AMPLIFY LGBTQ: A Q&A Project of Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
IMPORTANT NOTE: You have to complete this Q&A in one session. You can do a partial survey, insert a placehold in the remaining fields and hit submit. But you have to hit submit for your answers to be recorded. If you prefer, you can download a document with the form and submit via email. Do NOT click on any links until you've submitted your response - Google will not save your work. We highly recommend you use a laptop or desktop so you can open multiple tabs if you prefer Please be careful if you are using your phone.

A project of Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, this Q&A explores life in Western Pennsylvania for the LGBTQ community. We ask you to share your full name, but it will be kept confidential if you prefer. We ask allies to not participate so we can stay focused on the LGBTQ community directly. Responses may be published on Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents blog and/or in a zine format. You can contact us at pghlesbian@gmail.com with any questions. IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE, we'd love to include a photograph. But that's completely optional. You can read the current Q&A's along with more information about the project at http://www.pghlesbian.com/amplify

To participate, you should be 18+, identify as LGBTQ  (or some variant of that identity) and have ties to Western Pennsylvania. Ties can be anything from attended college here to spent every summer with a relative to living FT in one of our 26 counties.

AMPLIFY launched in 2015 and will continue through 2018.

If you leave an answer blank, we'll insert "No response" in the final post.

We reserve the right to edit or reject posts if we deem them to be inappropriate, damaging or unsafe.

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Gentle Reminder This is for Western Pennsylvania Only *
Please make sure that you specify a tie to Western Pennsylvania - there are 26 counties in this region. You can find a map on our website pghlesbian.com. If you live nearby, we appreciate your interest but will not be able to publish your post.   What is a tie? Living here now, grew up, went to college, spent every summer with family, visit regularly for work, belonged to a faith community, belonged to a recovery community,  intership, etc.
Required
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Please list your full name. This will be kept confidential. Note this is your everyday, actual name - not your legal name or your old name. The full name you use on a daily basis. *
Please list the name you want me to use on your Q&A *
Your County of Residence *
If you have lived in other Western PA counties (growing up, college, etc) please tell us about it.  Please do not simply write PA. Specifying your county is essential to the project. Western PA has 26 counties. Check our website for a list if you are unsure.
Stop - Did you Answer the Last Question With a Specific PA County?  We can't use "Pennsylvania" or other broad answers.
If not, we'll have to contact you for clarification before we publish. We can't use "Pennsylvania" as a response to that question.
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Have you lived in any other PA counties? Please list. Feel free to list other places outside of PA you have lived if you'd like to include those in your response. *
Your email address. We MUST have a valid email address to publish your response. If the editorial team does not know you personally, we will confirm your response via this email address before publication. Please note that if this email is not connected to your FB profile, that could be an issue for the question further along in this Q&A. *
Your age *
Please list your pronouns ** *
How do you describe your identity? *
This can include your gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and anything else you would like to include.
Please describe your coming out experience. Where did you find support? What challenges did you face? *
How would you describe yourself NOW in terms of “being out”? *
Tell me about the first LGBTQ person whom you met. What impact did they have on your life? *
How do you stay informed about LGBTQ issues? *
Past or present, favorite LGBTQ character or creator in television, film or literature? Please tell us why. *
Describe your local or regional LGBTQ community. *
This can be your immediate neighbors, the larger region, individuals, groups, resources, elected officials, etc Please be as lengthy as you like.
Describe your geographical community. Is it LGBTQ friendly? How so (or not?) *
Urban? Rural? Both? Neither? This can include your past (where you grew up) or where you currently live or some combination of both
Tell Us About Your Access to Health Care in Western PA. Has It Been LGBTQ Competent (or Not?) Do you expect it to be? *
Have you ever experienced discrimination based on your identity? Specifically, in a job setting, when applying for housing or while in public. *
Have you experienced microagressions based on your identity? Think everyday indiginities & slights that you experience, but would not characterize as discrimination. Please describe in your own words. *
Are there issues impacting your LGBTQ neighbors that aren’t visible or part of the local dialogue? *
You define neighbor.
What would you like to see elected officials do to improve life for LGBTQ Pennsylvanians? *
Please share a lived experience, anecdote or fact about life as an LGBTQ person in your community. *
It can be a positive encounter, a 'day to day' reality that other people might not know about (like how to change a drivers license or work around dress codes), overheard at church, anything that might be a teachable moment.
Beyond discrimination, what other barriers create challenges for your LGBTQ neighbors? *
What LGBTQ friendly resources are available for your neighbors? *
List organizations, supports, online or in real time. Anything that you know is accessible to people you consider neighbors.
What is your greatest fear for the LGBTQ community in Western Pennsylvania? *
What is your greatest hope for the LGBTQ community in Western Pennsylvania? *
What pieces of local or regional LGBTQ history would you like to preserve and why? *
What can allies do to support your LGBTQ community? *
How can gay men and lesbians support the bisexual, transgender and queer members of our community? *
What motivated you to take part in this project? *
How were you referred to this project? (not for publication) *
Facebook, a friend, did you read about it in an online article, did someone specifically ask you to participate, etc
Finally, what question should I have asked? Please also share your answer. *
Will you email a photo to us? pghlesbian at gmail dot com *
STOP & read this please *
If you want us to use your Facebook profile picture, please make sure we can find you on Facebook. You can message Sue  at facebook.com/sue.kerr If your FB name is different than the name you listed above, please let us know how to make the connection. We assume that we can use any of your pics in your FB profile pic folder. If that is not the case, please just email us the photo your prefer.
Required
By submitting this Q&A, you acknowledge that your response will be published online and shared on social media. You are welcome to use a pen name, first name only or select another way to protect your privacy. *
Required
Stay In Touch *
We get lots of opportunities for AMPLIFY contributors to stay involved at their own level of privacy - to speak with the media, participate in panels, add your voice to the conversation. To do so, we use a Google Group. Please go to this email to sign up.  https://groups.google.com/d/forum/amplify-lgbtq
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