Showing posts with label PFLAG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PFLAG. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Parents of LGBTQ+ Youth Get a Boost on May 22 with “PFLAG Parent Day”

Fifty years ago, a mother’s letter to the editor was published in a New York City paper doing the unheard of: she denounced the harmful actions of elected officials against LGBTQ+ people and called for support for LGBTQ+ equal rights. On Sunday, May 22, PFLAG National celebrates the parenting people who continue that mother’s legacy and who rise up in support of rights for LGBTQ+ loved ones and for their communities with PFLAG Parent Day (PFLAG.org/ParentDay). 

“It took an enormous amount of courage to be openly LGBTQ+ fifty years ago, and it took guts to be an LGBTQ+-affirming parent and school teacher then, too. But Jeanne Manford showed us not only that LGBTQ+ allies can speak up and speak out, but that they should. In a year when officials from the State House to the school board have criminalized parents of LGBTQ+ people, PFLAG National is proud to celebrate loving parents and caregivers who fight the good fight. We hope everyone who loves an LGBTQ+ person will join us on May 22nd to feel the love and to get inspired to lead like Jeanne did,” said Brian K. Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG National.

The second annual PFLAG Parent Day event will feature the stories of courageous LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, parents and caregivers, plus appearances by Big FreediaCody RigsbyGeorge TakeiMatteo LaneMUNATommy DiDario, cast members from Hulu’s LOVE, VICTOR and many more to be announced at a later date. 

PFLAG Parent Day will also be an opportunity to contribute to PFLAG’s life-saving programs that provide support, education, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ people, their parents and families, and allies across the country. The live virtual event will serve as a touchpoint to engage and inspire advocates and allies who believe all kids, no matter their race, genders or sexual orientation, should be free to be themselves. 

This June 25 marks 50 years since Jeanne Manford became the mother of the LGBTQ+ ally movement. It is the day when she first marched alongside her son Morty in the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, bearing a sign to urge other parents to join her as advocates and supporters of LGBTQ+ rights. PFLAG chapters across the country will be harnessing this legacy to lead like Jeanne as they march and advocate for LGBTQ+ people during Pride month and throughout the year.

Thursday, March 31, 2022

PFLAG: Rising up for Transgender People on Transgender Day of Visibility


Today, President Biden marked Transgender Day of Visibility by announcing concrete steps to change administration policies to improve lives of transgender and nonbinary people and their families. 

Brian K. Bond, executive director of PFLAG National made the following statement:

“While lawmakers across the country race to the bottom and strip transgender and nonbinary youth of their rights to education, health care, and support systems, President Biden and his administration are fighting back in defense of transgender and nonbinary people and their families. PFLAGers across the country recognize that the President’s actions and words are significant, especially at this moment. 

Today’s actions on Transgender Day of Visibility by President Biden will help PFLAG families and our transgender and nonbinary loved ones live more freely. Families need access to health care, which includes mental health care. Schools need to teach honest and accurate curricula. Students need the chance to live authentically and without discrimination in order to reach their potential. Families need to be free to go on vacations without worrying about invasive travel screenings or inaccurate travel documents en route. Today’s actions will make it possible for transgender and nonbinary people to enjoy elements of everyday life that have been out of reach for people whose gender identity doesn't align with their sex assigned and gender assumed at birth.

"We know that the work is far from over to ensure that our transgender and nonbinary loved ones are protected from the onslaught of harassment and harm that is happening in dozens of states across the country. But it helps to know that the President and the administration recognize, affirm, and uplift all people, inclusive of our differences, because we all deserve the freedom to be ourselves. Thank you, President Biden, for caring about and supporting our families in meaningful ways.”  

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

PFLAG National Joins 'Have A Gay Day' Campaign To Uplift LGBTQ+ Voices Nationwide

Today, PFLAG National, the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents, families and allies, announced its partnership with Have A Gay Day, a non-profit LGBTQ+ organization based in Dayton, Ohio, on a nationwide digital billboard campaign. The partnership launches in advance of Transgender Day of Visibility — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — with billboards displaying messages of support, hope and encouragement for the LGBTQ+ community, centered on transgender and nonbinary youth and their families.

 

"At a time when we are seeing hundreds of bills targeting trans youth and their families, PFLAG National is proud to partner with Have A Gay Day to elevate messages of love, joy, and support,” said Brian K. Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG National. “Families in states across the country are seeing their kids attacked—from anti-trans legislation in dozens of states to yesterday’s signing into law of the harmful ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in Florida. LGBTQ+ kids, especially trans and nonbinary kids, and their families are being hit hard, and we need to show up for them. For nearly 50 years, PFLAG has been leading with love, and the minute we saw the work that was being done by Have A Gay Day, we knew we wanted not only to support it, but to broadly expand the reach and visibility. We are thrilled to be able to do this, especially as we prepare to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility this year."

 

Have A Gay Day launched the campaign just a few weeks ago thanks to the passion of Have A Gay Day founder and Executive Director Michael Knote and crowdfunding support from Have A Gay Day’s more than 1.4 million Facebook fans. At launch, Knote first partnered with TransOhio, as well as transgender artist Rae Senarighi on the billboard designs. 

 

"We are so proud to partner with PFLAG National in spreading our message of hope and support. Like us, they lead with love and are always there for the community,” said Knote. “Their vision of a more inclusive and loving world aligns deeply with our values at Have A Gay Day, and they have deep roots--nearly 50 years--in community and allyship. There is no other organization to better align with."

 

The billboards will have a URL that directs viewers to state-specific websites with resources for support, education, and advocacy; PFLAG National created a similar website, pflag.org/ProtectTransKidsTX, to support trans youth and their families in Texas. Currently there are more than 200 billboards in locations including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia, Washington state, and Wisconsin. The new partnership with PFLAG National will allow the campaign to continue and expand to additional states in the weeks ahead.  

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

PFLAG National Scholarship Program now accepting applications

PFLAG National is proud to announce its 2011 scholarship season is now open. To apply, simply visit their website at www.pflag.org/scholarships.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

PFLAG Denver 30th Anniversary: Mitzi Henderson to speak at PFLAG program tomorrow

As part of PFLAG Denver's 30th Anniversary Year Mitzi Henderson, a former president of PFLAG National, is coming from California to be the featured speaker at PFLAG's meeting this Thursday, September 2.

She’ll discuss the changes she has seen in PFLAG and in public attitudes during the past thirty years. This is another activity celebrating PFLAG Denver’s 30th Anniversary Year.

The program starts at 7:30 p.m., following support groups which begin at 6:30 p.m. There will also be a display of items from the Amendment 2 era, organized by Gay Bossart and Tim Wilson and Joe Moore will be selling his PFLAG jewelry.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Save the date for PFLAG Denver's 30th Anniversary Gala

PFLAG Denver celebrates 30 years of support, love, and activism on September 24.

Don't miss it!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

PFLAG 30th Anniversary celebration


Three of Denver’s LGBT choruses will help PFLAG Denver celebrate its 30th anniversary by performing at our meeting on Thursday, June 3.

Mark your calendars and plan to join PFLAG Denver, the Denver Gay Men's Chorus, the Denver Women's Chorus, and Mosaic Youth Chorus for an evening of song and celebration.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Liza at PFLAG's Straight for Equality Awards Gala

Liza Minnelli attended PFLAG's 2nd Straight For Equality Awards Gala this past Saturday and accepted an award for her work as a gay ally in entertainment.

She also gave an impromptu performance and sang a song a capella, which is reportedly off her new album "Confessions." Josh Helmin was there to capture the moment for Passport.TV.

Monday, March 1, 2010

PFLAG Denver's March Meeting

Are you a friend, parent, or otherwise related to a gay person? Well, you're invited to the March Meeting of PFLAG Denver.

Looks like it's gonna be a good one.

The March 4 program of PFLAG Denver will feature an outstanding panel of religious leaders who will share their personal and spiritual views about several topics pertaining to the LGBT community.

The aim of this program will be to open a positive discussion of the intersection between sexual orientation and religion, particularly since the two topics are typically discussed with a lot of pessimism, discrimination, and negativity. Instead, PFLAG will have religious leaders talk about possibilities, inclusion, and advocacy.

Included on the panel will be Brian Field, an ordained rabbi who works for Judaism Your Way, an independent non-profit, and serves on the advisory committee to the Abrahamic Initiative; Frank Gold, formerly a Roman Catholic priest and now chaplain at Lutheran Medical Center; Vern Rempel, pastor at the First Mennonite Church of Denver and adjunct faculty member at Iliff School of Theology; and Rev. Dr. Talon S. Windwalker, an ordained Zen Buddhist minister who currently serves as a hospice chaplain and is chairman of the Denver Community Bioethics Committee.

To RSVP, or for more information, call PFLAG Denver at 303-573-5861.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Our Families Count: Help promote gay visibility in next year's U.S. Census


The Our Families Count campaign is a new voluntary public education initiative promoting LGBT visibility and participation in next year’s U.S. Census.

The 2010 Census is a huge opportunity to collect data about LGBT people in the U.S. and participation is critical and campaign leaders are looking for great photos of same-sex couples and their families to help increase visibility and awareness of the project.

If you are interested in participating please contact Bob Witeck or Che Tabisola-Ruddell.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

PFLAG Denver: The Origin of (Gay) Species


PFLAG Denver will be meeting this Thursday and the featured speaker will be Cheryl L. Weill, author of Nature's Choice: What Science Reveals About the Biological Origins of Sexual Orientation.

Sounds like interesting stuff.

The PFLAG support group begins at 6:30 p.m. and the program will follow at 7:30 p.m. at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church in Denver.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Obama: PFLAG is the story of America


On Saturday night at the HRC Dinner, President Obama told a part of the PFLAG story, the story of Jeanne Manford walking alongside her son Morty in a parade. It's the story that the President called “the story of America.”

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

PFLAG: When times are hard, the love and support of friends and family can get you through

PFLAG memberships are seeing an increase across the country, in part due to the continuing passage of anti-gay measures. There are lots of great PFLAG chapters right here in Colorado. To find a PFLAG chapter near you, go to the Colorado page on the National PFLAG site.

Monday, February 16, 2009

A message from PFLAG about the Uniting American Families Act


PFLAG says: At our November PFLAG meeting we had a young couple who had become recently engaged. One was a citizen of Canada and both wanted to live together in the U.S. There were tears of frustration because of our current immigration laws that do not acknowledge same-sex relationships as valid for extending immigration rights. One of our Boulder members is the dad of a gay son who married a Russian man. They must live together in England because they are not allowed as a couple in either Russia or the U.S. These couples deserve to be together in our country.

Please take action by adding your support by contacting Jared Polis or Betsy Markey, our newly elected Congressional District representatives. Jared's D.C. phone: 202-225-2161; Boulder office: 303-484-9596; Betsy's D.C. office: 202-225-4676; Ft. Collins office: 970-221-7110.

*note: the bill was introduced on February 12 but it wouldn't hurt to leave a message of support for this wonderful piece of legislation and the politicians who support it

Thursday, November 6, 2008

PFLAG comedy night

Comedy skits written and performed by members of PFLAG Denver will take your mind off your troubles Thursday evening, November 6. Songs, advice, melodrama, and news will also be featured at Montview Presbyterian Church. 1980 Dahlia St., is the place, and 7:30 p.m. is the time.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Ways Christian congregations can welcome gays

The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry is holding a conference in Denver next weekend that will be of interest to many PFLAGers.

“Widening Our Welcome” will explore ways in which Christian congregations can expand their welcome and inclusion of LGBTQ people. The conference keynote speaker will be Mary ann Tolbert, the George H. Atkinson Professor of Biblical Studies at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley CA; the title of her Saturday morning address is “The Bible Is Not the Enemy: Homosexuality and the Bible from the Point of View of a Progressive Biblical Scholar.”

Workshops will be offered on issues such as queer youth, trans people and religion, and media strategies relating to LGBTQ people and religion.

The conference is inexpensive and will take place at Sixth Avenue United Church of Christ, 3250 E. 6th Ave. from Friday evening through Sunday morning. Online registration can be found here.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Join PFLAG at the Larimer County Fair

From PFLAG:

Please plan to march with PFLAG in the Larimer County Fair parade. The parade kicks off at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, July 30. We meet about 6:15 in the staging area at the parking lot north of the river on S.E. 3rd Street, south on Railroad Avenue in Loveland.

All walkers should park in the Barnes ball field lots and walk to the parking lot north of the river on Railroad Ave. Walking groups will mix into the parade at the river bridge. Last year, PFLAG mixed into the parade early, and we plan to do so again this year. To see the parade route and check out other parade details, visit LaramieCountyFair.org.

This is a great opportunity to increase the visibility of the GLBTIQQ and Allied community in northern Colorado. Help us support PFLAG as they march for equality in the Larimer County Fair Parade! For more information or to order a "PFLAG Fort Collins/Northern Colorado" t shirt to wear in the parade contact Julie Wilson.