In a First, More Support Marriage Equality Than Not

Support for marriage equality is growing by leaps and bounds.

A new ABC News/Washington Post poll released today shows that, for the first time, more Americans support full marriage equality for lesbian and gay couples than oppose it.

From today's poll:

At its low, in 2004, just 32 percent of Americans favored gay marriage, with 62 percent opposed. Now 49 percent support it versus 46 percent opposed -- the first time in ABC/Post polls that supporters have outnumbered opponents.

More than half, moreover -- 53 percent -- say gay marriages held legally in another state should be recognized as legal in their states. The surprise is that the shift has occurred across ideological groups. While conservatives are least apt to favor gay marriage, they've gone from 10 percent support in 2004 to 19 percent in 2006 and 30 percent now -- overall a 20-point, threefold increase, alongside a 13-point gain among liberals and 14 points among moderates. (Politically, support for gay marriage has risen sharply among Democrats and independents alike, while far more slightly among Republicans.)

. . . [T]he divisions -- and changes -- on gay marriage are especially striking. In addition to more support, there's been a shift in intensity of views: Compared with three years ago, the number of Americans "strongly" opposed has declined from 51 percent to 39 percent, while the number strongly in favor of gay marriage has advanced from 24 percent to 31 percent. . . . Across the spectrum, 75 percent of secular Americans favor gay marriage, 55 percent strongly; so do 71 percent of liberal Democrats, 57 percent strongly; and 71 percent of all liberals, 54 percent strongly. Among all Democrats, 62 percent are in favor; among all Republicans, 74 percent are opposed.

The middle makes a significant difference: Fifty-four percent of moderates and 52 percent of independents now favor gay marriage, up from 38 and 44 percent, respectively, in 2006. But the single biggest shift has come among moderate and conservative Democrats: in 2006, just 30 percent in this group said gay marriage should be legal. Today it's 57 percent.

To read the full ABC News/Washington Post poll, click here.

Breaking News: PFLAG Celebrates House Passage of Hate Crimes Prevention Act

PFLAG applauds today’s vote, in the House of Representatives, approving The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which would add sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability status to the federal hate crimes statute. The House approved the measure by a vote of 249 to 175, and similar legislation was introduced on Tuesday in the Senate. President Obama has expressed his strong support for the bill, and urged lawmakers to support it.

“The critically important bill approved by the House today would give law enforcement officials a powerful weapon in battling the nearly 1,000 anti-gay and transgender hate crimes reported each year, and give victims and their families hope that our country will finally take serious steps to curb those attacks,” said Jody M. Huckaby, PFLAG’s executive director. “Too many families have lost a loved one to hate, and this bill would ensure that, moving forward, other families will be able to more easily seek, and find, justice in bias-motivated cases. This measure, which was supported by 31 attorneys general and more than 200 organizations from both sides of the political aisle, is long overdue and urgently needed. PFLAG families urge the Senate to quickly approve the measure as well, and send the bill to President Obama for his signature.”

Hate crimes against the LGBT community increased 24 percent nationwide in 2007, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. Especially startling increases occurred in Michigan (up 207 percent), Minnesota (up 135 percent) and even in Los Angeles, which saw a 100 percent increase in anti-gay violence. Anti-gay murders also doubled during the same period, the coalition reported.

PFLAG recently launched an online petition, in conjunction with the mother of Sean Kennedy, a young man in South Carolina who was brutally attacked and killed outside of a gay bar, urging lawmakers to approve the hate crimes bill. More than 9,300 people used the petition to contact Congress in support of the measure.

“There is no more important action our elected leaders can take than to protect those we love, and this law does just that,” Huckaby said. “For the countless families who have lost loved ones to hate, it cannot reach the President’s desk soon enough.”

Live: Watch the House Debate Hate Crimes Legislation

The U.S. House of Representatives is debating The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act - which would add sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability status to existing federal law - now.

You can watch live coverage of the House debate, and this afternoon's vote on the measure, live at C-SPAN. Just click here.

President Obama Calls on Congress to Pass Hate Crimes Legislation

In a statement released yesterday, President Obama urged Congress to pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as The Matthew Shepard Act, which is expected to come up for a vote in the full House today.

"This week, the House of Representatives is expected to consider H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009," President Obama said. "I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance – legislation that will enhance civil rights protections, while also protecting our freedom of speech and association. I also urge the Senate to work with my Administration to finalize this bill and to take swift action."

President Obama's stance is a clear, and welcome change, from the past. The hate crimes bill faced strong opposition from the Bush Administration, despite enjoying overwhelming support from the public.

To take action and urge your Member of Congress to support this critically important piece of legislation, click here.

Panel in Maine Endorses Marriage Equality

A bill is currently on the radar for votes by the Maine Senate and House that could make Maine the fifth state to recognize marriage equality. Importantly, the language of the bill won a strong endorsement yesterday from a legislative committee, setting the stage for votes by the Senate and House.

With this stamp pf approval (Eleven of the 14 committee members voted Tuesday to pass the bill) the next step is that the bill will go before the legislators for votes.

Fox News reports, "...the bill's strong committee support should carry some weight in floor votes... there is support in the Senate for sending the bill out to public vote. Even [marriage equality] opponents acknowledge the likelihood of a House vote in favor of the bill. Unless both chambers agree on a single version of the bill, it will die."

Last week, in the state's capital Augusta, there was an open legislative hearing in which citizens of Maine testified about marriage equality. According to The Boston Globe, the event drew thousands of people from around the state.

Maine's Senator Dennis Damon, who opened the hearing, told the audience, "This bill is fair; this bill's time has come... It recognizes the worth and dignity of every man and every woman among us."

In Georgia, Honoring Jaheem & Speaking Up for Safe Schools

PFLAG members in Georgia are active participants in the local community's response to the tragic loss of 11-year-old Jaheem Herrera, who committed suicide on April 16th after complaining of being bullied in his Atlanta-area elementary school. His mother, Masika Bermudez, had met with school officials, but Jaheem said he continued to suffer anti-gay and anti-immigrant taunts.

At a community vigil for Jaheem on Tuesday in Decatur, where Jaheem lived, PFLAG parent René Sanchez (pictured, above, with PFLAG executive director Jody M. Huckaby) warned against a culture of bullying outside the schoolhouse gate that has real consequences inside the schoolyard.

"Until we recognize the connections between our public discourse and what goes on in the schoolyard, we are living in denial," said Sanchez, who is co-president of PFLAG-Macon. "Not only do we need to tell kids directly that it is not okay to bully, but we as a society must stop demonizing gay people and immigrants for short-term political gain.

"Once they go inside the schoolhouse gate, our children are just acting out what they see adults doing in the real world," Sanchez said. "If we bully each other, they will bully each other."

René made his remarks to a packed church of hundreds from the local LGBTA community who came to express their sorrow at Jaheem's loss, their sympathy for his family, and their resolve to end bullying in their community. Many of them were PFLAG members, including Dale Merkle, who chairs PFLAG-Atlanta's Safe Schools effort.

Prior to the vigil, Dale had met with Bob Moseley, a deputy superintendent of the DeKalb County school system, which includes Jaheem's school. Dale gave Moseley a brief overview of PFLAG and the Cultivating Respect program. Moseley agreed that PFLAG and the school district have a common goal in reducing bullying and harassment in the schools, and he put Dale in touch with the official who directs the school district's "No Place To Hate" program.

Over the years, PFLAG members have tabled and presented workshops at the annual Georgia School Counselors Association conference, and Dale regularly submits workshop proposals to the Georgia PTA and Georgia School Boards Association conferences. Dale is also in touch with school districts around Georgia, compiling information on their policies regarding student conduct, bullying, harrassment, and protections for LGBT employees.

- Lance Helms

Photo by Edric Floyd.

Sign the Virtual Marriage Guest Book

In commemoration of today's historic events in Iowa, our friends at One Iowa have created a virtual, online guest book where well-wishers from across the country can log on and send their wishes to the happy couples in the heartland.

Please join One Iowa and PFLAG in congratulating these couples by signing One Iowa's "virtual marriage guest book." Share the link with your friends and family so that we can gather messages from all who support marriage equality. Your well-wishes will be provided to the couples applying for marriage licenses this week.

To send a message, just click here.

Call Your Representatives Today in Support of Hate Crimes Legislation!

The House is preparing to vote on the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act - H.R. 1913 as early as this week. As you know, the bill would give the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence by providing the department with jurisdiction over crimes of violence where the victim is chosen because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

When introducing the bill, Representative Conyers stated that the legislation "provides a constructive and measured response to a problem that continues to plague our nation. These are crimes that shock and shame our national conscience. They should be subject to comprehensive federal law enforcement assistance and prosecution."

Hate crimes impacts all of our loved ones and H.R. 1913 is needed to ensure that all of our families and friends have the right to be safe and free from physical harm and intimidation.

Call Your Representative Today and Share Your Support!

Representatives need to know you support H.R. 1913 as they plan to vote on the bill. We urge you to call them now using our toll-free number, 866-346-4611, and encourage them to support this critical legislation as they prepare to vote. Our opposition continues to barrage representatives with messages of fear and hate - please take advantage of this time to reach out to their representatives and show your support. Please take action by clicking here, and help us address the violence our LGBT loved ones face.

Iowa Makes History . . . Again

This morning has been a long time coming for lesbian and gay couples in the heartland.

Starting today, Iowa will begin issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples, following the historic decision recognizing full marriage equality in the state, where the official motto, appropriately enough, is "Our Liberties We Prize, and Our Rights We Will Maintain."

As this morning's USA Today reports, there are more than a few anxious couples waking up early to tie the knot.

"Shelley Wolfe and Melisa Keeton plan to be at the Polk County Recorder's office before it opens this morning," the paper reported, noting that, "Today is the first day same-sex couples can apply for a marriage license in Iowa. The Des Moines couple hopes to be among the first to get one, then get a judge to waive the three-day wait to marry."

"We took a lot of time thinking about what marriage meant to us," Keeton says. "For us, it was binding."

And, as Sunday's New York Times reported, this morning will be one of many historic days brought about in the state by a court that has often unexpectedly paved the way for progress and a people who have embraced a heartland mantra of "live and let live."

"In 1839, the Supreme Court for what was then the territory of Iowa refused to recognize a slave as a possession, years before the United States Supreme Court would rule in an opposite fashion, against Dred Scott," the Times noted. "In 1868 and 1873, the court issued rulings favoring desegregating schools and public accommodations, almost a century before the United States Supreme Court heard Brown v. Board of Education. Iowa was the first state, in 1869, to permit women to practice law."

Mark S. Kende, a law professor at Drake University, told the Times that, when reading the justices' historic opinion in the marriage case, ". . . you can see how they drew on the heritage of Iowa in the area of equality and seemed to see their own decision in that context."

But for countless couples around the state and throughout the heartland (Iowa does not have a residency requirement for marriage), the justices did something singularly unique and powerful: They recognized the value, and validity, of their relationships, too.

And for the rest of the country - where the Iowa decision has already helped move lawmakers to consider marriage equality in places like New York, too - Iowa is widely seen as being at the forefront of history again.

PFLAG National congratulates all of the couples marrying in Iowa, including PFLAGers Bill Musser and Otter Dreaming, who will be applying for their licenses today and, like many couples, asking the state to waive the 3-day waiting period before being married.

(For more information on the historic case that brought marriage equality to Iowa, visit Lambda Legal's website.)

Update: You can weigh in on marriage equality in Iowa by joining the discussion at On Top Magazine. To log on and comment, click here.

"Bullied to Death"

The month of April has brought two sad tragedies to the nation's attention.Recently, Jaheem Herrera, 11, of DeKalb County, GA was found dead in his bedroom closet. His death follows that of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover (also age 11) of Springfield, MA, who hanged himself in his home after enduring constant bullying at school. Much of the harassment and bullying both young boys experienced was based on their perceived orientation, as well as other factors.

And now communities, families and educators across the country are wondering what they can do to help stop this epidemic of bullying, and help create safer schools.

PFLAG National's Safe Schools Coordinator Suzanne Greenfield weighed in in today's issue of The Southern Voice (SOVO).

With expert agreeing that bullying presents a major hazard to the health and education of young people, Suzanne shares with SOVO her thoughts.

From today's article:

PFLAG chapters, including several in Georgia, try to work with school districts to make them aware of issues gay students may face as well as work to offer resources to educators to help them understand LGBT issues.

PFLAG wants educators to be comfortable discussing LGBT issues because the health of their students rely on them being informed, Greenfield said. And part of being informed is recognizing there is a distinct difference between sexual orientation and sex and therefore should not be treated as a scary subject.

“Sex is not what we are talking about — we are talking about bullying,” [Greenfield] said.

“Teachers deal with racial, ethnic, poverty discrimination. Teachers know how to deal with this. My experience is teachers want to do what’s right and want their students to learn. But those who don’t feel safe don’t learn.”

From the Ground Up, Cultivating Inclusivity

PFLAG Tulare and Kings County is a brand new chapter in Central California. They started their involvement in PFLAG with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. They participate in many local events, in order to spread the word about PFLAG. The majority of these events have Spanish-speaking programs and attendees, such as an upcoming Multicultural Day event hosted by the Professional Latino Women’s Organization.
One of the wonderful things about the Tulare and Kings County chapter is that it is already quite diverse. It was organized in such a way to reach many diverse communities from its onset, through participation in a wide variety of cultural and community events. There are Spanish-speaking chapter members who provide translating for any person who is new to the chapter and speaks only Spanish.

PFLAG National is funding PFLAG Tulare and Kings County’s continued involvement in these events and the creation of a pamphlet about the mission and activities of their PFLAG chapter for Spanish speakers. Since Spanish speakers participate in all levels of the chapter, the brochure will be provided to new Spanish speaking members to help them decide the activities in which they want to be involved in. In addition, the chapter plans to have t-shirts and buttons in Spanish available at every community event. The t-shirt is a Spanish translation of the chapter’s theme logo, “Just As You Are.”

For chapters that are newly forming, Tulare and Kings County has a great wealth of information of how to build a chapter from the ground up that is welcoming to everyone in your community.

-Kimberly Isaura Jones

Justice for Angie Zapata

Last summer we blogged about the tragic murder of Angie Zapata, a trans woman who was living in Greely, Colorado.

Yesterday, a Colorado jury found Allen Andrade guilty of first degree murder - and a hate crimes charge.

The case is unique because it marks the first time a state has used a hate crimes law in the murder of a transgender person. The case has recieved a great deal of cvoerage in the wake of yesterday's verdict, including in The New York Times where Angie's mother tells us, "“The one thing [Andrade] can never take away... is the love and memories that me and my children will have of my baby, my beautiful, beautiful baby.”

“Only a monster can look at a beautiful 18-year-old and beat her to death,” added Angie’s brother, Gonzalo. “The message was sent loud and clear that crimes targeting LGBT people will not be tolerated in Colorado.”

Cases like Angie's illustrate why hate crimes laws are needed on both the state and federal levels to help prevent more tragic cases such as this one. Our thoughts and hearts are with Angie's family.

Below Angie's family gives their reaction to the verdict, and share their memories of Angie...

PFLAG Calls Out Guiliani in 'The Politico'

Rudy Guiliani - the former mayor of New York and a long-time ally of the LGBT community - is singing a new, less friendly tune. Speaking yesterday to The New York Post, Guiliani hinted that, if he runs for governor of the Empire State, he'll make marriage equality a centerpiece of his campaign. But not in the way our families will appreciate.

Guiliani (pictured), who once endorsed repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and said he'd be proud to marry his gay friends when their union would be legally recognized, panned New York Governor David Patterson for his support of same-sex couples.

In yesterday's edition of The Politico, a must-read paper and website for Capitol Hill staffers in Washington, LGBT groups quickly responded to the former mayor's comments. And PFLAG was among those calling out Guiliani for his new position on equality.

"Same-sex marriage is shaping up as a hot-button 2010 issue both in New York and nationally, and Giuliani's comments generated a quick backlash from gay rights groups, which had considered Giuliani an ally during his days in Gracie Mansion," Politico's Ken Vogel wrote.

"Steve Ralls, spokesman for Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays, asserted Giuliani was 'staking out positions simply for political gain' and called his stance 'an almost unprecedented flip-flop for a politician who was once viewed as one of the most moderate, and most gay-friendly, voices in the Republican Party.'"

In his interview, Giuliani predicted that the push for gay marriage will spark "a grass-roots" backlash. "This is the kind of issue that, in many ways, is somewhat beyond politics."

Following the quick response from PFLAG and others, Guiliani modified his comments somewhat, suggesting he had not meant he would use marriage as a wedge issue in the race for the governor's office.

The marriage issue "will be something that Republicans don't have to use — this is something that will bring a lot of people to the Republican Party because it's such a basic challenge to what people believe is the way society should be organized," he later said.

But on the same day that Guiliani offered his revised opinions, a new poll of New York voters suggested he was more out of step with the electorate than ever before.

"A poll released Monday by Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y., found that 53 percent of respondents wanted the state Senate to pass legislation introduced by Paterson legalizing same-sex marriages, compared with 39 percent who opposed it," Politico reported.

To read the full coverage, click here.

PFLAG Applauds Local Transgender Advocacy Organization

PFLAG National applauds the DC Trans Coalition (DCTC) – a local transgender advocacy organization – for its work in fighting for the human rights of transgender and gender-diverse people in the District of Columbia. On Wednesday, April 22nd, the group will receive the Distinguished Service Award at the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance’s (GLAA) 38th Anniversary Reception.

After nearly five years, the DCTC has led and won a variety of critical grassroots campaigns that have improved the lives of many community members. The first and arguably most important victory involved lobbying the DC Council to unanimously pass expanded protections to the city’s Human Rights Act, which included gender identity or expression in 2005. The group then helped inform regulations that were eventually passed in 2006, strengthening the implementation of this law. Since that time, the DCTC has continued to launch and win critical campaigns, ensuring better enforcement of the Human Rights Act. Several notable campaign victories include:

1. DMV Policy Change. In 2006, the DCTC won a new policy from the DMV on changing the gender marker on DC-issued ID cards. The new form can be signed by a doctor, counselor, or social worker, and requires no additional evidence, and information about a gender change will remain confidential under this policy.

2. MPD General Order. In 2007, the DCTC won a new police order, issued by D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier directing her officers on how to deal respectfully with transgender people. The order sets the highest standards in the nation.

3. Homeless Shelter Policy. In 2007, worked with D.C.’s Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness to finalize and implement a new shelter policy mandating that homeless transgender individuals should be treated according to their self-identified gender identity, housed accordingly, protected from harassment or discrimination, and treated with respect – it serves as a guideline for how all other agencies should treat transgender clients.

4. OHR Factsheet. In 2007, worked with OHR on developing a factsheet on how to comply with the recent gender identity and expression legal protections and continue to help educate area businesses on what these protections mean for them, their employees and their patrons.

The group recently organized a broad coalition of local and national groups in response to a draft rulemaking from the DC Office of the Attorney General which would have provided what amounted to an exemption for the DC Department of Corrections (DOC) from the provisions of the DC Human Rights Act prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression. Those efforts led to months of negotiations and an improved policy regarding the placement and treatment of transgender detainees in DOC custody, though the coalition’s advocacy and vigilance continue.

GLAA is honoring DCTC for this most recent effort. The DCTC continues to launch and win key campaigns to ensure the proper enforcement of the DC Human Rights Act in an effort to overcome gender-based oppression by organizing the community around these issues. The group will showcase its work at GLAA’s 38th Anniversary Reception alongside many other community leaders.

“We are honored to receive this award from GLAA, particularly since such work is often overlooked within the broader LGBT community. The victories we have won and the resulting growth of community shows how much can be accomplished with passion, fair-minded leadership, and ongoing dedication, and we are grateful for this recognition.” said Sadie Baker, who will accept the award on behalf of the DCTC

- J. Rhodes Perry

Across the country, PFLAGers can change hearts and minds by sharing their stories ONLINE!

One of the most powerful tools we have as PFLAGers are our stories. Now you have the opportunity to share your story online via video! By sharing our stories in online videos, we can bring our message to new audiences all over the world. That’s why PFLAG/Straight for Equality is participating in StorySummit, a project aimed at getting the stories of LGBT people and their allies online and into the hearts of folks everywhere!

StorySummit is a telephone and online conference hosted by NoDumbQuestions.org. The website is inspired by the award-winning documentary No Dumb Questions. This is a funny and touching film about three sisters aged 6, 9, and 11 whose Uncle Bill is becoming a woman. Now, the website’s goal is to collect stories from LGBT people and allies everywhere. At StorySummit, PFLAG/Straight for Equality’s own Elizabeth Brown and Julie Handy, along with representatives from other national LGBTQ equality organizations, will show participants the best strategies for telling your story to open minds, soften hearts, and make the world a safer and more loving place for LGBTQ people, their friends, family and allies.

We are so excited about this project, but we need your help to make it happen! Join us Wednesday, April 22, 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern, for a conference call or computer training, and help us move equality forward online!

Get More Information & Register Now at NoDumbQuestions.org/StoryHub!

- Julie Handy

Join PFLAG & ITVS for 'Ask Not' in D.C.

PFLAG is proud to partner with ITVS for two special screenings of Ask Not in the nation's capital.

Produced and directed by Johnny Symons, Ask Not looks at the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual troops, and includes interviews with LGBT veterans and men and women who have been directly impacted by the law. Ask Not explores the tangled political battles that led to the infamous "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and reveals the personal stories of gay Americans who serve in combat under a veil of secrecy.

If you live in Washington, D.C., or will be visiting in May, make plans to join us at one of these screenings:

Sunday, May 17th @ 3pm
Washington D.C. Jewish Community Center

1529 16th Street, N.W.

Sunday, May 31st @ 5pm

Busboys & Poets

1025 5th Street, N.W.

Space is limited - please reserve your spot now by emailing asknot@communitycinema-dc.org, or call (202) 939-0794.

As part of each screening, ITVS Community Cinema will convene a panel discussion on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," featuring experts on the issue, and diverse viewpoints on the law. PFLAG is proud to present the "family perspective" on this important topic, with our field & policy manager, Rhodes Perry, speaking at the May 17th event, and Steve Ralls, PFLAG's director of communications, speaking on May 31st.

Don't miss this opportunity to see the documentary film Variety has called "Potent, even-handed . . . engrossing . . . brisk and smart." RSVP now to join ITVS Community Cinema and PFLAG for a special screening and discussion in Washington, D.C.

Stepping Stones to Equality in Illinois

As the country celebrates recent advances for marriage equality in Iowa and Vermont, other states are also looking at expanding relationship recognition for lesbian and gay couples. Whether debating civil unions or full marriage equality, advocates - including PFLAG families - are moving forward in communities across the country to protect families under the law.

Last week, The Chicago Tribune reported on the debate over relationship recognition in Illinois.

"Many gays and lesbians here have looked to the legalization of gay marriage in Iowa as a harbinger of Midwestern change," the paper reports. "If Iowa can do it, people ask, why can't Illinois?"

"The answer," the Tribune concludes, "reveals much about the strategic nature of the nationwide push for marriage equality, and the complex and unpredictable path that lies ahead for same-sex Illinois couples."

A civil unions bill, recently introduced by Rep. Greg Harris of Chicago, has gained widespread support among the LGBT community and their allies. The measure, which would grant many of the same rights married couples enjoy, may be setting Illinois on a path similar to Vermont, where civil unions were the law of the land for many years . . . and, in hindsight, were likely an important stepping stone toward full marriage equality.

"In Illinois, we're charting what we think is the right path now for our state," said Jim Madigan, executive director of the gay rights group Equality Illinois. "[Civil unions have] the advantage of really abating a lot of the harms suffered by couples who aren't married. And for those people for whom marriage remains a sticking point, it allows them to find a middle ground."

"[A]dvocates hope a civil unions bill here will lay the groundwork for a gay marriage bill," the Tribune reports.

And the passage of the bill, PFLAG National President John Cepek told the paper, will be an important first step in that process of building a foundation for full equality.

"I think there's a learning curve in getting people to come to terms with full equality for gays and lesbians," Cepek said. "You have to put them in a situation where they can see what's happening, see the good effects. There will be no great changes in life in Illinois. We'll just be creating a larger population of boring, middle-class, married fuddy-duddies."

Showing that our families are just like every family, Cepek and others reason, is the best way to counter the misinformation and unreasonable rhetoric that opponents of lesbian and gay couples so often insert into the public debate.

"I think that's how it has to happen, it has to be a grass-roots thing and start small for it to gain momentum among the lawmakers," Brian Fletcher, who lives in Oak Park with his partner of 9 years and their 3-year-old son, said. "If it has to happen state by state, that's great. Whatever it takes."

To read the full Chicago Tribune story, click here.

'Prayers' Returns to Lifetime Tonight

Join PFLAG and Lifetime tonight at 9:00 PM EST for a special re-broadcasting of Prayers for Bobby, starring Sigourney Weaver, Ryan Kelly and Scott Bailey.

Prayers - based on the book by Leroy Aarons - is the true story of Mary Griffith, a devoutly religious mother who struggles to accept her son, Bobby, when he comes out as a young gay man. Following a tragic turn in Bobby’s life, Mary begins a journey of soul-searching, learning to embrace her son and other LGBT people . . . with a little help from PFLAG along the way.

Earlier this year PFLAG chapters across the country held Prayers screening parties, inviting their communities to hear this story. Now Lifetime is bringing Prayers back for a special encore - and you and your chapter can be a part of it.

If you haven't watched Prayers yet, make the time tonight at 9 PM EST to watch this incredible movie with your friends and family! And, click here to learn more about the true story behind the film, and the making of the movie.

For more information, visit Lifetime's official Prayers site here. And check out Ambiente Magazine for an exclusive interview with actor Scott Bailey about PFLAG, Prayers and moving equality forward for LGBT people.

The Coolest Safe Schools Week Ever

This guest post is from Kim Peters (center), a member of PFLAG's Dayton, Ohio chapter, and chair of the chapter's Safe Schools program.

Monday, April 13 was a ground breaking “first” for the PFLAG Dayton Safe Schools program. Countless presentations over four years have been made to school employees, non-profits, employers, universities. But the Safe Schools group has never been invited to speak to kids.

That changed when a senior at Yellow Springs High School, Amelia Shaw, took it upon herself to make “Day of Silence” her senior project. She contacted PFLAG, scheduled a Safe Schools speaker and finagled a copy of Prayers for Bobby.

I spoke to Amelia about her goals for this event. She let me know her school is very tolerant, supportive, and inclusive. So much so that she is worried about what these kids are going to find when they enter the “real” world. And that even though the atmosphere is really supportive at her school you still here “fag”, “homo”, and “gay” in the hallways and all the standard “bad” jokes.

I arrived expecting to speak to about 250 students – the entire high school. I was surprised to discover the middle school, McKinney School, was also attending – now we were 350. I met the high school principal. I kept asking him “Do you want to know what I am going to talk about?” He didn’t care. Make it count he said. Seriously, how many Safe Schools presenters are given carte blanche?

So I told my family's story. I talked about the responsibilities GLBT youth have to themselves …take care of themselves mentally and physically. Reach out – seek support, friendship, take advantage of the infinite amount of resources available to them. To the rest of the group – the allies - I was clear about their role in the future of the school, their community, our state, and nation. And that the most important thing about the “Day of Silence” they were participating in on Friday needed to be the last day they would ever be silent. Only voices matter.

This week McKinney School – 7th and 8th graders, screened Prayers – a mandatory session for all. Yellow Springs High School used the film as an after school activity. Today they are all participating in the “Day of Silence."

Perhaps the coolest Safe Schools week ever in my Dayton, Ohio world!

- Kim Peters - Chair, Safe Schools
PFLAG Dayton

A PFLAG Mom on 'The Day of Silence'

PFLAG mom Lisa Rivero (who was also profiled earlier today at ABCNews.com) has penned a guest op-ed for 'Florida Today' about the national Day of Silence, taking place in schools across the country today.

Here's an excerpt from Lisa's column. For more information on The Day of Silence, click here.

Sirdeaner Walker went upstairs to look for her son in their Sprinfield, Mass., home. What she found is every mother’s horror. Her beautiful son, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, 11, was dead. He had committed suicide by hanging himself with an extension cord.

Carl was a typical 11-year-old. He played football and was an active member of his community.

He was full of promise to contribute positively to this world. What led up to his premature death was the relentless bullying he had been experiencing at school.He was teased daily by accusations of being gay for the way he dressed and was threatened with physical harm by classmates. Sadly, this is the fourth suicide of a middle-school-aged child this year linked to bullying.

Today, Carl would have turned 12. Ironically, it’s the same day that thousands of students across the country are participating in The National Day of Silence. This is the 13th year that students will be remaining silent throughout their school day to bring attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender name calling, bullying and harassment in schools.

Lisa Rivero is president and safe school coordinator for Brevard PFLAG. To read her full column at 'Florida Today,' click here.

PFLAG Talks to ABCNews.com About School Bullying

Lauren Cox at ABCNews.com has just posted a terrific new article on school bullying - and LGBT youth issues - that includes insights from PFLAG's Safe Schools Coordinator, Suzanne Greenfield, and Lisa Rivero, a PFLAG mom in South Florida who talks about her own son's battle with bullies.

Here's an excerpt from this morning's report:

Clearly, children's words -- and the inaction of adults -- can hurt. Just last week an 11-year-old boy in Springfield, Mass., committed suicide, reportedly because he was distressed that his classmates repeatedly called him "gay."

But school psychologists are increasingly interested in what teachers and parents say -- especially since they are often the first to notice developing tensions over a child's gender and sexual identity.

Lisa Rivero of Brevard County, Fla., spotted problems with her child by the third grade.

"He had always been bullied. Even from elementary school the kids have been calling him 'faggot' and 'gay' because he didn't fit the gender norm of what a normal boy should be doing," Rivero said of her now 17-year-old son, Josh.

Although no one ever asked her outright, Rivero said she got hints that teachers and school administrators were questioning her son's sexual orientation.

"I had one teacher tell me during a parent teacher conference, 'Well, I have some concerns about him that during recess he prefers to be with the girls and not with the boys,'" said Rivero. "I said, was he struggling academically because of it? If no, well then that's his decision."

Some families are completely shocked when their children come out the closet. But Rivero said she was among many other parents who guessed their child's sexual orientation long before the child even knew what it meant.

"It didn't come to as a surprise to us. ... We were just waiting for him to come to the realization," Rivero said. Rivero said Josh came out the summer before starting high school.

"I've talked to so many other parents who say the same thing, especially moms," Rivero said. "There are so many moms, we can't describe it. We just know."

But, as Greenfield tells ABC, teachers often struggle with the issue, and even those with the best of intentions sometimes don't have the resources, or training, they need to do the right thing.

More from Cox's story:

"Teachers, even with the best of intentions, don't know what to do. They don't want to talk about religious beliefs or sex," said Suzanne Greenfield, the senior "Safe Schools" coordinator for Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Greenfield explained.

Rivero said she went through a trying time with well-meaning teachers to deal with children who taunted her son.

Rivero remembers her son first asking what 'gay' mean in the third grade after a bullying incident. To the best of her ability, she sat down Josh and his younger sister and tried to explain what it meant in children's terms.

"I spoke with principals over the years and got the typical responses: 'Oh well, he needs to toughen up' or 'Oh, it's usually his fault,'" Rivero said.

By high school the family was dealing with threats of physical violence on MySpace. Rivero said the school administration told her the only way she could ensure her son didn't have a class with the boy who was threatening him was to get a restraining order.

"It wasn't until that kid got off the bus and was handed a restraining order that his parents were ever notified that this was going on," said Rivero.

To read the full ABCNews.com report, click here.

Photo: Lisa Rivero and her son, Josh, faced anti-homosexual slurs from the time Josh was in elementary school. (ABC News)

This Sunday: PFLAG National on Boston Talk Radio

PFLAG National Vice President David Horowitz will be among the guests joining WBNW talk radio, in Boston, on Sunday afternoon for a discussion about marriage equality.

Rabbi Horowitz will be part of WBNW's On the Street program, where he'll talk about the recent advances for couples in Iowa and Vermont . . . . and look back on 5 years of marriage equality in Massachusetts. And Sunday's show will also include a lively on-air debate - featuring voices from both sides of the issue - looking at the future of marriage in other states, too.

You can join Rabbi Horowitz live on Sunday - from 4:30 to 5:30pm EST - by logging onto WBNW's website and clicking on the Listen Live logo. And, PFLAGers will also be able to call-in, join the discussion and cheer Rabbi Horowitz on . . .

For more information, or to listen live, click here.

A Message from Kim Pearson, TNET President

This is the opening note from April's eTransParent Newsletter, penned by TNET President Kim Pearson.

Legal matters and hate crimes are weighing heavily on my mind this month. The Angie Zapata trial is underway in Colorado, and may be more important than most people are thinking. This is the first time in recent history that the murder of a transgender person (a youth, no less) is being tried as a hate crime, in a state with a hate crime law. This will be a real test of the law - and likely set precedence for future litigation. Watch carefully and lend your support where you can.

Later this month I will be in Washington, D.C. joining other PFLAG members to lobby for national hate crimes legislation with the NCTE Lobby Day effort. I hope to see many transgender folks, as well as parents and allies, out there supporting this important event.

On a lighter note, we can all look forward to an amazing documentary on gender, currently in production, that will be aired on National Geographic Television this fall. TransYouth Family Allies has been working on this project with them since January and we just wrapped up our segment. By all indications this is going to be a wonderful program, highlighting the personal journeys of 'gender different' adults and children. I will keep you posted as I know more details about the program.

Wishing everyone a Happy Spring!

Namaste,

Kim Pearson
TNET President

New Meetings and Coalition Building Efforts in Dorchester, MA

PFLAG Boston was approached in 2007 by African American leaders in the area with the need for a chapter in Dorchester and received funding from PFLAG National to create this chapter. Several meetings were held to design chapter meetings and plan outreach efforts. In 2008, the first meeting was held, a panel of individuals, including a straight African American father of a gay son, a straight African American mother of a lesbian daughter, and two LGBT African American youth. The second meeting was a viewing of Anyone and Everyone followed by discussion of the diversity themes in the movie. And the meetings have continued into the building of a very successful chapter in Dorchester, MA.

PFLAG Dorchester continues its exciting work this year. The chapter is led by African American leaders in the area. Several meetings were held last year to design chapter meetings and plan outreach efforts. Now that the chapter is evolving, they will be going directly to new audiences instead of asking people to be involved the chapter. Their first new audience of outreach is schools and the education community. They are working on developing community forums and working in very diverse schools, specifically with their parent groups. They will also have a second community panel discussion on the documentary Anyone and Everyone.

PFLAG Dorchester has been a great example of the sort of success a chapter can experience when we defer to the expertise and leadership that already exists in a community. Thank you to the community leaders in Dorchester and PFLAG Boston for working so hard on a successful collaboration.

- Kim Jones

Tearing Families Apart, When We Should Be Uniting Them

Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado are, by all accounts, a picture-perfect family. The two have been together - happily - for more than two decades. They have adorable 12-year-old twins. They married in 2004. And they are hard-working, productive members of their community in Pacifica, California, where they have built a loving home that also includes Jay's mother, Renee.
So why is the United States government spending so much time - and so much taxpayer money - tearing this family apart?

Simply put, because Shirley and Jay are a lesbian couple.

As a result, on April 22nd, Shirley is scheduled to be deported - and torn away from her partner, children and mother-in-law - unless Congress takes action to keep their family together. And if you think that's outrageous, consider this: Shirley and Jay's story isn't exactly unique.

According to Immigration Equality, an organization that does heroic work on behalf of same-sex, bi-national couples, an estimated 36,000 such couples face similar situations simply because, to date, the United States has refused to level the playing field for lesbian and gay Americans who have long-term partners from abroad.

In fact, keeping Shirley at home with her partner and two sons could be as simple as making a slight change in the language of U.S. immigration policy, and treating all couples equally, regardless of who they love. But Congress, in delaying action on the issue, has made life very, very complicated for these families and their loved ones.

These couples, like Shirley and Jay, are hard-working, law-abiding people who only want to be able to be with the person they love. And many, like Shirley, have spent years caring for their families, working in their communities and, yes, making our country a better place for all of us to live in. "They are exactly the kind of people you want living in this country," Immigration Equality's executive director, Rachel Tiven, told People Magazine in their recent profile of Tan and Mercado and their family.

Yet, on January 28th, at 6 a.m. in the morning, ICE agents rang Shirley's doorbell, placed her under arrest and took her to jail, where she spent a day away from her family, unaware of why she was even there.

Continue reading this post at HuffingtonPost.com . . .

Special LGBT Issue of Teachers’ Resource

This was shared with me by former deputy executive director of the National Council of Teachers of English - and PFLAG parent - Charles Suhor. The Council has long taken stands on social issues, actively condemning anti-GLBT discrimination as early as 1976.

"Sexual Identity and Gender Variance" is the theme of the current issue of English Journal, the flagship publication of the National Council of Teachers of English.

The wide-ranging articles offer help for high school and middle teachers on a wide range of LGBT issues, among them teaching specific works and authors, selecting fiction and non-fiction materials, dealing with students’ varied religious beliefs, combating censorship, and promoting LGBT-inclusive language. Also included are poems, personal narratives from parents, and an LGBT/Queer glossary compiled by guest editors Becca Chase and Paula Ressler of Illinois State University.

Copies of the March, 2009 issue are available for $16.50 from NCTE, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, Illinois 61801.

There are some great resources in this edition for educators and students alike. Click here to see the online edition.

Easter Bunnies, High Fives and Hugs

This is a guest post from Lena Shapiro (bottom row, left), who participated with other PFLAG family members in Monday's White House Easter Egg Roll.

The day started with long lines and it ended the same way, but in between was a festival of color. On the White House lawn for the annual Easter Egg Roll, families learned to cook with White House chefs, hunted for and painted their own bright eggs, listened to music, and posed with their favorite television characters. I was lucky enough to be a part of it.

After my multi-generational group of family and friends breezed through security, we arrived on the field. It was set up much like a carnival. Crowded by laughter and excitement, we made our way first to the Kids’ Kitchen where White House Chef José Andrés taught us to make gazpacho soup with plenty of olive oil and savory pancakes. Next, half of our number peeled off in favor of the private basketball court (formerly used for tennis) where the president plays. We regrouped by the soccer court where professional and Olympic medalist Abby Wambach posed for pictures. Nearby, larger-than-life television characters were a great excitement, and Easter Bunnies were quick with high-fives and hugs. Younger children enjoyed rolling and hunting for eggs, and it was wonderful just to watch their thrill.

Best of all, I was surrounded by so many happy families, running and smiling and snapping pictures. To see such different families enjoying the same small pleasures was a beautiful sight. I’m glad we all spent such a fun-filled day with people we love.

- Lena Shapiro

Making Schools Safer in Colorado Springs

Thank you to all of our PFLAGers who attended the Cultivating Respect Safe Schools training and a special thanks to Marilyn Davis, who put in many hours planning and preparing for the event. Lastly, a big thanks to Jean Hodges, our devoted Regional Director, for sharing her expertise in safe schools work.

Cultivating Respect, the PFLAG safe schools training, took place on Saturday April 4th at Care and Share Warehouse in Colorado Springs. We had an amazing group of concerned parents, safe schools activist and academic professionals in attendance.

The training started with the art of storytelling, making the most of one's personal story to further the goal of bringing resources and programs into schools. We took time to look at the most recent statistics and news stories on what students are facing in school so we can use them to get the attention of school decision makers. We had a chance to explore language, and what terminology works and what does not when talking to school personnel. The participants had plenty of opportunities to role play and practice their skills.

At the end of the training members of the Colorado Coalition of PFLAG Chapters worked on developing a potential project aimed at school libraries based on one of our training modules.

The Smart Books for Smart Students Campaign is aimed to place books in schools libraries, fiction and nonfiction, that have accurate and positive information about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The campaign is just the first step in building relationships and trust with administrative personnel. We hope this relationship will continue to grow and help advance safe schools advocacy.

Once again, a big thanks to all Coloradan PFLAG Chapters in attendance!

If you would like more information about Cultivating Respect Safe Schools training please contact Suzanne Greenfield, Safe Schools Senior Coordinator at sgreenfield@pflag.org.

- Cesar Hernandez

Evann Orleck-Jetter: Moving Marriage Equality Forward in Vermont

Democracy Now recently interviewed 12-year old Evann Orleck-Jetter , who may have played an instrumental - if not the key - role in advancing the case for marriage equality with the Vermont legislature.

As Democracy Now notes on its website, "Orleck-Jetter testified at the public hearings on gay marriage last month before Vermont’s Joint Senate and House Judiciary Committees. Many legislators later told Evann and her parents that her testimony had moved them to support the bill."

Our hats are off to Evann, who talks about her testimony - and her family - in this video from Amy Goodman and Democracy Now.

PFLAG Families at the White House Easter Egg Roll

This morning, PFLAG families from across the D.C. area joined an estimated 30,000 people at the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll. For the first time, the White House invited LGBT families to participate in this annual tradition. These photos were taken as our PFLAG families prepared to head to the White House, and as they waited in line at Constitution Avenue in the nation's capital.

For more coverage, and more photos, visit Pam's House Blend online.

And for an exclusive blog report from PFLAG executive director Jody M. Huckaby, at The Hill's Congress Blog, click here.

Jeanne Manford’s Activism Inspires a New Visionary Leader

In 1972, Jeanne Manford started an international movement when she marched with her son Mortie in New York’s Pride Parade carrying a sign that said, Parents of Gays: Unite in Support of Our Children. In that instant, Ms. Manford began meeting a need that had never been met before by effectively starting PFLAG’s critical work of supporting parents, families and friends of LGBT folks while educating a misinformed community and advocating for equality and fairness.

Thirty years later, Eli Green followed in Ms. Manford’s footsteps launching Trans-Academics.org, meeting a long overdue need for academics and activists alike by creating a dedicated space to all those who are interested in participating in the discussion of gender theory, the trans community and its various identities. As a measure of its success, Trans-Academics.org inspired the founding of a non-profit organization, the Association for Gender Research, Education, Academia and Action (AGREAA) - a professional development organization working towards bridging the gaps between academia and activism.

Tonight, AGREAA will accept the 2009 Richard L. Schlegel National Legion of Honor Award for a Visionary Leader for its flagship project, Trans-Academics.org. After nearly seven years online, and with over 1,000 registered members, and 50,000 unique website hits per year, Trans-Academics.org has certainly demonstrated its success - meeting a need for transgender, gender diverse and ally communities that is unparalleled. With the vision and leadership of Eli Green, the project’s continued success connects people working on trans-related research with other professionals working within the field. Three of its notable achievements include:

· Serving as the longest standing trans-specific academic community
· Providing a reference archive of over 1,600 trans-related publications
· Offering an engaging and dynamic professional development community via a listserve of over 500 people and growing.

Similar to Jeanne Manford’s pioneering civil rights activism, Trans-Academics.org continues to break new ground by connecting both academics and activists alike who share research, best practices and ideas on how to work in coalition to overcome gender-based oppression through the founding of AGREAA.

“We are honored to receive recognition for the efforts of Trans-Academics.org, particularly since such projects are often overlooked because of their virtual nature. Work like this website and resulting community shows how much can be accomplished with an idea, good timing, and ongoing dedication, and we are grateful to be recognized.” said Eli Green.

The Awards Ceremony and Reception will be held at American University in Washington, D.C. tonight at 5:30 p.m. For more information on Trans-Academics.org and other projects of AGREAA, please visit http://www.agreaa.org/.

- J. Rhodes Perry

A Mother, Her Son and a Test of America's New Foreign Policy

In recent months, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans have begun cautiously expressing hope that, in addition to recent, hard won victories here at home, we may be on the verge of a little bit of progress abroad, too.

Our community rightly cheered when the Obama administration recently reversed a Bush administration policy and endorsed a United Nations declaration on protecting the world's LGBT people. And we looked on with admiration and pride again as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently said that she and President Obama intend to stand against anti-gay animus on the world stage, too. Speaking in March to a group of enthusiastic supporters in Brussels, Clinton told the crowd that "Human rights is and always will be one of the pillars of our foreign policy. In particular, persecution and discrimination against gays and lesbians is something we take very seriously."

The remark, press outlets reported, brought about wild applause and, for perhaps the first time, sent a clear message to foreign leaders that the United States intends to speak out against anti-gay atrocities abroad. It was, to paraphrase Secretary Clinton's famous words as America's First Lady, intended to put the world on notice that we believe "human rights are gays rights, and gay rights are human rights, too."

But, as noble as the sentiment of both actions were, they gave little comfort to Kathy Gilleran, a mother from upstate New York whose son, Aeryn, has been missing in Austria for more than a year and a half. Because, while Kathy would love to believe that a new day has dawned in diplomatic affairs, she continues to struggle in her heroic efforts to learn the truth about her gay son and continues to meet roadblock after roadblock in her quest to uncover the facts about what happened in Vienna.

Continue reading this post at The Bilerico Project . . .

The Mi Familia Project: Filming Family Stories

PFLAG San Diego is in the process of making a documentary film in Spanish about Latino parents who have embraced their children regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression and identity. The goal of The Mi Familia Project is to help other Latino families cope with the intense emotions that arise when a child or family member comes out as LGBT.

San Diego is going to be our host city for the PFLAG National Convention, October 9-11, 2009. To prepare for this exciting responsibility, they have been doing a lot of work to welcome PFLAGers from all over the country and show them the many facets of San Diego, while also trying to cultivate relationships with local organizations to show them what PFLAG is all about! They have been even reaching out to groups in nearby Tijuana, Mexico, to encourage their involvement in the National Convention.

The chapter has been working on a documentary film throughout the past year, to accurately portray the support work of PFLAG to new families. The Spanish version film will be the second documentary they produce in a year. The chapter has been working overwhelmingly hard to get the word out about PFLAG through film.

The San Diego chapter will provide ongoing support for Spanish speaking families by directing them to Latino services and/or their local LGBT center. The chapter is doing an exemplary job of building relationships with a variety of coalition partners to ensure the project’s success. They are even forming relationships with service providers such as therapists, school counselors, school personnel and administrators, and leaders in the nonprofit community to make sure the documentary reaches LGBT family members, and that families are able to talk about the film in a meaningful way with these service providers.

Keep up the great work San Diego! We all look forward to seeing both the Spanish and English version of the documentary at the PFLAG National Convention in October!

-Kim Jones

Life at PFLAG National: Meet Matthew Boyer

Matthew Boyer is Director of Development here at PFLAG National. Matthew joined our staff earlier this year, where he oversees all of our fundraising issues and needs. Today, Matthew shares a little insight into his important work here at PFLAG National...


What did you do before joining PFLAG National?

I recently moved back to DC from Los Angeles where I lived for four years and served as a Major Gift Officer for the Human Rights Campaign. I am incredibly fortunate to have had that opportunity and feel as though I was well trained and seasoned by some of the best fundraisers and activists in the LGBT movement. Prior to Los Angeles, I lived in DC for about 18 years and worked at some other amazing nonprofits in DC such as NARAL and the World Wildlife Fund.

What does your job entail?

I am responsible for the overseeing all the aspects of the fundraising for PFLAG National. This broadly includes direct mail, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving and major donor relationship building. Fortunately, I am surrounded by a creative and dynamic fundraising team that already existed upon my arrival.

What is an average day like at PFLAG National?

The PFLAG National office is a very fast paced environment which is very exciting for me. I basically spend a lot of time strategizing with the development team and [executive director] Jody Huckaby on how to meet (but hopefully exceed!) our budget projections and then figuring out the best way to implement those strategies. It is no secret that these are challenging economic times and every dollar that PFLAG raises is critically important and appreciated. I work with Jody and others to make sure those dollars are stretched as far as possible for our critically important work.

What are your favorite/least favorite parts of the job?

I have to say that I really am excited every morning to wake up and come to PFLAG. The team Jody has assembled is truly amazing, and it is an absolute pleasure to be a part of it. I really enjoy working with my team, and because PFLAG is so much smaller that my previous employer, HRC, I actually get to feel like each of our individual efforts makes an even bigger difference in the fight for LGBT equality.

What is one thing you wish all PFLAGers knew about the National office?

I think many people involved in our movement get a “warm and fuzzy” feeling whenever they hear the name "PFLAG." Perhaps they get a visual image in their mind of their own parents or family members marching behind that PFLAG banner in the local Pride parade to support them.

However, I wish PLAGers, and non-PFLAGers knew just how dynamic the organization is beyond Pride parades. PFLAG has some amazing programs such as Straight for Equality and Safe Schools that I believe few people know about. I wish more people knew how deeply PFLAG works on the national political stage on issues such as ENDA; hate crimes; "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" and marriage equality. However, as the new Director of Development, I am excited to deliver the outcomes of these efforts to our generous supporters and friends.

PFLAG Families to Join White House Easter Egg Roll

PFLAG is proud to be among a coalition of organizations, including the Family Equality Council, invited to participate in the 2009 White House Easter Egg Roll. On Monday morning, PFLAGers will join other families from across the country as President & Mrs. Obama host the annual celebration on the White House lawn.

"The White House Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878 and is designed to encourage children and their families to come outdoors and celebrate the start of the spring season," whitehouse.gov reports. "The White House will open the South Lawn to children age ten and under, along with their families, to enjoy sports, cooking classes, live musical performances, storytelling and, of course, the traditional Easter egg roll."

For more information on this White House tradition, click here. And check back on the PFLAG blog on Monday for photos, stories and blogs about our Easter Egg Roll experience on the lawn of the White House!

Looking Towards Equality in Illinois

Speaking of Illinois today, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown writes today about the future of marriage equality in his state.

Brown tells us that at some point before the end of April, the Illinois legislature is expected to vote on civil unions. This comes on the heels of Vermont's legislature voting for marriage equality, after being the first state to allow civil unions.

Brown's theory is that while he believes Illinois is "not ready for gay marriage," civil unions could be a Vermont-like first step towards that goal. And he turns to PFLAG National president - and Chicago area resident - John Cepek [pictured, right] for some perspective.

John tells the Sun-Times, "I've got a straight son. I've got a gay son. I want the same rights for each of them... Its a good thing for the government to support stable relationships wherever it can -- and it's just."

Click here to read all of Mark Brown's column.

Reaching Out in Rural America

PFLAG Sauk Valley serves three rural counties in northern Illinois. The chapter was approached to provide written materials about what PFLAG does in Spanish and applied for a diversity grant from PFLAG National. The grant will be used to hire a translator and create a brochure for Spanish-speaking family members in the area who need support through a loved one’s coming out process. In addition, the chapter will create an information line for family members seeking Spanish-language resources in their area.

The chapter has developed a wonderful partnership with their nearby university, Northern Illinois University, and particularly the student group PRISM. PRISM is the LGBT organization on campus. A student from this organization will serve as the translator for the brochure and informational phone message. In addition, the Sauk Valley Community College Cross Cultural Department is providing facility usage for the work that Sauk Valley is doing with the Latino community.

The partnerships do not end at the universities in their area! Since Sauk Valley does not have a Spanish-speaking support group, in order to provide the readers of this brochure with additional support in their language, the chapter is partnering with the Ogle County Public Health Department, the Lee County Public Health Department, the Hispanic Medical Clinic, the Youth Service Bureau, and the YWCA Hispanic Outreach Program in Whiteside County in order to develop a Spanish-speaking support group. These organizations are providing interpreters in Sauk Valley’s support group meetings, space for Spanish language support meetings, and/or one-on-one support for these family members.

Sauk Valley provides us with a wonderful example of how creating an inclusive and accessible chapter cannot happen in vacuum. Form collaborations and build coalitions. The first step to welcoming diversity into your chapter is including and implementing new perspectives regarding the way your chapter functions. Keep up the great work Sauk Valley!

-Kim Jones

'Pedro' Comes to MTV.com

If you missed the premiere and original broadcast of Pedro, MTV's critically acclaimed biopic based on the life of The Real World's Pedro Zamora, you can catch the full-length film online at MTV.com.

Visit pedro.mtv.com to watch the entire film online, and for extras about Pedro and his groundbreaking work on HIV and AIDS awareness, including a special message from former President Bill Clinton about Pedro, a biography of Zamora and information on the film's cast.

For more information - and to watch Pedro online - click here.

"Be More Present and Visible, Period."

Pam Spaulding, the blog mistress behind the widely acclaimed Pam's House Blend, recently expanded her reach, becoming a regular columnist for The Durham News, her hometown newspaper. And today, her printed column (and her blog) take a look at what it's like to lobby African-American lawmakers on LGBT issues . . . with a little help from a local PFLAG ally.

North Carolina's legislature recently took up a bill to add sexual orientation and gender identity and expression to the "Non-Discrimination in State/Teacher Employment" law (HB1049). And the bill, along with other issues of LGBT equality, is a "complex" issue for many African-American lawmakers, according to Pam, who writes that, "Comprehensive sex ed, and the anti-bullying bill, for instance have not posed a problem, but the marriage issue has tripped them up, and religion, as expected, is a hurdle that must be cleared."

So Pam decided to ask local advocates in Durham about their experience with, and advice about, working with African-American lawmakers to advance LGBT equality in North Carolina. And today, she posts a video interview with TaMeicka Clear of PFLAG Out Like Us (pictured), who shared her own thoughts about what works, and what doesn't, when it comes to working on LGBT issues.

"Definitely one thing to do would be to show up and show them that it is a black issue, and to just be consistent and show up in large numbers . . . and I can't stress consistency enough," Clear tells Pam, adding later that, "There is a large misconception that we don't have a voice -- we do. And I saw some of the shock on a lot of the legislators' faces today to even see as many black [LGBT] people as there were present. So we need to be more present and visible, period."

To see the full video interview with TaMeicka, and to join the discussion at Pam's House Blend, click here to visit Pam's home on the web.

Across Families, and Oceans

Last month, in March, PFLAG National president John Cepek, along with his wife Char Cepek, visited Great Britain and had the chance to meet with Marjorie Smith of the group Families Together London.


Says Smith of the visit, "It was a fantastic opportunity for all of us. It was especially helpful to me because I can see that PFLAG has moved from support to advocacy, a move which is far less developed in Britain – we need good role models and you are providing one."

She added, "John and Char told us that the most successful PFLAG groups in the States focus not only on support for parents, but also on education and advocacy. This draws in parents who are not necessarily seeking support, but who want to effect change for their sons and daughters."

Click here to visit Families Together London and see some of the work Marjorie's group is accomplishing "across the pond" and be sure to share your thoughts on how groups such as FTL and PFLAG can work together.

'Cultivating Respect' in Michigan

I would like to thank the great PFLAG members in Michigan for spending the day figuring out what they could do as individuals, as chapters and as part of the larger community to make schools safer for all students!

On Saturday, April 4th, the Genesee County Chapter of PFLAG hosted the Michigan PFLAG State Conference, which was devoted to the Cultivating Respect Safe Schools Training. There were 7 chapters and over 26 members in attendance. We spent the day learning how and what to communicate to school personnel and, most importantly, how to get our foot in the door to bring programs and education that will make schools safer and more inclusive of all students. It was a long and productive day broken up by great food and plenty of laughs.

As part of the training, we were briefed about pending state legislation. The legislation, called Matt’s Law, was named after Matt Epling a young man who took his own after a brutal bullying incident. Matt’s parents - as well as the lobbyist for the Triangle Foundation - were in attendance at the training. PFLAG chapters have supported Matt’s Law in the past, but it has just been reintroduced and stripped of all enumerated language including sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Chapters, along with other coalition partners, are examining the change and will need to decide if they will once again support the bill.

(If you would like more information about the importance of enumerated language please contact me at sgreenfield@pflag.org and I can send you information about the issue.)

Thank you to everyone in Michigan who attended and are helping PFLAG create a network throughout the country of concerned and caring parents and community members that will go directly to their school s to make them safer and better for all students.

(And a special shout-out to Terri Dinsmore, a terrific planner, and her entire host chapter . . . You were great!)

- Suzanne Greenfield

Let Your Representatives Know You Care about Hate Crimes Legislation!

Representative John Conyers (D-MI) along with 42 original co-sponsors re-introduced the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act - H.R. 1913. It is a transgender inclusive bill identical to the hate crimes legislation passed by the House of Representatives in 2007.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would add sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability to existing federal hate crimes laws. It would also strengthen enforcement of these laws by allowing the US Department of Justice to assist local authorities in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes cases.

When introducing the bill, Representative Conyers stated that the legislation "provides a constructive and measured response to a problem that continues to plague our nation. These are crimes that shock and shame our national conscience. They should be subject to comprehensive federal law enforcement assistance and prosecution."

Email Your Representative Today!

We urge you to write your Representatives and encourage them to support this critical piece of legislation. Those who oppose this legislation are taking advantage of this time to reach out to their representatives - it is important that we are equally active, sharing our stories with our Congress members. Please email your Representative, and take this important step to help address the violence our LGBT loved ones face.

D.C. Votes to Recognize Out of State Marriages

Just as the Vermont legislature voted this morning to recognize full marriage equality, the nation's capital also took a step forward for the city's lesbian and gay couples.

The Washington Post reports that the Council "voted today to recognize gay marriages performed in other states, on the same day that Vermont became the fourth state to legalize same-sex unions."

"Domestic partnerships are already legal in the nation's capital, and gay couples married in other states are recognized as domestic partners when they move to the city," The Post notes. "But today's legislation, billed as an important milestone in gay rights, explicitly recognizes them as married couples."

The vote was unanimous, with all 12 members of the council supporting the measure.

It is both significant and appropriate that America’s capital city has taken this giant step forward in recognizing our nation’s promise of ‘liberty and justice for all.’ Washington remains a symbol of freedom for people across the globe, and a barometer of progress here at home. The District of Columbia has long been among the most progressive and welcoming of America’s cities. Today’s vote keeps it moving in the right direction and is good news for Washington’s large and vibrant lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

PFLAG Applauds Historic Vermont Vote on Marriage Equality

The Vermont legislature, in an historic vote, has overridden a veto by the state’s governor to grant full marriage equality to lesbian and gay couples. The veto override, which was approved by both the state House and Senate earlier today, makes Vermont the first state in the country to successfully implement full marriage recognition for same-sex couples through a legislative vote. In 2000, Vermont granted recognition to same-sex couples under a statewide civil unions law. Marriage will now become legal in the state on September 1st.

“From America’s heartland to the hills of Vermont, our country is living up to its promise of equality for everyone as it never has before,” said Jody M. Huckaby, executive director of PFLAG. “Today, Vermont’s state motto of ‘Freedom and Unity’ rings true for the estimated 2,100 same-sex couples who call the state home. The people’s representatives have made history, declaring a separate recognition for some families as being unequal in the eyes of the law. And Vermont’s families have won a joyous victory, gaining the rights, protections and recognition they deserve under the law.”

Today’s vote in Vermont makes the state the fourth in the country, following Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa, to recognize marriage equality. It also becomes the first to successfully do so through the legislative process. Although California’s legislature has twice approved a similar measure, lawmakers have been unable to override the governor’s veto. In November, California voters narrowly approved Proposition 8, which overturned a court decision granting marriage equality in the state.

According to the Williams Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles, Vermont is home to nearly 24,000 lesbian and gay citizens, including more than 2,100 same-sex couples. Lesbian and gay couples, the Institute recently found, live in every county in the state.

Photo: Rep. Jason Lorber, D-Burlington, right, gets a hug from Stan Baker following the passage of a gay marriage bill in Montpelier, Vt., Tuesday, April 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

LGBT? In High School? New Resources for You!

Not long ago, if you were a gay high schooler starting your college search, you likely weighed all the criteria that you had about a prospective school: location, tuition, academic strength, athletics, campus life, etc. Now, thanks to the folks at the following publications, LGBT high school students can add a new criteria to the list: gay-friendliness. Yes, you heard right, there are now listings of how gay friendly a particular college or university is! You can find more information through the following publications:

• The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students
• The Princeton Review's The Best 368 Colleges
• The Fiske Guide to Colleges

Colleges and universities are now conducting more outreach to the LGBT student population. One of the more prominent ways this has been done is through Campus Pride. The non-profit LGBT student leadership organization developed a Climate Index, which provides an avenue for colleges and students to connect directly with each other. Currently 185 colleges participate and over 35,000 students have logged on to request information about how gay-friendly a particular school is.

We are excited by this new niche being carved out for LGBT high school students and we hope that you pass this information along to your chapters. It would be a great piece to incorporate into your safe schools work; the more students who have access to this information, the better and more informed they can be when choosing a college.

-Erin Cranford Williams

Developing: Vermont Legislature Takes Up Marriage Equality

Vermont's Senate has just voted to override a veto by the state's governor which blocked marriage equality for lesbian and gay couples. And, news reports indicate that the Vermont House is about to hold its own vote on the issue, too.

In short, lawmakers in Vermont may be just moments away from making the state the 4th in the country - following Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa - to recognize full marriage equality for all couples.

For live coverage of the Vermont House session, click here. And visit Queerty online for more coverage on the recent vote in the Senate.

Then, check back here at the PFLAG blog for updates on this developing (and exciting) story!

Think, Write, Win: Choose Love

Attention LGBT students of Los Angeles and Orange Counties: Asian Pacific Islander Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (API-PFLAG), with financial support from the PFLAG National Diversity Outreach Chapter Assistance Program, is issuing a challenge to all graduating college-bound high school seniors and returning undergraduates: write a sharp, well-argued essay in favor of same-sex marriage and win a college scholarships split between an English language category and a Chinese/Korean language category. Total prize winnings are more than $5,000!

“This is a community with a lot of talent—much of it in the math and sciences,” says Cynthia Liu, writer, former teacher and one of the contest organizers. “We’re challenging young Asian Pacific Americans to show off their ability to write well and persuade others on substantive issues of the day. We’re wondering where our community’s ‘Obama’ might be.”

API-PFLAG chair Harold Kameya [pictured right, with Ellen Kameya], devoted parent of a daughter who is lesbian, adds, “Everyone in the state of California knows about Proposition 8. Right now, my daughter is deprived of a basic civil right: to marry the person she loves. Why should she be? Every parent wants happiness, stability, and companionship for their child.”

Cynthia Liu adds, "I'm mother to a young child, a woman married to a man, and a citizen who believes in equal rights for all as guaranteed by our state and national constitutions. I believe marriage equality is one of the many human rights lesbian, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people should enjoy as they build lives, and sometimes families, together. That they are a group of people singled out for denial of the most basic human pleasures and responsibilities--to care for one another--is wrong."

The essay contest rules may also be found on the API PFLAG blog: apipflag.blogspot.com.

PFLAG Applauds Iowa Marriage Decision

To read this press release on today's Iowa mariage equality ruling on our website, click here.

PFLAG Applauds Iowa Marriage Decision
“Today, America’s Heart Can Truly Be Found in the Heartland,” says group

Des Moines, IA – In a landmark decision released earlier today, the Iowa Supreme Court has affirmed a lower court ruling finding that the state must recognize full marriage equality for same-sex couples. In a unanimous ruling, the court’s justices found that to deny same-sex couples access to marriage violates the Equal Protection clause of the Iowa constitution. The court wrote that it was “firmly convinced the exclusion of gay and lesbian people from the institution of civil marriage does not substantially further any important governmental objective,” adding that, “The legislature has excluded a historically disfavored class of persons from a supremely important civil institution without a constitutionally sufficient justification.”

“Today, America’s heart can truly be found in the heartland,” said Jody M. Huckaby, executive director of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). “At last, every family in Iowa will be afforded the rights, protections and responsibilities that their commitments deserve. Without a single page of dissent, the shepherds of Iowa’s constitution have risen to the defense of loving couples and upheld the most noble idea of our legal system: that, indeed, we are created, and must be treated, equally under the law. We congratulate our friends in Iowa, including our allies at One Iowa and Lambda Legal, for this truly significant victory.”

Iowa becomes the third state in the nation to recognize marriage equality, following similar victories in Massachusetts and Connecticut. California voters rolled back a similar decision in November, and that state’s high court is currently considering the fate of thousands of couples who were legally married.

“Every family in Iowa can find solace and strength in this momentous decision,” said Linda Trudeau, a member of PFLAG’s Ames, Iowa chapter whose daughter, Shawna has been with her partner for nine years. “Today, our state has honored our family, including my two beautiful grandsons, by declaring that no family can be deemed ‘less than’ in the eyes of the law. Eight years ago, my daughter was united, in her heart, through a commitment ceremony with her partner. At last, they can be united under the law, too. Our government can do nothing more powerful than keep families together, and protect them under the law, and the state of Iowa has now lived up to that promise for lesbian and gay couples, too.”

According to The Williams Institute at the University of California-Los Angeles, there are an estimated 5,200 same-sex couples currently living in Iowa, nearly 20 percent of whom are raising children. Same-sex couples, The Williams Institute has found, live in every county in the state.

For more information on PFLAG’s efforts to promote marriage equality, visit www.pflag.org.

Breaking News: Iowa Rules in Favor of Marriage Equality!

Some great news this morning from Iowa. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled today in favor of marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples!


In a unanimous ruling, the court has opened up the state to mariage equality, according to The Des Moines Register this morning. The paper reports:

“'The Iowa statute limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution,' the justices said in a summary of their decision...The court rules that gay marriage would be legal in three weeks, starting April 24."

Gay and lesbians couples, as well as straight allies, were elated with the ruling in favor of equality. Some of the reactions included:

Democratic Sen. Matt McCoy of Des Moines, who is openly gay, told The Des Moines Regsiter, “I’m off the wall... I’m very pleased to be an Iowan.”

"Shelley Wolfe, 38, and Melisa Keeton, 31, who is 21 weeks pregnant, had gone through a commitment ceremony two years ago. Their marriage certificate was among the 26 that were put on hold... Keeton said: 'We're going to make it legal.' The women planned to call their pastor and have him meet them at the courthouse to request a waiver of the three-day waiting period so that can be wed today. "

PFLAG National will release our reaction to the ruling later today, so stay tuned for that and other updates from Iowa - now the third state in the union with complete marriage equality. To all LGBT people and our straight allies in Iowa who have worked so hard for this day: congratulations!

Update: Eyes on Iowa

An Iowa Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality is likely to be issued tomrrow morning (Friday, April 3rd, 2009).

Several months ago I blogged about the case going before the Iowa Supreme Court. Six Iowa couples are asking the court to recognize their relationships by affirming the right of lesbian and gay couples to marry. And now, The Des Moines Register is reporting that a ruling is expected tomorrow morning.

"The case, Varnum vs. Brien, involves six same-sex Iowa couples who sued Polk County Recorder Timothy Brien in 2005 after his office denied them marriage licenses. Polk County Judge Robert Hanson sided with the couples last year but then suspended his decision pending a high court ruling."

Richard Socarides, a former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton on gay civil rights, told The Des Moines Register "Iowa could set the stage for other states."

Socarides was was a senior political assistant for Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin in the early 1990s. “I think it’s significant because Iowa is considered a Midwest sate in the mainstream of American thought,” Socarides said. “Unlike states on the coasts, there’s nothing more American than Iowa. As they say during the presidential caucuses, ‘As Iowa Goes, so goes the nation.’”

Is marriage equality coming to the heartland? We will post information as it becomes available, so stay tuned! And in the meantime, you can read the complete story here.

Disrespecting Our Troops, One Thousand Officers at a Time

Throughout their history, right-wing activists, when left with no facts to defend their case, have often turned to scare tactics to keep their crusades going. Whether it is "code red" terror alerts a few days before an election, or dire warnings about hurricanes seeking revenge for our pro-choice ways, the far right has long been fond of playing Jungian psychology to prey on ancient fears.

That is certainly the case with one of the right-wing's darlings of the moment, Elaine Donnelly (pictured), who heads up the misleadingly named Center for Military Readiness. Donnelly, who rose to fame by maligning brave, patriotic women who sign up for service in the armed forces, has recently set her sights on another set of troops, and set out to malign gays. From warning - before a Congressional committee, no less - of the "inappropriate passive/aggressive actions common in the homosexual community" to repeatedly calling an Army command in Texas in an attempt to get a gay soldier fired, Donnelly has crossed lines of decency and respect again and again.

In fact, Donnelly's attacks on women (she recently said - you just can't make this up - that "to treat [women] equally would be unfair") and gays has become the subject of constant ridicule. Everyone from Jon Stewart to The Washington Post have lambasted her 18th century sensibilities.

Yet, while it's easy to use her rhetoric as fodder for news media comedy, the furor she spews is also based on outrageous bigotry that is not just inherently anti-woman and anti-gay. It's anti-military, too. Which is why it's all the more perplexing why some of those who have worn our country's uniform have also signed on to her campaign of disregard and disrespect for our country's troops . . . and given her more fuel to fire up her campaign of irrational fears.

Earlier this week, Donnelly released a list of 1,000 military officers - from a slew of 1-stars to a select few who wear 4 - to the Associated Press. The officers, who were surely recruited by Donnelly following a 2008 "secret meeting" she convened in Washington, urged President Obama to step back from his campaign promise to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and keep the counter-productive ban on gay troops permanently in place.

But if a picture is worth a thousand words, a thousand officers are surely worth a look at the big picture. And the picture Donnelly and her minions paint is neither pretty nor based on what's best for our country, our military or our troops, whether straight or gay.

Continue reading this post at HuffingtonPost.com . . .

(Photo by Melina Mara for The Washington Post)

PFLAG Rallies for Our Families in Baltimore County!

Mark Patro, president of PFLAG Baltimore County, shared this with us today. Two days ago the vehemently anti-gay "Westboro Baptist Church" took to the streets around Towson High School to protest... well, pretty much everything, including LGBT-inclusion and the high school's gay-straight alliance (GSA).
You can read the write up in the student newspaper here, which includes a video of the event. Mark also shared his observations of the community turn-out to counter the hateful messages with messages of PFLAG love...




Monday, March 30th, a Rally took place in Towson, Maryland (Baltimore County) in support of Towson High School's GSA & Diversity Club. Our PFLAG Baltimore County group was joined by some others from PFLAG Bel Air, PFLAG Columbia and several religious community groups. There were members from Towson Unitarian Universalist Church, Bel Air Unitarian Universalist Church and Govans Presbyterian, to name a few. These are all LGBT welcoming and supportive congregations. The Queer Student Alliance from Towson University represented the largest (and loudest) contingent of supporters. Some PFLAG Baltimore County members worked with the peace-keeping Silent Witness PA group, and some of us held signs promoting PFLAG Baltimore County.

The positive energy generated by this event was at moments personally overwhelming. My realization that “Hope is Alive” was drastically reinforced but the tremendously positive turnout on Monday. I now have great confidence in our future. The negative message of the [Westboro Baptist]church was represented by a meager six or eight individuals. I am estimating the
crowd of our supporters to have been in the hundreds. Towson Times estimated the crowd to be 250, but in my judgment it appeared to be closer to 400... either way our supporters greatly out numbered our detractors!

I am very proud to be a part of PFLAG Baltimore County. I am also very proud of each and every one our members. We are a small (40) but growing group. With continued participation and interaction with our community we will grow this organization into a very influential support mechanism for LGBT children and their parents and friends in Maryland.

Now More Than Ever: A Message from Jody Huckaby

Dear PFLAG Family and Friends,

In the weeks and months following the passage of Proposition 8 in California – and after voters in Florida, Arkansas and Arizona enshrined discrimination in their state laws, too – something remarkable began to happen: The phones at PFLAG began to ring off the hook, and our email boxes filled up to capacity. From California to Florida and everywhere in-between, Americans were turning to PFLAG as a resource for turning our disappointment into opportunity.

Since PFLAG was founded in 1972, we have often been the only supportive resource for families in small communities across the country. And, every year, more and more people turn to PFLAG not only for support when a loved one comes out . . . but also to learn how they can stand up for their own families and move equality forward for those they love. So it’s no wonder that, after suffering disappointing losses during Election 2008, those who were emboldened to take action turned to PFLAG first.

Since Election Day 2008, PFLAG National has received more than 75 requests, from communities coast-to-coast, about bringing a PFLAG chapter to town.

We have received inquiries about starting new chapters in states such as Mississippi, Alabama, Ohio, Florida, California, Utah, Texas and Idaho, among others. In Texas alone, a half-dozen people have expressed an interest in organizing a local PFLAG presence and at least four inquiries have come from California. And already, new chapters are blossoming in their hometowns, and doing extraordinary work to change hearts and minds, and enlist new allies.

In Terre Haute, Indiana, local columnist Stephanie Salter recently wrote that, “PFLAG Terre Haute can’t get rolling soon enough.” And in Tulare and Kings County, California – where Proposition 8 was overwhelmingly favored by voters – the local PFLAG chapter also appeared in their hometown paper, which noted that the chapter “was founded eight months ago, and now has 22 members. About 40 people attend monthly meetings, which are every third Sunday of the month.” That coverage followed a profile, just days earlier, of Kathy Reim, a PFLAG Regional Director, in The Skagit Valley Herald, which referred to Reim as “a champion for diversity,” who “is well-known in Skagit County for her efforts to promote tolerance and fight discrimination.”

Those are just three examples of the power – and people – of PFLAG. And just imagine the impact of the larger PFLAG family - which is nearly 500 chapters and more than 200,000 supporters strong – in cities and towns across the country!

Because of your support, PFLAG National was able to stand with our Norman, Oklahoma, chapter when it recently called out a local school district for cancelling a school project centered around The Laramie Project. Your help enabled us to bring retired Air Force Colonel Dan Tepfer to Washington, as he joined other veterans from across the country at the U.S. Capitol to call for repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” And your commitment to PFLAG’s work ensured that our Cultivating Respect program to create safe schools made headlines in Colorado Springs – the home of the anti-LGBT group Focus on the Family – ahead of our training taking place there this month.

In short, your involvement in PFLAG ensures that PFLAG has the resources to get involved when and where we’re needed most. And, judging from the recent spike in calls about new chapters, PFLAG is needed now more than ever.

Here are some of the other initiatives PFLAG is involved with, both nationally and in communities across the country:

• We recently released Welcoming Our Transgender Family & Friends, a new publication that includes insights from the parents of trans children, professional viewpoints from experts on gender issues, and information on terminology. To download a free .pdf copy of this ground-breaking publication, click here.
  
  
  
• In Chicago, The Tribune profiled Lee Neubecker – son of PFLAG National Vice-President and RDC Chair Mike Neubecker – in a comprehensive story about marriage equality. The full story, which also includes an online video exploring the arguments for and against marriage equality, can be found online here.
  
  
• PFLAG also enlisted its newest straight ally – Prayers for Bobby actor Scott Bailey – in our work to move equality forward. Scott recently sat down with Ambiente Magazine to talk about his work on the film and his passion for PFLAG. To read the full interview, visit Ambiente online.
  
  
• We launched the first in an on-going series of PFLAG Updates with The Derek and Romaine Show on Sirius OutQ radio. Colonel Dan Tepfer spoke with the radio hosts about his work to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and other PFLAG spokespeople will be on the air, discussing our work, in the months ahead.
  
  
• We blogged on HuffingtonPost about the change PFLAG families are making the heartland, noting that, as President Obama has told the country, “Change doesn’t come from Washington, it comes to Washington.”
  
  
• We spoke with South African activist Christina Engela about her work on equality efforts there, and the alarming rise of “ex-gay” ministries on the African continent. To read the full interview, visit the PFLAG Blog.
  
  
  
• We spoke to BlogTalk Radio hostess Norma Stanley about PFLAG’s work to support families and advance equality for LGBT people. To listen to the full, archived interview, visit Norma’s website online.
  
  
• And we took Cultivating Respect, our safe schools training program, to California, where our Safe Schools Coordinator, Suzanne Greenfield, noted that, “over 35 smart, caring, funny, and dedicated members”showed up to learn more about speaking out in their local school districts.

None of this extraordinary work would be possible without the passion, generosity and commitment of each member of our PFLAG family. So, if you haven’t yet done so, please join PFLAG National as an official member or renew your membership for 2009, or renew your membership in your local chapter.

Your support makes all the difference in our work to move equality forward, and as we’ve seen in the months since Election Day 2008, your participation matters now, more than ever.

Thank you for being part of our family!

Sincerely,

Jody M. Huckaby
Executive Director

P.S.: Be sure to tune in on Sunday, April 19th as Lifetime Television re-broadcasts Prayers for Bobby, the critically acclaimed film, based on Leroy Aaron’s book, about PFLAG mom Mary Griffith. For more information, visit the official Prayers for Bobby website!

PFLAG Joins Calls to Halt Deportation of Lesbian Mom

PFLAG has joined our friends at Immigration Equality in calling on Congress to intervene and halt the deportation of Shirley Tan, a mother of twin sons who faces deportation, this Friday, back to the Philippines . . .where she has not lived for decades and was previously the victim of horrific violence.

Tan, who has been with her partner Jay Mercado for 20 years, would be allowed to stay in the United States if Mercado were her husband, rather than her same-sex partner. But under U.S. immigration law, Tan is now facing the real possibility of being separated from Mercado and their two sons . . . simply because Tan and Mercado happen to be gay.

In an interview with Advocate.com, Rachel Tiven, executive director of Immigration Equality, said that “We are hopeful their members of Congress will introduce a private bill that would spare their twin boys and the boys’ grandmother from having the country they love tear their family apart.”

Yesterday, PFLAG joined calls by Tiven's groups for Congress to immediately intervene and pass the bill.

In a letter, PFLAG executive director Jody M. Huckaby noted that, "There is little question that Ms. Tan and her partner, U.S. citizen Jaylynn 'Jay' Mercado, are deeply committed to one another and their family. Together for more than 20 years, Ms. Tan and Ms. Mercado have raised two children and built a loving, stable home in the United States for their family, including Ms. Mercado’s elderly mother. They should be commended – and not punished – for their hard work to keep their family intact."

"We understand that a private bill is Ms. Tan’s only hope for remaining with her family, including her twin sons," Huckaby continued. "Surely, the best interest of these children warrants a private bill to keep their family together. PFLAG believes there is nothing more pro-family than working hard to keep loving families united."

"There is simply no sound reason for the United States to pursue Ms. Tan’s deportation, and two undeniable reasons – their twin sons – about why our country should not," the letter concluded.

For more information on Shirley Tan's case, and other couples impacted by discriminatory U.S. immigration policy, visit Immigration Equality online.