I always find it encouraging to see such reports in government controlled newspapers as they suggest changing attitudes in China, at least among the government censors, in a country were LGBTQ issues are still largely closeted.

Q.

“Some of our children have been living with their partners for nearly 10 years. They love each other. But they cannot sign their names legally when their partners need an operation,” said the letter, which was written by PFLAG China (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays of China) and represented more than 100 gay parents.

Ma Yu Yu (L) and Elsie Liao kiss outside a marriage registry office before being denied, in Beijing, Feb 25, 2013. [Photo/CFP]

The organization said it will communicate with deputies from South China’s Guangdong province who are able to promote the legalization of gay marriage during the NPC this year.

The letter underlines the problems that gay couples in China face, such as adoption, inheritance and purchasing properties. It calls for early amendment of the Marriage Law to include the right of marriage for gays.

PFLAG China is a non-profit organization promoting understanding between homosexuals and their families, eliminating discrimination against gays and advocating equal civil rights for them. It was founded in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong in June 2008.

(via Rachel Maddow: Jeanne Manford, model for parental love)

Rachel Maddow eulogizes Jeanne Manford, founder of PFLAG, who recently passed away.

Q.

The Story of PFLAG as told by President Obama (by pflagatl)

PFLAG founder Jeanne Manford passed away at the age of 92. RIP

Q.

The director of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) China has confronted the national adoption agency about a message on their website that says they don’t allow gay couples to adopt because homosexuality is a ‘mental illness’.

Homosexuality was removed from the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders in 2001, and PFLAG China said the message is ‘very offensive and disciminating’.

PFLAG China’s director Ah Qiang brought attention to China Center of Adoption’s statement via Weibo (China’s Twitter) on Saturday (3 November), saying:

‘The adoption center should remove the message. They must stop the spread of discrimination against gay people.’

Ah Qiang’s original message has been forwarded nearly 3,000 times and nearly 600 people have made overwhelmingly supportive comments on the post.

PFLAG China project manager Rachel Lin told Gay Star News:

‘We’ve initiated this public advocacy campaign to tell people that LGBT parents can raise their children just as well as straight couples. What matters most for the healthy growth of children is a harmonious and affectionate environment.’

For Chinese parents, finding out that their kid is gay usually presents a major tragedy, with the big majority utterly unable to accept the homosexuality of their son or daughter.

However, during recent years a fresh rainbow wind has been blowing over the Chinese mainland: a pioneer generation of Chinese parents has been stepping up and speaking out on their love for their gay kids.

This documentary features 6 mothers from all over China, who talk openly and freely about their experiences with their gay and lesbian children. With their love, they are giving a whole new definition to Chinese-style family bonds.

Director: Fan Popo

Production: Queer Comrades, PFLAG China, Beijing Gender Health Education Institute, China Queer Independent Films

Touching tribute.

Q.

Kyan Douglas, who came to fame as the grooming expert on the Bravo makeover series Queer Eye, has shared with his Facebook followers that his mother died on Monday (13 August).

Douglas has written a moving tribute to Judith Elaine Douglas who was just 68 at the time of her death and was clearly close to her TV star son:

‘Mom, in the East they say your mother is your first Guru. You were certainly my first Teacher, but you were also my lullaby singer, my tooth fairy and my Mary Poppins. You were my lunch box-packer, my nurse, and a scout-mother for Troop 23. You were a PFLAG mom when I needed you to be, even though I never had to ask. You were my best cheerleader and probably my best friend. You cleaned, you cooked and you baked cookies, cinnamon rolls and birthday cakes.’

‘God only knows how much you sacrificed. You held me when tears rolled down my face- even as recently as last week. And many times that you will never know about, you were my conscience- my True North regarding right and wrong. You are my Heart and I can’t imagine my life without you; I will miss you until I breathe my last breath. I love you endlessly and always. Kyan.’

PFLAG - San Francisco. We’re you. [HD] (by pflagsf)

Nice PSA from PFLAG-SF.

Q.

(h/t joemygod.blogspot.com)

PFLAG - San Francisco promotes the health and well being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends, through support to cope with an adverse society, education to enlighten an ill-informed public, and advocacy to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. PFLAG SF has been meeting continually since 1976 to provide opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.

Gotta love allies. Happy 40th PFLAG!

Q.

WASHINGTON — PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), the nation’s largest grassroots-based non-profit for families, friends, and straight allies of LGBT people on Friday kicked off its milestone 40th anniversary year campaign, “PFLAG Then & Now…40 Years of Family and Ally Voices.”

The campaign will be a yearlong look at how PFLAG’s unique family and ally voice has been a crucial part of the LGBT movement, where PFLAG started, its achievements and goals toward achieving full equality for LGBT people.

PFLAG was founded in 1972 by Jeanne Manford, who marched along side her gay son Morty in New York’s Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade after watching a TV news report in which Morty was tossed down an escalator during a gay rights protest while New York City Police offices stood by and watched.

Manford was galvanized to take action through a simple act: walking side by side with him in the parade, carrying a sign that read, “Parents of Gays Unite in Support for Our Children.”

The response to Manford was overwhelming and she was begged by participants to speak to other parents and families.

In the year that followed, her grassroots movement spread like wildfire and in 1973 Manford, along with a small group of dedicated parents, founded PFLAG, an organization for parents, families, friends, and straight allies to unite with LGBT people in a shared mission of support, education, and advocacy.

That this movement spread so quickly — long before the age of the internet and mobile phones — was clear evidence of the need for an organization like PFLAG.

“Then, Jeanne had no legal recourse through which she could protect her son. The press refused to listen to her story and the government was silent in response to her calls for justice,” said Rabbi David M. Horowitz, PFLAG’s organization’s National President.

“Now, 40 years later, parents, families, friends, and allies of LGBT people have a voice – in large part thanks to PFLAG and its nearly quarter of a million members and supporters, who work relentlessly to create a society that not only protects the rights of their LGBT loved ones, but also celebrates their diversity and loving relationships,” Horowitz said.

“Jeanne Manford has been called the Mother of the Straight Ally Movement: the simple act of supporting her gay child empowered millions of family members and straight allies to do the same, demonstrating the force that a single voice has to transform the push for acceptance and equality for all,” said PFLAG National Executive Director Jody M. Huckaby.

Today, PFLAG has more than 350 affiliates throughout the United States and 11 other countries.

It Gets Better - Parents of Transgender Children (by itlmedia)

Nice to see another perspective from the It Gets Better folks.

Q.

The first “It Gets Better” video of its kind: Featuring parents from PFLAG’s support group for families of transgender children sharing their personal struggles to understand their child’s needs and find support for both themselves and their families.

WWYD_RTBB.swf (by cnavecchio)

I’m not sure how I feel about these WWYD clips. Ethically, they are playing with peoples emotions under the guise of ‘reality TV’. At the same time, some of them are quite inspiring, including this one with a PFLAG family at the end. Gotta love allies!

Q.

By Zack Ford on Feb 16, 2012 at 1:55 pm

A federal judge has ordered a Missouri school to cease blocking internet content that affirms LGBT people and educates about LGBT identities. The ACLU of Eastern Missouri had filed suit last summer on behalf of PFLAG and other LGBT groups against Camdenton R-III School District for using a website filtering software that blocked access to sites like the “It Gets Better” campaign, The Trevor Project, and the Gay Straight Alliance Network. Sites that condemn LGBT people and promote harmful ex-gay therapy were allowed, however, because they were categorized under “religion” instead of “sexuality.” The judge found that the school’s filter, URL Blacklist, constituted viewpoint discrimination and granted a preliminary injunction. From the ruling:

The record contains direct evidence that Camdenton intended to discriminate based on viewpoint. Superintended Hadfield agreed at the hearing that school board member John Beckett has expressed “concern with students accessing websites saying it’s okay to be gay.” At a public school board meeting, Mr. Beckett stated that “the amended policy may not have gone far enough,” and that he would like to require parental consent before allowing students to access these sites… These statements are direct evidence that Camdenton continued to use URL Blacklist, despite it being ineffective and falling below professional standards, out of an intent to continue to burden websites expressing a positive viewpoint toward LGBT individuals.

Camdenton has 30 days to discontinue its current internet-filter system to comply with the order. As this is only a preliminary injunction, the ACLU’s case against the district will still proceed. In addition, the group’s “Don’t Filter Me” campaign continues to reach out to school districts across the country and encourages them to adjust their settings so as not to censor LGBT-friendly resources.

BENİM ÇOCUĞUM - MY CHILD Trailer (by Can Candan)

Please help us make this film:
Bu filmi bitirmemize destek olun:

indiegogo.com/MY-CHILD-Parents-of-LGBTs-in-Turkey-speak-out


MY CHILD
My Child is a feature documentary film in production, where parents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-gender individuals in Turkey intimately share their experiences with the viewer, as they redefine what it means to be parents, family, and activists in this conservative, homophobic, and trans-phobic society. Expected completion in 2012. Director: Can Candan.

listagfilm.com

To reach LISTAG (Families of LGBTs in Istanbul):
listag.wordpress.com
contactlistag@gmail.com


BENİM ÇOCUĞUM
Benim Çocuğum, çocukları lezbiyen, gey, biseksüel, travesti veya transseksüel olan Türkiyeli bir grup anne ve babanın, içinde yaşadıkları muhafazakar, homofobik ve transfobik toplumda, ebeveyn, aile ve aktivist olmanın ne demek olduğunu yeniden tanımladıkları ve bu özel deneyimlerini seyirci ile samimi bir şekilde paylaştıkları uzun metraj bir belgesel film projesidir. Yönetmenliğini Can Candan’ın üstlendiği filmin 2012’de tamamlanması planlanmaktadır.

listagfilm.com

LISTAG (LGBTT Aileleri İstanbul Grubu)’na ulaşmak için:
listag.wordpress.com
contactlistag@gmail.com