Why I Disinvited Both Mayoral Candidates From the 2025 Political Q&A — Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents

This was a tough decision.

You, dear readers, deserve candidates who follow through on their commitment to answer questions. We see this NOT playing out every single day as federal elected officials avoid town halls or other forms of engagement with their constituents.

Both Democratic candidates for Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh agreed to participate in our annual Political Q&A series. They’ve both participated in the past: here and here. The series stretches back more than a decade and has had nearly 150 respondents.

In the case of this year’s Mayoral candidates.

They both set their deadlines and missed them. I emailed the campaigns repeatedly, including campaign managers. New deadlines, new misses.

Last week, I saw one candidate made time for a national LGBTQ outlet The Advocate. Both made time to speak with local LGBTQ outlet QBurgh. Both interviews with white men. I’m not saying that they should haven’t have done those interviews, but both journalists missed a key fact about Gainey hiring the first trans woman into a senior leadership role — the circumstances under which she left. My Q&A did not miss that key fact. I asked that question.

I threw up my hands. They have both been officially dis-invited from participating.