In Brief

Staff Reports

PFLAG Kicks Off Its 40th Anniversary With A Year-Long Look Back at LGBT Equality

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 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people—today kicks 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 where PFLAG started, all that has been achieved, and all that is still to be accomplished to achieve full equality for LGBT people.

The campaign commences with a look back at the pivotal moment that started the organization: PFLAG founder Jeanne Manford’s historic public support of her gay son, Morty. 40 years ago this week, Manford marched at Morty’s side in New York’s Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade after learning of an assault on his life, due to his sexual orientation, while police stood by and did nothing to help him. She 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. Through the next year, this 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.

The organisation's National President, Rabbi David M. Horowitz, said; “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. 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.”

“Much has changed since 1972,” agreed PFLAG National Executive Director Jody M. Huckaby. “Then, roughly three-quarters of the U.S. population deemed homosexuality morally wrong, vicious attacks on LGBT people were commonplace, and the idea of equality for gays and lesbians was a radical notion.”

Huckaby looks forward to this yearlong celebration of PFLAG. “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. Each day we hear stories about the importance of PFLAG’s unique family and ally voice in moving equality forward—even our nation’s President attributed his evolution on marriage equality to conversations he had with parents, families, and allies of LGBT people—and in our hundreds of chapters across the country, we see the impact our members’ unique voices are having in changing hearts and minds.”

LAPD Pride

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- The Los Angeles Police Department celebrated Pride 2012 by changing the banner on the department's website to reflect what LAPD spokesman Lieutenant Andy Neiman called, "Our commitment to diversity and equality."

In a phone conversation Friday, Neiman told LGBTQNation that the department regularly will showcase a cause, organisation or a group's heritage in its banner as part of an ongoing commitment to the communities in the City of Los Angeles that the police department serves.

Neiman also said that LAPD Police Chief Charlie Beck has made it his priority to work with the LGBT community, resolving issues before they become problematic as well as address issues and concerns of the city's gay community. Neiman mentioned that Chief Beck was recently given an award for his work in establishing excellent relations with the LGBTQ community.

"The Chief has a firm commitment for equality for all LGBTQ people," Neiman said, "The banner is just an example of that commitment." He added that it is also a way for the department to acknowledge and show support for its Gay & Lesbian officers.