Gender Care Cuts, Heat Wave Tips & Minimum Wage Bump?

UPMC is ending gender-affirming care for young people, and a lot of staffers and city officials aren't happy about it. We explain how providers and City Council members are pushing back against the health care giant. Plus, we're sharing tips for staying cool and not overtaxing our power grid as the weather heats up and highlight some Pittsburgh wins and losses from the past week — including local love in a new Netflix hit and (potentially?) good news for raising our state minimum wage.

Do you know where trans youth can access safe medical care? Call or text the I WILL AID AND ABET TRANS HEALTH CARE HOTLINE at 412-212-8893.

Want to learn more about UPMC staffers' calls to reinstate gender-affirming care? Find their open letter to UPMC here and their rally supply wishlist here.

Think you’ve experienced discrimination? The Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations has been around since before the Civil Rights Act, and their investigations yield enforceable results. Submit an inquiry on the PghCHR portal, call their office at 412-255-2600, or email human.relations@pittsburghpa.gov

Notes and references from today’s show:

Sign up for sewer overflow advisories [ALCOSAN]
How to stay safe in extreme heat [National Weather Service]
What is Code Red? [Allegheny County]
Pittsburgh cooling centers [City of Pittsburgh]
Check or report a power outage [Duquesne Light]
Lifeguard staffing shortage prompts planned, unplanned closures of Derry Community Pool [TribLive]
Therapists, doctors urge UPMC to ‘fight back,’ reinstate gender-affirming care for trans youth [WESA]
Proposed Pittsburgh bills aim to shield LGBTQ+ residents, reduce penalties for sex workers [TribLive]
Pittsburgh City Council to consider new protections for the LGBTQ community [WESA]
Shortage of new teachers is hurting Pa. kids’ academic prospects, report says [SpotlightPA]
Minimum wage would be $15 in big counties, $12 in smaller ones under novel bill passed by Pa. House [SpotlightPA]
14 arrested during ICE operation at Tepache Mexican Restaurant in Allegheny County [WTAE]