rage to haunted forests, these 10 LGBTQ+ horror books are serving nightmares, monsters, and deliciously dark reads. Your spooky season TBR just got a little gayer.

qburgh.com10 Queer Horror Books to Add to Your TBR Pile This Spooky SeasonThroughout history, queer people have been depicted as the monsters lurking in the shadows, threatening "normal" society. From Carmilla to Dracula to Dorian Gray to Frankenstein's monster, representation of queer identity has often been hidden behind the monstrous. In the world of publishing, queer authors are rewriting the narrative with LGBTQ+ people fighting back against the forces of darkness. Here are just a few of my favorite horror books featuring LGBTQ+ characters, and largely written by LGBTQ+ authors.
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Pride hits the ice TONIGHT! The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate LGBTQ+ hockey with a special Pride Night benefiting Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ Hockey! Score exclusive Pride gear, support local queer athletes, and even hit the ice after the game!

qburgh.comPride Hits the Ice Tonight as Pittsburgh Penguins Celebrate LGBTQ+ Hockey CommunityThe ice is cold, but the Pride is heating up at PPG Paints Arena tonight. The Pittsburgh Penguins are celebrating their annual Pride Game on Thursday, October 22, as they face off against the Florida Panthers at 7 p.m. The evening will bring LGBTQ+ visibility to one of Pittsburgh's biggest sporting stages, with local organizations joining the celebration. For queer hockey fans, the night is about more than goals, saves, and slap shots.
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Money can't buy happiness, popularity, or a personality. But Elon Musk is spending a fortune trying to buy Republican victories and spread anti-trans propaganda. The world's richest loser is at it again.

qburgh.comThe World’s Richest Loser Is at It AgainYou’ve got to hand it to Elon Musk. He is both the richest man in the world and a total fucking loser. He’s living proof that money can’t buy you happiness, money can’t make people like you and money can’t make you cool. It can, however, allow you to do an awful lot of damage and cause an awful lot of pain and suffering.
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Hate is getting PAID. A new investigation reveals Meta is monetizing at least 29 accounts with histories of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, including neo-Nazi influencers.

qburgh.comAhead of the midterms, Meta has paid at least 29 anti-LGBTQ accounts for their postsThis story was reported in partnership with Uncloseted Media, an LGBTQ-focused investigative news outlet. On September 14, far-right influencer Chaya Raichik, known online as Libs of Tiktok, attacked a Washington state high school on Facebook for displaying a Pride flag. “Hey Mercer Island High School, why does your profile photo display a mutilation flag??” she wrote, tagging the school’s account in the post and attaching a photo of the entrance.
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From Heartstopper sweetheart to dark mystery! Joe Locke takes a dramatic turn in Black Church Bay. PLUS: Girls returns, Andrew Rannells and Tituss Burgess get festive, and Cynthia Erivo brings some bad fairy energy!

qburgh.comFrom ‘Heartstopper’ to the dark side with Joe LockeJoe Locke, who played a sweet gay teenager on the hugely popular “Heartstopper,” is starring in a film that couldn’t be further from that warm, positive series. “Black Church Bay,” from filmmaker Rhys Marc Jones in his feature debut, tells the story of a gay teenager (Locke) involved in an ambiguous and ultimately troubling relationship with his teacher, played by Tom Cullen, who starred in Andrew Haigh’s contemporary gay classic “Weekend.” It’s a dark mystery about age gaps, abuse of power, secrets and shame, with a slowly unraveling and unnerving plot.
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Big things grow from small beginnings! This week on Slay Weekly: TransPride Pittsburgh's 60+ workshops, a fabulously gay bakery in New Kensington, new leather royalty, and drag comedy queens!

qburgh.comSlay Weekly October 19, 2026advertisement Listen on Spotify Happy Monday, Pittsburgh! We're more than halfway through October, the Halloween decorations are getting increasingly elaborate, and somewhere in Western Pennsylvania, somebody is already wearing a costume that requires a second person to help them through a doorway. We love this time of year. But this week, we're thinking about beginnings. Not the big, dramatic, ribbon-cutting kind.
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Romeo Beckham makes his acting debut in Forty Love, a French queer tennis romance serving Challengers meets Heated Rivalry energy. Hot rivals, messy feelings, and plenty of tension on and off the court. qburgh.com/barack-miche...

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Orville Peck dishes on playing Vega in Street Fighter, showing off his assets, and getting deeply personal about addiction and sobriety on his new album Mule.

qburgh.comOrville Peck on his queer ‘Street Fighter’ villain, his sobriety album ‘Mule’ and, yes, the buttOrville Peck would like you to look at his butt. For the art. “I told the director from the start, ‘I think we really should show off the butt,’” says Peck, who squatted his way into Vega’s matador tights for “Street Fighter,” the new live-action take on the ’90s arcade staple. It’s character work, technically. Vega, the claw-wielding Spaniard with the porcelain mask and a serious mirror habit, has been read as queer-coded by fans for decades, and for Peck, the role reaches back further than most.
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Kalliyan has your queer news roundup! Students defend a trans homecoming queen. A PA lawmaker faces backlash over alleged racist and homophobic slurs. Trans Pride Pittsburgh puts community care front and center.

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Pennsylvania drag artists, your voices matter! A statewide virtual listening session on Nov. 18 will bring performers together to talk Pride safety, community challenges, resources, and building stronger connections.

qburgh.comPennsylvania Drag Performers Invited to Statewide Community Listening SessionPennsylvania drag performers are being invited to speak up, share their experiences, and help shape conversations about the future of their community. Governor Josh Shapiro's Advisory Commission on LGBTQ Affairs will host a virtual Drag Community Listening Session on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. The statewide gathering aims to bring drag artists together to discuss challenges, identify resources, and explore ways to strengthen connections among performers across Pennsylvania.
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A gay teacher was fired from a Greensburg Catholic school after paperwork revealed he had a husband. Now, a federal judge says the school can't simply invoke a religious exemption to dismiss his discrimination lawsuit.

qburgh.comGay teacher’s discrimination case against Greensburg Catholic school moves toward trialA gay teacher who was fired from a Greensburg Catholic school after administrators learned he had a husband will get to keep fighting his discrimination case in federal court. U.S. District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan denied Aquinas Academy of Greensburg’s attempt to end Kenneth Ference’s lawsuit before trial in a Sept. 30 opinion. There is little mystery about why Ference lost his job.
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Kevin Deese fought the Pentagon over HIV discrimination and won. After an unsuccessful run for office, he’s finding new ways to fight for health care, dignity, and a seat at the table. qburgh.com/fought-hiv-d...

qburgh.comHe fought against HIV discrimination in the military (and won). What’s next for Kevin Deese?“When it rains, it pours,” Kevin Deese said, leaving a vet’s office in upstate New York with his sick dog in late July. Not only had he just lost the Democratic primary election for a State Assembl…
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She made history by coming out on TV, turned comedy into a weapon against bigotry, and never kept her mouth shut. At 84, lesbian comedy legend Robin Tyler is still punching up, taking names, and proving that laughter is an act of resistance.

qburgh.comRobin Tyler is still fighting back — one punchline at a timeWhen Robin Tyler first appeared on Showtime’s “1st Annual Funny Women’s Show” in 1978, she asked host Phyllis Diller to introduce her as a lesbian. Diller said she could do the next best thing — calling her a feminist, because she viewed the words as somewhat interchangeable to her mainstream audience. She addressed the topic from the stage anyway, with a joke that made her television’s first out lesbian comic.
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Billy Porter and Malcolm Kenyatta will speak at Pittsburgh’s No Kings rally this Saturday, Oct. 17

qburgh.comBilly Porter and Malcolm Kenyatta to Speak at Pittsburgh’s ‘No Kings’ Rally SaturdayPittsburgh’s LGBTQ+ community will have some familiar faces on stage this Saturday, October 17, as hometown superstar Billy Porter and out Pennsylvania State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta join the lineup for the latest “No Kings” rally in Downtown Pittsburgh. The event, billed as “No Kings: Vote Early Pittsburgh,” is scheduled to take place outside the City-County Building, with organizers proposing a rally followed by a march through Downtown.
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‘Off The Record’ Sings, Dances, and Gives Back. The 26th annual musical satire takes on ‘A Chorus Line,’ Pittsburgh’s quirks, and local headlines while raising money to fight food insecurity. qburgh.com/off-the-reco...

qburgh.comA Yinzer Line: ‘Off The Record’ Sings, Dances, and Gives BackAnd a five, six, seven, eight… “Off The Record” returns to the Byham Theater on Thursday, October 15, with “Off The Record: One Single Yinzer Nation,” a parody of  “A Chorus Line.” The show, a bene…
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Dennis Hastert spent years fighting LGBTQ+ rights in the name of “protecting children.” Meanwhile, he was hiding his own history of sexual abuse. The danger was never queer people. It was powerful men hiding behind “family values.”

qburgh.comDennis Hastert, the ‘Family Values’ Speaker Who Molested Boys, Dies at 84I have to admit, I had forgotten about Dennis Hastert. In fact, if you’d told me he’d already been dead for years, I would have accepted that without question. Or mourning. The former Republican speaker of the House died Oct. 3 at his home in Plano, Illinois. He was 84. What can I say? It’s really hard to keep track of the many elected officials who turn out to be total creeps.
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The looks are fierce, the jokes are filthy, and the crown is up for grabs! Pittsburgh’s funniest drag queens battle for laughs, bragging rights, and a shot at nationals at Miss City of Bridges Comedy Queen on Oct. 24!

qburgh.comServing Hot Looks and Big LaughsOn Saturday, October 24, a new comedy queen will take the crown in the Miss City of Bridges Comedy Queen 2027 at the Arcade Comedy Theatre in downtown Pittsburgh, hosted by Dixie Surewood. The event’s producer, Leia Way LeStat, said, “Dixie Surewood will host the night. She is a former National Miss Comedy Queen 2018 and is also now part of the Board of Directors.
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Trans health is community health! The TransPride YOUniting Health & Wellness Conference kicks off TOMORROW with 3 days of connection, care, and 60+ workshops celebrating and affirming trans lives.

qburgh.comTransPride Pittsburgh’s Health & Wellness Conference Brings Three Days of Community, Care, and ConnectionPittsburgh in 2010 looked very different from what it does today and had very few trans- and non-binary-centered events or groups. In late fall 2010, a grassroots queer collective of trans and non-binary folks decided they wanted to create more for our community. We started with a picnic, which led us to create the TransPride Pgh Showcase, focusing on local trans and enby talent.
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A Stonewall veteran takes aim at one of the uprising’s most enduring myths and asks why a stereotype born in the straight press has been allowed to masquerade as queer history for more than half a century. qburgh.com/stonewall-th...

qburgh.comStonewall, the Judy Garland myth, and it’s originsThe myth that Judy Garland’s death caused the Stonewall riots is offensive to those of us who were there, and to those who spent the following year fighting every day to build the community w…
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The gayest bakery in Western PA is in… New Kensington! Evanly Bakes is serving decadent treats, queer joy, and a much-needed LGBTQ+ third space; proving queer community can rise anywhere.

qburgh.comThe Gayest Bakery in Western PABefore he was running “the gayest bakery in Western PA,” the owner of Evanly Bakes was training elephants. Evan Morgan-Newphis studied zoology in college and spent ten years training elephants at a zoo. Baking wasn't part of his career plan — that was, until The Great British Bake Off came along. “I think I could do that,” he remembers thinking while watching the show.
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Leather, legacy, and new royalty! Steel City Fetish Con celebrated 16 years in Pittsburgh this weekend, crowning four new titleholders for 2027! Congratulations to the new titleholders!

qburgh.comSteel City Fetish Con Celebrates 16 Years in PittsburghPittsburgh knows a thing or two about champions, and this weekend, the city's leather and fetish communities welcomed four more to the family. The 16th annual Steel City Fetish Con brought leatherfolk, kinksters, pups, bears, and fetish enthusiasts together October 9 through 11 for a weekend celebrating identity, community, and the enduring traditions of Pittsburgh leather culture. With events spanning Spirit in Lawrenceville, Brewer's Bar, 5801 Video Lounge, and Club Pittsburgh, the convention continued its long-running tradition of bringing the city's fetish community together.
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What's at stake for LGBTQ Pennsylvanians on November 3? From the Fairness Act to marriage equality, trans rights, and bodily autonomy, critical protections hang in the balance. Here's what you need to know before Election Day.

qburgh.comWhat’s at Stake for LGBTQ Pennsylvanians on November 3Every year in Pennsylvania, LGBTQ rights are on the ballot twice: in primaries and general elections that decide what our government looks like, who it fights for, and whether it works at all. In less than 40 days, we have critical federal and state elections, and we have to show up again. In 2024, our community turned out in record numbers and backed Democrats.
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40 years of HIV community care, Erie students standing by their trans homecoming queen, and Pittsburgh’s gloriously queer Rocky Horror tradition!

qburgh.comSlay Weekly October 12, 2026advertisement Listen on Spotify Well, babes. We're six! Yesterday, October 11, marked six years of QBurgh serving up local queer journalism, celebrating our community, documenting our history, and making sure Pittsburgh's LGBTQ+ stories get told. Six years! That's a lot of articles (3,423), interviews, photographs, Pride celebrations, drag queens, community meetings, fabulous outfits, and people doing wonderfully queer things across Western Pennsylvania.