A coalition of LGBTQ advocates is preparing to attend Tuesday’s Allegheny County Council meeting to protest a campaign flyer distributed by Council President Pat Catena’s state House campaign that targeted a group supporting transgender athletes.
The mailer repeatedly refers to Catena’s opponent in next week’s primary election, Brittany Bloam, as “The Opponent” and alleges she is supported by “an EXTREME LEFT GROUP THAT ADVOCATES FOR TRANSGENDER ATHLETES in our sports.”
In a press release on Thursday, one of Bloam’s endorsers, Steel City Stonewall Democrats, condemned the flyer as transphobic and called for a full retraction and public apology.
“Catena’s political advertising attacks children for talking points,” the statement read. “He casts transgender children as an ‘other’ in their own schools and communities and encourages discrimination against them. Our leaders need to be committed to including and protecting all children, not singling out children who are vulnerable.”
“The people of Allegheny County are facing multiple cost-of-living crises and rather than solutions, this campaign mailer seeks to sow divisions,” the release added.
Over the weekend, in a statement to Pittsburgh’s local NPR station, WESA, Catena apologized for the mailer that he said was inappropriately sent on behalf of his campaign.
“Public service should bring people together, not deepen divisions. I remain committed to treating every individual with dignity and respect, and will be having tough conversations to better inform myself of the struggles of our most vulnerable communities,” the statement read.
As of Monday evening, Catena had yet to issue any public statements on his campaign website or social media accounts. He did not respond to TribLive’s request for comment.
Dena Stanley, leader of the Pittsburgh-based nonprofit advocacy group TransYOUniting, said that Catena’s mailer was surprising, as it came from a candidate previously considered an ally of transgender constituents.
“What makes it absolutely disgusting is that it is coming at a time when transgender people are already facing escalating violence, attacks and erasure,” Stanley said. “What he has sent out in these mailers, as a Democrat especially, really deserves serious consequences.”
The situation was made worse, Stanley said, when Catena’s campaign sent TransYOUniting a $500 check without any explanation.
“I was so confused,” Stanley said. “We kindly returned the check because we are not going to just let him send some money without even talking or engaging with the community that he’s harmed the most. No, we need real accountability, so the next person who thinks about doing something like this will think again.”
Catena has served on the Allegheny County Council since 2017, representing McKees Rocks, and as the council’s president since 2020.
Ian Price, president of Steel City Stonewall Democrats, said while their organization’s statement did not initially push for Catena to be removed as president, it is an understandable escalation as advocates attempt to hold Catena accountable.
“A lot of people are very surprised, very disappointed and expected more from him,” Price said. “Whether these are his personal beliefs or not, he needs to take accountability for what his campaign has done.”