Pittsburgh truly is a city of neighborhoods. The City of Pittsburgh officially has 90 of them, and Pittsburghers are fiercely proud of their localities. In many ways, it’s less of a city and more of a collection of Appalachian villages stitched together. Over the decades, different people have settled in different neighborhoods, giving each one its distinct character. Queer people are no exception. Although there’s never been one “gayborhood” in Pittsburgh like in other cities, there have been areas where queer people congregate, like Shadyside and Squirrel Hill. Now, there’s another locale we’re moving to: Greenfield.
Nestled between Squirrel Hill and the Mon Valley, Greenfield is a self-declared “fine residential community.” Its steep, hilly streets are lined with classically Pittsburgh houses, and its two commercial stretches are packed with storefronts. Anchoring the neighborhood, right in the middle, are the Magee Recreation Center, Magee Pool, and Magee Field. Greenfield has long been a quiet residential area, attractive to many due to its relative affordability and proximity to Oakland, Squirrel Hill, Downtown, and the Mon Valley.
Queer people, especially queer families, have taken notice and started moving to the area. More houses have Pride flags flying out front, and the neighborhood had its inaugural Greenfield Pride last year. Many queer folks are attracted to the same things that draw other families: “It’s a really cute neighborhood,” says City Councilperson Barb Warwick, who lives in Four Mile Run and represents Greenfield. “It's got really nice houses, perfect size for families. It's quiet. It's got a great school, great public school. We've got a rec center. I mean, it's sort of, I think, all the best of Pittsburgh in a residential neighborhood.”
Addy Lord, a queer Greenfielder and “involved neighbor,” says she thinks many people are moving to the area due to its affordable housing prices, and the fact that it’s an outwardly welcoming neighborhood. “It’s a lovely thing to see how many queer people are coming with their kids, seeing that this is part of our neighborhood’s fabric,” they tell Pittsburgh City Paper. “They’re not singled out as a queer couple with kids. They can live their lives as they are, in the open, without fear.”
Greenfield wasn’t always this way. Lord describes someone who came to Greenfield Pride last year who was hesitant because they grew up in Greenfield and remembered being bullied. And Helen Campbell, the queer owner of the bookstore Stories Like Me, says that, when the store opened, some older residents grumbled on Facebook.
Times have changed, though, in large part due to active efforts from people like Campbell, and the support of groups like the Greenfield Community Association. Stories Like Me, a bookstore that aims to serve as a “mirror and a window” by promoting books from people of all backgrounds, has been open in its Greenfield location since late 2022 and has been successful.
“I do think that we are creating a safer space, and that, in itself, is having the effect of inviting younger families whose kids are now experiencing things at school that maybe weren't talked about 30 years ago, but now are now talked about openly, like gender expression,” Campbell says. “So, I think all of those things in the pot will actually continue to shift the neighborhood.”
Greenfield Pride, in many ways, was the culmination of efforts to build a more inclusive neighborhood and celebrate queer community members. It started in 2023 and aimed to provide a space for families to come and celebrate, and meet their neighbors. The first year was a smashing success, and Warwick, Campbell, and Lord all say even more people came this year. The event at Magee Recreation Center was filled with community resources, local food trucks, and neighbors dancing to songs like Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go.”
“Creating a joyous celebration aimed at all ages really, really gives the opportunity for neighbor to meet neighbor in a way that's very low stakes,” Campbell, who helped spearhead the event, tells CP. “The tone that we would hope to create again is that sense of ‘everyone's welcome and there’s a place for you here in Greenfield.’”
Lord says she enjoyed the intergenerational aspect of Greenfield Pride. “The thing that I love is that, for me, it connects some of the Greenfield values that have always been here — knowing our neighbors, caring for our neighbors — in with the diverse identity of our neighbors,” adding, “That’s part of the piece that feels very right. It’s a community event, put on at a shared space.”
Warwick’s office also helped coordinate resources for Greenfield’s now-annual Pride and she says the event was “definitely a success.” She says it would be “really wonderful” if it became an event for families outside of Greenfield to celebrate Pride. Lord and Campbell express similar hopes.
As more queer people and other communities make their way to Greenfield, the neighborhood will continue to change. Campbell says this sense of transition may be attracting people: “I just think that it feels like things are possible to change, and it feels like that's exciting to be a part of a neighborhood that's doing that.”
Warwick echoes: “I love to see Greenfield evolving as a neighborhood. The more types of people we have, the better.” At the same time, she voices concerns about keeping the neighborhood affordable so everyone can benefit from these changes. She says she wants to work with the city Housing Authority to recruit more landlords for the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program and preserve affordable options. Lord also stresses the importance of preserving and promoting affordable housing, saying it’s an important element of keeping the neighborhood accessible to people of all backgrounds.
As Greenfield continues to change, Warwick, Lord, and Campbell all describe the future of the neighborhood as welcoming, diverse, and celebratory. They encourage people to come check out Greenfield and get involved. “We are a safe space for our trans community, our queer community, for families, for people who are questioning, and we welcome you to come in and just see yourself,” Campbell says.
“Come check it out! We really like it,” Warwick echoes, “Everywhere from J. Gough’s all the way to Big Jim’s. It’s a great night for a bar crawl!”
As a queer Greenfielder myself, I couldn’t agree more.
