PFLAG Eugene-Springfield Oregon

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2012-01-18T22:11:00.000-08:00

PFLAG Eugene/Springfield is now on Twitter. Come follow us for updates. @PFLAGes

2012 Youth Scholarship!

2012-01-18T22:03:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone! The PFLAG Eugene/Springfield Chapter is proud to announce it will sponsor a LGBTQ local PFLAG Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 for a Lane County High School senior graduating in 2012. In order to qualify applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

ELIGIBILITY

• Self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or as a straight ally
• Be a senior graduating and beginning higher education for the first time in 2012
• Demonstrate interest in service/support to the LGBTQ community
• Have applied to an accredited higher education institution

SCHOLARSHIP REQUIREMENTS

• Official High School Transcript and list of current classes
• Completed PFLAG Eugene/Springfield application form and essay
• Two letters of recommendation (in sealed envelopes)
• Sign and complete the release form
• Recent photograph

All scholarship applications must be postmarked by April 1, 2012 to be considered. All application and materials must be sent together in one packet to PFLAG Eugene/Springfield. Please send all materials to:

PFLAG Eugene/Springfield Scholarship Review Committee

P.O Box 11137

Eugene, OR 97440

We are excited to be able to offer this scholarship to Eugene and Springfield's youth. The application can be downloaded at: http://www.box.com/s/a5e1b158v2b9574q6otd.

Good luck!

Help support the National Movement for the Freedom to Marry!

2011-03-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, March 16th, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Barney Frank (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jared Polis (D-CO), David Cicilline (D-RI), and John Conyers (D-MI), announced the re-introduction of the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 1116) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Additionally, for the first time ever, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced a companion bill (S. 598) in the U.S. Senate. The bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and restore the rights of all lawfully married couples - including same-sex couples - to receive the benefits and responsibilities of marriage under federal law. The legislation would also provide married same-sex couples with over 1,100 federal benefits even if they moved to a state that does not recognize their marriage. Currently Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia all recognize same-sex marriages.

Please take action today by emailing your Congress Members and urging them to respect ALL marriages by cosponsoring the Respect Marriage Act (H.R.1116/S. 598) today!

Find Your Congress Member. To learn the name of your U.S. House Representative and your U.S. Senators, go to http://capwiz.com/pflag/dbq/officials/and enter your address, or call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your U.S. House Representative or your U.S. Senators.

Express Your Support! Send an email to your Congress Members.

Keep PFLAG Updated. Let us know how your phone conversation or meeting went. Send an e-mail to Rhodes Perry, PFLAG National's Associate Director of Policy and Programs.

Thank you for moving equality forward!

Scholarship Time!!

2011-02-10T15:48:00.000-08:00

Every year at PFLAG Eugene/Springfield we want to honour our students for their hard work and commitment to advancing the lives of LGBT folks. This scholarship is open to self identified LGBT students as well as straight allys! I encourage you to apply. You can follow the link here, http://www.box.net/shared/amfh2g8f1e or simply download it from the side bar on the left!

We look forward to your application

A Call to Action From PFLAG National

2010-11-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

This week marks the beginning of the Senate's lame-duck session. During this period, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to bring the defense spending bill --- with language to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" --- back to the Senate for a vote. The opposition has already stated that they wish to strip this language from the bill. Time is of the essence, and we must continue to work hard in one final push to repeal DADT, which will enable lesbians, gays and bisexuals to serve openly in our military. Repeal is only possible if we can achieve a filibuster-proof majority of 60 votes.

We can only succeed with your help! Please be sure to take action today!

Timing is critical, so let us work hard to make sure that the Veterans Day we celebrated last week is the last one where Don't Ask, Don't tell is in effect.

Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard today and ask to be patched through to your Senators' offices. If you don't know who your senators are, please click here to access our action alert center http://capwiz.com/pflag/home/.

When you get your Senators on the line, please be sure to state that it's time to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" once and for all, and urge them to pass the defense spending bill -- with language repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell -- and stand up for all servicemembers to serve openly and authentically. It's just that easy! Please call the switchboard today at 202-224-3121!

Thank you for taking the time to move equality forward!

Fantastic Article from the Register Guard by local PFLAG Mom

2010-11-10T12:27:00.000-08:00

We can make it better for gay and lesbian youth right now

By Victoria Koch

Read the story here or scroll down

When a child falls down and scrapes her knee, it’s a mother who wants to pick her up and make it better. I’m a mother, and all I’ve ever wanted in raising my daughter is for her to be happy, healthy and a believer in who she is, no matter what.

When my 13-year-old daughter came out to me as a lesbian, I immediately drew her to me with a resounding embrace of love. I lauded her for being her individual self no matter the consequences — but I worried about the road she would walk through our culturally conformist, at times discriminatory, society.

I became a Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays mother (a group that also welcomes parents and friends of bisexuals, transsexuals and queers). A PFLAG mother is a lion par excellence: I am not timid about roaring for my daughter’s rights and coming to the defense of the beautiful person she is.

With the rash lately of LGBTQ youth suicides, my heart has been aching. I want to take each LGBTQ youth into my embrace and tell them we mothers can make it better.

Seattle activist Dan Savage started an incredible Internet project called “It Gets Better” (www.itgetsbetterproject.com) where LGBTQ adults and their allies discuss the bullying they experienced in middle and high school. They say that if each person just sticks around and gets through this phase of his or her life, it will get better.

But I’m impatient. I want to shout out to everyone that we can and must make it better for these precious LGBTQ human beings.

My daughter grew up in Eugene. She attended Spencer Butte Middle School, a “racism and discrimination free zone,” and South Eugene High School, known for its liberal, open student body. She told me stories about hearing people say “fag” and “that’s so gay” up and down the Spencer Butte hallways. She and a friend (who happened to be a girl) frequently hung out together and were derogatorily labeled as “lesbians.” At South she heard the same words and put-downs.

Let’s begin locally with creating safe school environments for all minorities including LGBTQ youth. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (www.glisen.com) has created a safe school kit (I sent one to Spencer Butte) and encourages “Say Another Word” campaigns.

My daughter had her family’s love, acceptance and support. That is a key component in making it better for LGBTQ youth. But unfortunately, not every family is accepting or tolerant.

PFLAG has both national and local organizations, and is a community that loves each and every LGBTQ young person and adult. On the local PFLAG blog site (pflag-es.blogspot.com), parents can find out about a support group for parents of LGBTQ children, plus scan a list of 10 ways to make your school safer. LGBTQ Youth can find out about supportive resources.

One such resource was invaluable for my daughter as she made her “queer” way from age 14 to 18. This PFLAG sponsored LGBTQ Youth Support Group meets weekly from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Amazon Community Center. This group, which has been in existence for more than 10 years, has beyond a doubt, prevented many LGBTQ youth suicides locally.

My daughter went through and came out the other side of adolescent depression because of this group, which treasured the strength of who she is. She became an out-loud and out-proud teenager who helped facilitate her high school’s “Day of Silence” and started what she called a weekly Pride Club at South Eugene High School.

Every local high school needs to have a Gays and Friends Alliance, so check yours and make sure it has one. All it takes is one sponsor teacher and some students dedicated to non-discrimination for such a pride group to begin.

In Eugene we have a tendency to complacently believe that we are tolerant, fair and just. But beatings and bullying of LGBTQ youth and adults happen right here in River City, my friends.

Let’s be the community we know we can be. Let’s not wait for it to get better for our African-American, Hispanic, Muslim or LGBTQ youth. Let’s cherish each and every individual no matter their skin color, their gender, their sex, their religious faith.

Let’s bend down, pick each kid up and tell them we’re going to make it all better.

Victoria Koch of Eugene is a member of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

10 Ways to make your school safer!

2010-10-19T18:48:00.000-07:00

Here at Eugene Springfield PFLAG we beleive that every child should have the right to THRIVE at school and not merely survive.

As PFLAG Eugene Springfield mourns the tragic deaths of Caleb Nolt, Felix Sacco, Raymond Chase, Harrison Chase Brown, Asher Brown, Tyler Clementi, Seth Walsh, Cody J. Parker, Billy Lucas, Justin Aaberg, along with the countless number of other young people who have suffered from relentless anti-LGBT bullying, harassment, and discrimination – we find ourselves searching for more ways to end this trend. Sadly we know all too well that before taking their lives, these young people endured years of anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and discrimination that went unchecked by school officials.

In response to these recent tragedies, and in honor of National Safe Schools Day, we urge you to take action at your school to prevent youth suicide by stopping anti-LGBT bullying today!

We call on you to work in coalition with students, teachers, and other school officials to put an end to anti-LGBT bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Below are 10 simple actions you can take to help build safer schools for all students:

Top 10 Ways To Make Schools Safer:

1. Claim Your Rights. It’s critical that school community members know their federal civil rights, especially when they live in states and school districts that lack explicit LGBT anti-bullying protections. Be sure to check out PFLAG’s Claim Your Rights Resource Center, to learn about ways you can report unchecked bullying, harassment and discrimination.

2. Call Congress. Call your Congress Members and ask them to co-sponsor the federal Student Non-Discrimination Act and the Safe Schools Improvement Act. Click here to find your Members of Congress and make the call today!

3. Plan a PFLAG Meeting. Organize a PFLAG meeting to discuss what your members can do to prevent bullying and suicide at your school. If you need some ideas on what to include in your program, please contact our Safe Schools Coordinator for ideas.

4. Organize a Candlelight Vigil. Work with your chapter members along with other community organizations to honor students like Asher Brown, Tyler Clementi, Seth Walsh, Billy Lucas, Justin Aaberg, and other young people who have died because of unchecked anti-LGBT bullying.

5. Plan School-Wide Activities. There are simple and important ways to educate the school community about why respect for everyone must be the rule, and not the exception, to address bullying in your school communities. Please contact our Safe Schools Coordinator for specific ideas.

6. Train and Educate Everyone. Ask for school faculty to be trained to repond to bullying in the most effective, helpful way. To learn more about PFLAG’s Cultivating Respect Training Program please click here.

7. Set the Policy. Work with school officials to strengthen your school's policies on bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Please review PFLAG’s model policy.

8. Make a video. Similar to Dan Savage’s “It Gets Better Campaign,” consider making a video to tell the world what you're doing to make your school safer. Upload your video to YouTube and send the link to our Safe Schools Coordinator so that we can publicize it!

9. Write an Op-Ed. Consider writing an Op-Ed to your local newspaper to educate your community about the impact of anti-LGBT bullying, and the remedies to help build safer schools for all students. For ideas on what to include in your op-ed, please visit our advocacy and issues webpage.

10. Know the Resources. Make sure school community members know that they can call 1-800-4U-TREVOR, a suicide prevention hotline, and be sure to share other community resources for young people who are looking for additional help, support and information.

Please contact our local office if you have any questions.

In solidarity!
JJ

It's time for our annual PIZZA FUNDRAISER!!

2010-10-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

It would be great to see our wonderful PFLAG community, and who doesn't love pizza?

Jimena Navarrete, Miss Universe Supports Marriage Equality

2010-09-08T00:12:00.000-07:00

Move over, Carrie Prejean — a new pageant winner is sharing her views on marriage equality.

Last week, Jimena Navarrete of Jalisco, Mexico was crowned Miss Universe. On the night of the pageant, she was asked a question about children and internet access, to which she responded, “I do believe that Internet is an indispensable, necessary tool for the present time…[but] We must be sure to teach them the values that we learned as a family.” The term “family values” is one often used by opponents of marriage equality, but as it turns out, that interpretation is far from what Navarrete meant.

This week, on a Mexican radio program, Navarrete spoke out in support of LGBT rights and marriage equality:

Look, I believe that every person in this world has the right to profess the beliefs they have and I am in agreement. We have to respect what each human being decides to do with their lives, you know? Clearly, there are limitations, of course, also, as there are with heterosexual couples, right? Better said, there are limitations for any of the two – if they are heterosexual or homosexual – but I believe we have to learn to be respectful because they are people who are the same as us. There is no difference. And I don’t believe it’s just to discriminate somebody based on the gender they prefer, right? Based on the partner they choose to select, if it’s a man or a woman. The truth is that I am absolutely against discrimination and, well, what can I say. I have many friends who are homosexual and I adore them. And they are equal folk: There is no reason we should want to set them aside, there is no reason why we shouldn’t let them enjoy what they want to enjoy with their partner.

Though Navarrete is not an official spokesperson for her country (nor can any one person ever be expected to speak on behalf of an entire nation), her statement does reflect Mexico’s progressive views on LGBT rights. Over the past decade, Mexico has made steady advances in securing rights for LGBT people; in 2010 alone, Mexico City legalized marriage equality and Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that all states must recognize marriages performed in the capital.

The Miss Universe Organization prides itself on encouraging the growth of young women “as individuals, who compete with hope of advancing their careers, personal and humanitarian goals, and as women who seek to improve the lives of others.” There are many good reasons to oppose beauty pageants, but I do think the Miss Universe Organization’s stated goal is an admirable one. Moreover, I think Navarrete’s statement on marriage equality is a great example of that goal fulfilled. For better or worse, beauty pageant winners are role models for young girls, and the fact that the current Miss Universe is a supporter of LGBT equality will send the message that all people — regardless of sexual or gender identity — deserve equal rights. I hope Navarrete continues to use her platform to support LGBT rights and equality for all in general.

Contributed by by Carrie Polansky

Stanford Study Examines Role of Gay Parents, Finds No Disadvantage to Children

2010-09-03T01:14:00.000-07:00

By mining data from the 2000 Census, sociologist Michael Rosenfeld figured out the rates at which kids raised by gay and straight couples repeated a grade during elementary or middle school. He found that children of same-sex parents have essentially the same educational achievement as their peers growing up in heterosexual households.

In nearly every discussion, debate or lawsuit about gay marriage, the talk at some point turns to family values.

Do gay couples make for good parents? Will their children – whether adopted, conceived with the help of a surrogate or brought in from a pre-existing relationship – adjust, adapt and succeed in a world dominated by traditional families?

The answers usually depend on who's giving them, and come dressed in anecdotes and colored by bias. But Stanford sociologist Michael Rosenfeld brings something new to the conversation: facts and figures derived from the country's largest data bank – the U.S. Census.

In a study published this month in the journal Demography, Rosenfeld concludes that children being raised by same-sex couples have nearly the same educational achievement as children raised by married heterosexual couples.

By mining data from the 2000 Census, Rosenfeld was able to figure out the rates at which children in all types of families repeated a grade during elementary or middle school. According to his findings, nearly 7 percent of children raised by heterosexual married couples were held back a year, while about 9.5 percent of children living with adults identifying themselves as same-sex partners repeated a grade.

The difference between the groups pretty much vanishes when taking into account that the heterosexual couples were slightly more educated and wealthier than most gay parents, Rosenfeld said.

"The census data show that having parents who are the same gender is not in itself any disadvantage to children," he said. "Parents' income and education are the biggest indicators of a child's success. Family structure is a minor determinant."

Rosenfeld's findings have been cited by lawyers fighting Proposition 8, the gay marriage ban passed by California voters in 2008. A federal court judge recently overturned the ban, but his ruling is under appeal.

Rosenfeld's study shows that children of gay and married couples had lower grade-repetition rates than their peers raised by opposite-sex unmarried couples and single parents. And all children living in some type of family environment did much better than those living in group housing. Those who were awaiting adoption or placement in a foster home were held back about 34 percent of the time.

"One of the fundamental issues in modern family law that differs from state to state is whether same-sex couples can adopt," Rosenfeld said. "My research makes clear that there's a huge advantage to kids to be out of the care of the state and into the care of any family, even if the family is not perfectly optimal."

Educators, policymakers and social scientists have long known that children left back in school are at greater risk than their peers for not finishing high school and getting into trouble.

Because gays and lesbians make up such a tiny sliver of the American population – only 1 percent – it has been difficult for researchers to conduct a representative study of how their children perform in the classroom. And gay marriage opponents have criticized earlier studies for having sample sizes that are too small.

"Sample size is power," Rosenfeld said. "And the census is the biggest sample we have. This study is based on a sample of thousands and thousands of kids."

Most personal decisions about gay marriage are based on gut feelings, religious beliefs and individual experiences. Rosenfeld knows his research isn't going to change the minds of most people opposed to same-sex unions. But he has added new data to the debate that helps debunk assertions – whether based on a lack of knowledge or some unfounded fear – that children raised by gay couples cannot thrive.

"Social scientists have an obligation to shed light where they can on issues that are roiling the public," he said. "Sometimes we have to throw up our hands and admit that something is unknowable. But in this case, we could bring some real hard data to bear on an area that was otherwise really in the dark.

Eugene Celebration

2010-09-03T00:25:00.001-07:00

Eugene Celebration was a great success we had over 35 people march with us in the parade and two new memberships. This years theme was Going to the Chapel, at the Celebration we stood shoulder to shoulder with coalition partners Basic Rights Oregon and were well recived by most everyone! It was great to feel so welcomed by the community and to know that they love us as much as we love them! It was great working with BRO volunteers and PFLAG! A great team indeed. Enjoy the photos!

LGBT youth showing their support loud and proud!

Amazing Volunteers!

They really were just married, (not legally, but soon, very soon!)

Proud PFLAG Americans!

Families came out to show their PRIDE!

Another dapper looking family in their wedding gear!

How cute is she?

Thanks again Eugene for a great celebration. Can't wait to see all of your smiling faces next year.

THANK YOU EUGENE

2010-08-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

A huge shout out to all of our volunteers for coming out and marching with us in the Eugene Celebration. I want to extend a big THANK YOU to all of the volunteers who signed up at PRIDE. It is because of your committment and time that we're able to fulfill PFLAG's mission of education, advocacy, and support for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and questioning folks. I'd also like to extend public praise to Kathy for tabling with us for not one but two shifts. Remember, PFLAG LOVES YOU!
Risa, one of our awesome volunteers at PRIDE.

Coalition Partner throws Party

2010-08-16T19:38:00.001-07:00

Hey Pflaggers, our coalition partners at Basic Rights Oregon are throwing thier annual Garden Party at the home of Amy Beller and Kate MacQueen. At this event Executive Director Jeana Frazzini will speak about Basic Rights Oregon's efforts to spark meaningful dialogue around marriage equality, as well as our work to empower dynamic young leaders, build strong alliances across the state and advance inclusive healthcare for transgender Oregonians.

Find our more here

https://equalityfederation.salsalabs.com/o/35028/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=144

Hope to see you there

Great article in the Oregonian about Basic Rights Oregon and the fight for marriage equality

2010-07-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

If you live in Oregon and oppose same-sex marriage, gay-rights supporters will be trying to change your mind -- and ultimately reverse a state ban on gay marriage -- with a three-week advertising campaign.

Basic Rights Oregon, the state's largest gay-rights group, last week began airing 30-second ads on various cable television stations covering Ashland, Cottage Grove, Florence, Eugene, Corvallis, Albany and Coos, Clatsop and Washington counties. The ads are expected to cost several hundred thousand dollars and reach about 300,000 people.

In addition, the group is mailing 50,000 brochures to households within those areas that explain why gay and lesbian couples want to marry.

"Our hope is to reach many more people with the message and continue to inspire those one-on-one conversations that we feel are critical to building understanding and support for the freedom to marry," said Jeana Frazzini, executive director of Basic Rights Oregon.

The ad campaign is part of the group's larger sustained effort, now in its second year, to persuade more Oregonians to support making gay marriage legal, as it is now in five states and the District of Columbia. The group has been sending staff and supporters to meet with churches and civic groups and to knock on people's doors.

Basic Rights has said it will try as early as 2012 to put an initiative on the ballot that would ask Oregon voters to lift the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage that they approved by passing Measure 36 in 2004.

But for now, activists want to foster a conversation with Oregonians outside the heat of a campaign, Frazzini said.

"The goal is to convey that marriage matters," she said. "Gay and lesbian couples want to be able to join in civil marriage and make lifetime commitments to the persons they love."

Recent national polls show a slim majority of Americans, between 51 and 54 percent, oppose gay marriage compared with 59 to 76 percent six years ago when Oregon banned it.

In 2007, the Legislature approved a domestic partnership law that gives same-sex couples most of the state benefits and responsibilities of marriage. But many gay couples argue that the legal partnerships still deny them federal recognition and the full social status of marriage.

Basic Rights' advertising campaign includes a 31-second video that opens with soft guitar music and the faces of Roger and Jeannie Woehl. "We've been married for 27 years," says Roger.

The scene shifts to Gina Diaz and Regina Perata, a lesbian couple who've been together 10 years, followed by Antoinette and Keith Edwards, married 31 years, and Eugene Woodworth and Eric Marcoux, partners for 57 years.

As the ad closes, Keith Edwards says, "No one should be treated differently for any reason." Jeannie adds, "Love is love, you know. It belongs to everybody."

What the ad doesn't tell you is that the Edwards have a son who is gay and lives in Portland.

"Being African American, we're very familiar with discrimination and being treated differently," said Keith Edwards, a 61-year-old electrician. "I hope people will be able to look at things from a different perspective and realize, 'There, but for the grace of God, go I.' My son once made the statement, 'Why would I choose to be this way?'"

Another ad features a video of a married couple from Happy Valley who cite the Golden Rule as they explain why they support gay marriage.

"I would absolutely not want anyone to tell me that I could not get married," says the wife.

Basic Rights has posted additional videos online at MarriageMattersOregon.org.

Tim Nashif, political director for the Oregon Family Council, a statewide Christian-based network that helped pass Measure 36, said Basic Rights did its research for the ad campaign.

"They framed in some arguments that would move the voters," he said, "but that doesn't make their arguments true."

Nashif challenged claims in the group's direct-mail brochure that say gay marriage would be civil and not affect religious marriages. The law makes no such distinction, he said, and legalizing same-sex marriage could legally force churches opposed to it to marry gay couples.

Frazzini disagreed. Churches could not legally be forced to marry gay couples, she said.

In any case, Nashif said that when Basic Rights makes a move to challenge the state ban on same-sex marriage, his group will "fight just as hard as we did last time."

Volunteers and staff members for Basic Rights have been canvassing neighborhoods this summer and last to engage in one-on-one conversations with residents about why marriage matters to gay couples.

Last Tuesday evening, Demi Espinoza, 26, field organizer for Basic Rights, and Donnella Wood, 41, a volunteer and Portland movement therapist and educator, split up and knocked on doors in Tigard.

Wood says she wants to tell people why it's important for her and her partner, Jill Weir, 40, a Camp Fire Girls executive, to marry.

"When people know people who are gay and lesbian and see them in committed relationships, that is when hearts and minds change," she says.

At the second house she approaches, Wood finds a woman who is willing to talk. They have a friendly conversation, but the woman says her religious beliefs conflict with gay marriage.

"We're probably not going to move her," Wood says later.

She has a 15-minute conversation with a young college student at the next house. He argues that marriage is a spiritual pact between two people and God and should have nothing to do with the state.

Next Wood finds Jonathan Yates outside by his pickup after feeding the limbs of a termite-infested apple tree through a shredder. The 36-year-old delivery driver needs no persuading.

"If two people want to get married," he says, "that really is not much of my business." --

2010-06-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

It's time for Basic Rights Oregon's 11th Annual Bites for Rights Event!

On Thursday, June 24th, restaurants, coffee shops, bars and bakeries around the state will donate a generous percentage of their day's proceeds to Basic Rights Oregon. On this one day, you can feast to promote fairness for all LGBT Oregonians.

We invite you to dine out all day long and turn your restaurant habit into a political act.

Visit as many places as you can and be sure to thank the restaurants for their participation before you leave. A full list of participants can be found at www.bitesforrights.com. Please contact Ellen Flenniken atEllen@basicrights.org or 503.222.6151 x118 for more details.

Eighty restaurants have agreed to participate in this year's Bites for Rights-so you shouldn't have any trouble finding a delicious destination.

The restaurants in Eugene that are participating are

Poppi's

Sweet Life

Morning Glory

PFLAG needs your help to end discrimination

2010-05-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

5 Things You Can Do TODAY to Help Pass ENDA

Many of you have been working for years to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017). This is important legislation that will make it illegal to discriminate against our loved ones because of their sexual orientation or gender identity in employment.

Most of you have taken action on ENDA in the past, but today, we urgently need your help again. Please take the time RIGHT NOW to do the following five simple things:

1. CALL - You can find your representative's phone number by checking out our Action Center. Once you have the number, call and say, "As a constituent and member of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays - PFLAG - I am calling to ask the representative to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act now." Remember to be polite, but firm.

2. E-MAIL - Access our e-mail action center here. Simply fill out your name and address and an e-mail will automatically be sent to your representatives.

3. SHARE - Forward this action alert to your friends and family. The more responses congress receives the better.

4. CHANGE - Use social media to spread the word. Change your Facebook status to say PASS ENDA NOW! For those of you on Twitter, tweet about passing ENDA today.

5. REPEAT - Even if you have called and e-mailed before, do it again!

Tomorrow, PFLAG will join leaders in Washington, D.C. to demand that Congress vote on ENDA immediately - help support PFLAG's efforts with your voices from the field by taking action right now.

For more information on what is happening with this important legislation read our media advisory and ENDA fact page.

Thank you for helping to move equality forward!

What to say when your teenager says they're Gay, from the WSJ

2010-05-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

What role, if any, should parents and schools play in a child's emerging sexual orientation?

Sparks have been flying around that question this spring.

Early last month, a small group called the American College of Pediatricians (ACP) sent a letter to the nearly 15,000 school superintendents in the U.S., stating that most adolescents who experience same-sex attraction at age 12 no longer do by age 25, and warning that prematurely labeling them could lead some "into harmful homosexual behaviors they otherwise would not pursue." The letter also stated that homosexual attraction and/or gender confusion "can respond well to therapy."

View Full Image

Rogelio V. Solis

Constance McMillen, far right, a Mississippi lesbian teen whose prom was canceled.

Risks of Rejection

An estimated 2% to 7% of U.S. teens are lesbian, gay or bisexual. Of these, those who felt accepted by their families fared better than young adults who felt rejected as adolescents. Young people in the latter group are:

Eight times more likely to attempt suicide.
Six times more likely to suffer depression.
Three times more likely to use illegal drugs.

Three times more likely to engage in unprotected sex.

Source: Family Acceptance Project, San Francisco State University

The far larger American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) posted a statement saying it is in no way affiliated with the ACP and referred schools and parents to its own publications that urge acceptance of gay, lesbian and bisexual youth. (The ACP was founded in 2002 by pediatricians protesting the AAP's support of homosexual parenting.) The National School Boards Association also backed the AAP's position and warned schools not to be confused by the similarly named groups. And several prominent researchers, including geneticist Francis S. Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, accused the ACP of distorting its research to make its case against homosexuality.

Other incidents this spring: One Mississippi high school canceled its prom rather than allow one senior to bring a same-sex date; another refused to let a girl be photographed for the yearbook wearing a tuxedo rather than the customary formal drape, and a group called PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays) distributed fliers advocating sexual-reorientation therapy in some Montgomery County, Md., schools.

Behind all the incidents is the long-running dispute over when and how sexual orientation develops and whether outside influences can affect it.

Where to Find Help

Family Acceptance Projectfamilyproject.sfsu.edu
Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays pflag.org
American Academy of Pediatricshealthychildren.org

While the development of same-sex attraction isn't completely understood, most medical and mental-health professionals have long concluded that being gay is not an illness and that people cannot choose their true sexual orientation. It seems to develop slowly in early childhood; studies show that on average, young people, gay and straight, first become aware of sexual attraction about age 10.

Experimentation is fairly common in adolescents—and sexual activity isn't the same as sexual orientation. According to the AAP, one survey of 13- to 19-year-olds found that 1 in 10 boys and 1 in 17 girls reported having at least one same-sex sexual experience; but most studies estimate that only 2% to 7% of U.S. teens consider themselves lesbian, gay or bisexual.

"By the time children are 11, 12 and 13, they have a very good sense that their sexual orientation may be different from the majority of their friends," says Ellen Perrin, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician at the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. "There is no evidence that people could become gay because of external influences," she adds.

The ACP maintains that homosexual attraction is changeable—and dangerous. ACP President Thomas Benton, a Gainesville, Fla., pediatrician, likens homosexuality to drunken driving: "If I was aware that my teenage son was thinking about getting drunk and operating a car, I'd do everything in my power to prevent him from doing that," he says. Dr. Benton also says that schools "should provide an environment that is safe for all children, but they shouldn't promote an agenda. They shouldn't say, 'Let's have a coming-out party.' "

Dr. Benton declined to say how many members it has; others have estimated about 200. The AAP has 60,000 members.

Dean Byrd, an ACP adviser and past president of National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (Narth), which advocates reorientation therapy, added in an email: "The adolescent brain itself is under construction and very much influenced by experience and environment. There is tremendous danger in labeling—premature labeling of adolescents, primarily because of this fluidity."

Many researchers who have studied gay and lesbian youth agree that they face a higher risk of mental and physical problems, but they content that those problems stem mostly from social stigma and feelings of rejection.

Researchers at the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University have conducted interviews with gay and lesbian youths and their families, studying the impact of rejection or acceptance across several ethnic groups.

In a survey of 224 these young adults aged 21 to 25, published in the journal Pediatrics last year, those who reported high levels of family rejection during adolescence were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide; nearly six times as likely to report high levels of depression; more than three times as likely to use illegal drugs and more than three times as likely to be at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases.

"Families and caregivers have a dramatic and compelling impact on their LGBT children's health, mental health and well-being," says Caitlin Ryan, director of the Family Acceptance Project. She also notes that because gender orientation starts so early, "we tell parents and families that they need to provide a supportive environment for their children before they know who they'll become." If family members make jokes and derogatory comments about people they meet or images on TV, children will internalize those messages and they can have a lasting impact on how they see themselves.

And even in families that don't accept that their children are gay, it's still important to be supportive, Dr. Ryan says. "Teens need to know that they can go to their parents with a problem and their parents won't hate them or hit them and they could talk it through." The group has studied the impact of more than 100 behaviors on LGBT young people. Among those that make them feel most accepted: asking about their interests, welcoming gay friends in the home and finding positive role models.

In some cases, children who grow up believing that homosexuality isn't acceptable may try to deny and ignore their own feelings. "We call it going underground," says Dr. Perrin. "They live that way until they are 30 or 40 and say, 'I just can't do it anymore.' Or maybe some of them their whole life live in a pretend world of not feeling quite right but it's the best compromise they can make to feel accepted."

Groups like Narth cite research that sexual reorientation therapy can be effective, but more mainstream organizations say it can do lasting damage.

"If kids get the message that who they are in unacceptable, then they will carry that scar for the rest of their lives," says Gary Remafedi, a professor of pediatrics at University of Minnesota.

"Telling parents that this is an illness, that they should force their children to seek some cure that doesn't exist is quackery and its malpractice."

Dr. Perrin, who works with some young children with atypical gender interests and behaviors, says she advises parents to support their kids' interests, whatever they are, and try to expand them with gender-neutral activities. "I tell them to not forbid boys from playing with Barbie dolls, and don't excessively encourage playing with Barbie dolls," she says. "I say, we have no idea how your child is going to develop in terms of gender identify or sexual orientation, but in either case, your job is accept whatever your child is and support that development."

If adolescents are confused about their sexual identify, should parents try to help, and how?

Margaret J. Blythe, a professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine and chairwoman of the AAP's committee on adolescents, says she sees many kids who are uncertain about their sexual orientation who have never played out any of their sexual attraction. "They're afraid of being rebuffed, or they know it's a huge risk," she says. "I think these teens are saying, 'Just let me figure it out.' They will. It becomes very apparent to them."

"I often hear them say, 'I knew my son was gay. I just didn't know how to bring it up,' " says Dr. Blythe.

She says she routinely tells adolescent patients that "teens in your age group have questions about whether they are attracted to the same sex, or the opposite sex, and having an attraction doesn't mean you are labeled. Some will automatically say, 'No way. I'm only attracted to girls.' They may come back and talk about it later. You've established a foundation that you're open to talking about it."

Write to Melinda Beck at HealthJournal@wsj.com

Corrections & Amplifications
A. Dean Byrd is the past president of the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality. A previous version of this column identified him as the current president.

Yes, He Did!

2010-04-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

President Obama mandated Thursday that nearly all hospitals extend visitation rights to the partners of gay men and lesbians and respect patients' choices about who may make critical health-care decisions for them, perhaps the most significant step so far in his efforts to expand the rights of gay Americans. - Washington Post

Official Memorandum Here

Human Rights Begin at Home

2010-03-27T01:21:00.000-07:00

Hey PFLAGers! We have 2 AWESOME events, click on the flyer for all the details! PFLAG Eugene Springfield was asked to speak at this amazing event. We will be doing a workshop focused on what it takes to be an Ally as well as an Advocate

What is it?-

Summit Preview Event

Looking at Eugene aLane County Through a

Human Rights Lens

Where is it?

Thursday, April 8

6:30-9:00pm; Studio One, Hult Center

Presentation and panel discussion.

Free event

What is it?

Community Summit

Human Rights

Start at Home

When is it?

Saturday, April 10

9:00am-6:00pm

Lane Community College

Center for Meeting and Learning

$10 registration includes lunch.

Scholarships and bus passes available.

2010-02-13T09:45:00.000-08:00

UO College of Education's

Education Studies Department

Film Series on Sexual Minority Issues in Education

Four documentaries on issues of educational equity for LGBTQ students, staff, and families will be screened with discussion panels associated with each screening. The screenings will take place this spring term on a series of Tuesday evenings, from 6 – 8 p.m.

Any additional co-sponsor financial contributions to this project may be directed to Steve Morozumi at the MCC. (stevenm@uoregon.edu)

Any questions about contributing to this project can be directed to either Steve or to Julia Heffernan or PFLAG. (pflag.es1.@gmail.com) (jheffern@uoregon.edu)

Below is the schedule for the Film Series on Homophobia in Education:
Please self nominate or nominate other community leaders to be on panels during any of these showings.

April 6 Training Rules
6 p.m. Speaker Panel: Athletics, Education, and Homophobia
Panel Anchor: Chicora Martin, Director UO Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Educational and Support Services
7p.m. Film Screening

April 20 It’s Still Elementary
6 p.m. Speaker Panel: Institutional Leadership for LGBTQ Access to Education
Panel Anchor: Jerry Rosiek, Education Studies Department Head
7p.m. Film Screening

May 18 Straightlaced
6 p.m. Speaker Panel: Diversity Positions of Leadership for LGBTQ Access to Education
Panel Anchor: Alison Schmikte, Undergraduate Degree Curriculum Coordinator EDST
7p.m. Film Screening

June 1 Out in the Silence
6 p.m. Speaker Panel: Local Community Leadership for LGBTQ Access to Education
Panel Anchor: Julia Heffernan, LGBTQ Equity in Education Academic
7p.m. Film Screening

PFLAG Supports LGBTQA at U of O

2010-02-02T14:05:00.000-08:00

PFLAG would like to express its concern and care for the LGBTQA and students at the U of O.

In wake of the recent events we here at PFLAG are saddened and dismayed at the hate filled bigortry our students at U of O are having to endure.

I'm sure many of you know that the LGBTQA was recently vandalized and spray painted with hateful symbols. As I've said before, an attack on one is an attack on all of us, this is not a queer issue, but a human issue. Furthermore, all minority students and members of our community are not safe. If this can happen at the U of O, it can happen anywhere in Eugene.

We can not be silenced! Let us come together and resist these terrible acts with love and solidarity. Listed below are some ways you can show your support.

“all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential.”
Harvey Milk

The LGBTQA in conjunction with many other student unions and
organizations on campus has organized several events to respond to
this incident and foster solidarity and unity with the greater campus
and Eugene community.

An Attack on One is an Attack on All.

Help Create a Community United.

Love Will Triumph.

Event Schedule:

---Tuesday, Feb 2-----

*Candlelight Vigil
6pm-7:30pm
LGBTQA and EMU Amphitheater
Meet outside the LGBTQA office at 6pm and the we will march around
campus and reconvene in the EMU Amphitheater for a speakout.

---Wednesday, Feb 3---

*Solidarity March
11:30am-12pm
UO Bookstore and 13th
Meet in front of the UO Duckstore/Bookstore on 13th at 11:30 and march
down 13th to raise awareness of the events that have taken place and
create a safer campus.

*Solidarity Rally
12pm-3pm
EMU Amphitheater
A show of solidarity withing the EMU Amphitheater against hatred and
bigotry on the UO Campus. Listen to speakers and then have a chance to
speak out yourself and create messages and artwork to combat hate and
oppression.

---Thursday, Feb 4---

* Anti-Hate Forum, Part II
5-7pm
Ben Linder Room
More information TBA shortly

---Friday, Feb 5---

*Breaking Bigotry's Protest and Rally
2:30pm
Outside Johnson Hall
More information TBA shortly

Resources for parents, family, and friends

2010-01-16T03:34:00.000-08:00

Parents! Do you know you can call our helpline? (541) 302-4422.

There is a parents-only meeting every month. Call the helpline, and the meeting coordinator will get back to you ASAP.

Also, please click on the Parents Information link on the left side of this page for more information you may find useful.

2010-01-14T01:40:00.000-08:00

Equality California would like you to please sign this simple petition to put your name to and your e-mail address encouraging the President to end legislation discriminating against minorities regarding the CA Proposition 8 federal court challenge.

Thank you for your help!

http://www.eqca.org/obama

PFLAG National Scholarship Program

2010-01-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

The PFLAG National Scholarship Program is offering three scholarships for graduating high school seniors entering higher education for the first time during the 2010 school year!

The deadline to apply for these scholarships is March 12, 2010.

Click Here for more information.

Posadas Celebration

2009-12-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

What: Amigos MSC & Juventud FACETA would like to invite all of you to this year's Celebration of "POSADAS." Come celebrate with us this cultural tradition with food, music, piñatas, presentation and great company.

Where: 21 North Grand St., Eugene

When: December 19, 2009
6:00pm to 9:00pm

You are all invited and welcome to join this multicultural event sponsored by Juventud Faceta - a local youth group that is GLBTQ friendly. The celebration is free and dinner will be served. PFLAG will be there with literature and will join in the festivities. Happy Holidays!

2009-12-06T16:36:00.000-08:00

What: LGBT Movie for December 2009: “Prayers for Bobby”, followed by a discussion

When: December 11, 2009 (Potluck at 6pm; Movie starts at 7pm)

Where: Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene (477 East 40th Ave, Eugene, Oregon)

Cost: Free

Questions? Please contact Nisco Junkins at 541-915-0097 or NiscoHappy@comcast.net

PFLAG Fundraiser

2009-11-09T11:47:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, November 18, from 5-8 pm, any purchase you make at Roaring Rapids Pizza Company will help support the Eugene/Springfield PFLAG. Just say you're from PFLAG, and we will receive a portion of the proceeds.

Roaring Rapids Pizza is at 4006 Franklin Blvd, Eugene, OR

For a Map, Click Here.

We hope to see you there!

November 16-20 Transgender Week of Empowerment

2009-11-08T21:07:00.000-08:00

Monica Helms, transsexual Navy veteran

‘There were a lot of things that got in the way of me realizing what I was’

Published 10.05.09

By Patrick Saunders

BECOMING HERSELF: Monica Helms spent four decades as a man before switching sexes — and finding true confidence.

To read the article follow link

http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/monica_helms_transsexual_navy_veteran/Content?oid=1101224

Membership Time!

2009-11-08T20:59:00.000-08:00

Dear PFLAG Membership, Friends and Supporters;

Thank you for your current and past support of PFLAG. Your support directly relates to the progress and ongoing services that Eugene/Springfield provides. Please consider purchasing or renewing your annual membership at this time. Last year's membership will receive membership renewal cards in the mail this week. Your contributions help us to continue to work towards the objectives of the PFLAG mission: "To promote 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." Again, thank you for your continuing support.

NEW MEMBERS PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND MAIL TO:

PFLAG Eugene/Springfield
P.O. Box 11137
Eugene, OR 97440

MEMBERSHIP FORM

Name:_________________________

_________________________________

Address:________________________________________________________

Phone:___________________________Cell____________________________

Email:___________________________________________________________

Confidentiality is required when mailing or calling? ______yes __________no

Renewal Membership Costs:
(Scholarships are available)

Individual : $30.00

Family: $40.00

Senior/Student/Low Income: $15.00

I would like to contribute an additional amount to the Membership Scholarship Fund: $__________

I would like to contribute to the Eugene/Springfield Annual College Scholarship Fund: $__________

I am interested in volunteering:_________yes __________no

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT,

Christine Tofte
Co-President
Eugene/Springfield PFLAG

Join us at Roaring Rapids Pizza Company, and Help Support PFLAG!

2009-11-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

Q Center Meeting

2009-11-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

There will be a meeting to discuss the future of the Q Center. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend.

The meeting will be held at the Q Center at 1309 Lincoln, Eugene, OR on November 11th at 7:30 PM.

EVAN WOLFSON

2009-10-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

EVAN WOLFSON

Renowned civil rights attorney

Author of "Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People's Right to Marry"

"One of the 100 most influential people in the world." - TIME Magazine

Wednesday, November 4, 6:00

Eugene Public Library, Downtown

FREE

NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY

2009-10-06T00:31:00.000-07:00

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. -Nelson Mandela

Eugene/Springfield PFLAG wish you all a safe, joyous and loved National Coming OUT Day!

2009-10-05T23:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Pflaggers! We have an awesome event we will be tabling and would be delighted to see you there!

What

Cornucopia: CALC's Annual Multicultural Celebration and Fundraising Event

When

Sat Oct 24 6:30pm – Sat Oct 24 10pm

Where

Hilton Hotel, Eugene

Created By

Community Alliance of Lane County Calendar

Description

Join us for this multicultural celebration and fundraiser including an:  Amazing Silent Auction Fabulous Youth Entertainment All the FREE Ice Cream You Can Eat Children's Activities Community Resource Tables more...more....more...

2009 Oregon Safe Schools Training

2009-10-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

October 23 & 24
Eugene, Oregon

What is the Oregon Safe Schools Training?
At this two-day training, groups from all across Oregon come learn about how to make their schools and communities a safer place for gay, straight, bisexual, lesbian, and trans people and their allies. The goal is to inspire you with new ideas and connect you with the resources you need to make a difference in your school and community.

The training will give many ideas and support for how to start a project to make a difference. Plus, any group that submits a report on the progress of its project is eligible to receive a $150 award!

Whether you want to start a new GLBTQ group at your school, get new ideas and support for your GSA, or develop a specific project, the Safe Schools Training is the place for you.

How do I sign up?
To register for the summit, go to http://www.oregonsafeschools.org/ondemand.html
Participants register as teams, usually from specific schools or organizations. Each team should ideally include three-to-five people, with a minimum of one adult and one youth. Please contact us if you are having trouble finding others in your area to join up with.

We hope to see you in Eugene October 23rd and 24th! For more information about the 2009 training, please visit http://www.oregonsafeschools.org or email info@oregonsafeschools.org.

Sponsored by Oregon Safe Schools and Communities Coalition

Co-sponsored by PFLAG Eugene-Springfield and Eugene 4J School District

image provided by http://www.basicrights.org/?p=644

HIV Alliance Red Ribbon Circle Breakfast

2009-10-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

This free breakfast is [the HIV Alliance's] largest fundraiser of the year. We invite you to hear client stories, see a musical performance and hear more about the vital services HIV Alliance provides to the community.

The breakfast will begin promptly at 7:30am and end promptly at 8:30am.

Bring a friend and join us to hear about HIV/AIDS in Lane County and beyond.
If plan to attend, you must register.
We'd love you see you there!

Click here for more information

image provided by http://www.dublinaidsalliance.ie/

Ohio House Passes Anti-Discrimination Law

2009-09-22T16:32:00.000-07:00

[On September 17th], the Ohio House of Representatives passed HB 176, the Equal Housing and Employment Act (EHEA). This law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

This historic vote of 56-38 marked the first time that a pro-LGBT bill passed either chamber of the Ohio Statehouse. The bill now moves to the OH Senate.

The bill passed with the support of all 51 Democrats (there was one abstention) and five Republicans

from PFLAG National

Bringin' love in th' rain

2009-09-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Photo (c) Lawrence Leverone 2009

March with PFLAG in the Eugene Celebration!

2009-08-15T23:37:00.000-07:00

Rachel Maddow, quoted in Pride 09 Magazine: "I do have one problem with Gay Pride, which is that in every Gay Pride I've ever been to, there's the PFLAG contingent, where the parents walk past with the signs that say 'I love my gay [child].' I don't cry. I dissolve. I'm a mess for an hour and can't do anything else and have to go home."

Dear Friends and Allies,

Eugene/Springfield PFLAG invites YOU and your friends and family to march with PFLAG in the Eugene Celebration PARADE! Come and join us on Saturday, September 4th in downtown Eugene at 9:00 am. Meet at the corner of 13th and Pearl between 8:30-9:00. We have props and banners. Just show up for the fun and wear a brightly colored solid t-shirt if you have one. Hope to see you there! Our goal is to have at least 25-30 people marching with us to support the GLBTQ community.

For more info e-mail pflag.es1[at]gmail.com. Thank you for your support! Please forward this information to others on your list-serve and post this invitation to march with PFLAG in the parade on your websites if you are able to.

Thanks!

Chris Tofte
Acting President

Bro Dinner!

2009-08-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 10, 2009
Basic Rights Oregon's 27th Annual Dinner & Auction

The theme of this year's event is Love — a celebration of our love for community, our love for justice, and our love for family.

Click image above for more!

2009-08-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

United Enda

Dear Colleagues:

The United ENDA steering committee is working in coalition with the ACLU to help find stories of employment discrimination against LGBT people, with a special emphasis on those who were discriminated against by government employers. Please help us reach those with stories to share by distributing this ACLU request for stories widely.

Thank you,

Rea Carey and Mara Keisling, United ENDA Steering Committee Co-Chairs

PLEASE FORWARD

Have You Been Fired or Refused a Job By a State or Local Government?

We have a very real chance that LGBT discrimination on the job will finally become illegal throughout the country. Congress is poised to pass and the President Obama has promised to sign a federal bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), that bars workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. But we need your help to persuade lawmakers in Washington that this is a problem that state and local government employees face too. We need to hear from people who wanted to work for a state or local government but have been fired, refused a job or faced harassment because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

We are looking for people from all walks of life and who have held all kinds of jobs including faculty, teachers, and staff at colleges and schools, courts employees, law enforcement and correctional officers, prosecutors, bus drivers, and sanitation workers. If you can prove that you were fired, refused a job or harassed for being LGBT, that's great. But the proof doesn't have to be in writing. It could be something your boss or other employees said to you.

If you have faced this type of discrimination, please take just a few minutes to fill out our online survey at www.aclu.org/endasurvey. If you know someone who has faced this type of discrimination, please send them this e-mail and ask them to fill out the survey.

Your name and contact information will be kept safe with us. We are working with a coalition of other LGBT and civil rights groups and may share your story internally. We will always contact you first for permission if we are interested in using your story in our lobbying and media efforts.

Thank you for taking this important step towards ending discrimination against LGBT people in the workplace.

Take action on ENDA!

2009-08-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Fully-Inclusive ENDA Introduced! Take Action Now!

On August 5, a fully-inclusive version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan Collins (R-ME), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA). The legislation – which boasts bipartisan support – would ban discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

PFLAG and TNET have been long-time supporters of this inclusive bill, and now that it has been introduced, it is the responsibility of our members, supporters, and advocates to keep it alive and moving through the halls of Congress and to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

Now is your chance to be part of the action! Please learn more about ENDA and get involved today. You’ll find some great links to help you get started below:

Want to learn more about other advocacy issues critical to our families? Looking for a step-by-step guide on how to plan and conduct meetings with your legislators? Check out the 2009 edition of PFLAG’s Bringing the Message Home publication today.

From PFLAG's eTransParent: August 2009

PFLAG on the move!

2009-07-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Membership and Supporters,

Summer is an active time for PFLAG and we will be participating in several events and activities in the near future. The first is Eugene/Springfield PRIDE at Alton Baker Park on August 8th. We need folks for tabling so if you are interested contact our volunteer coordinator Doug at thiesen[at]yahoo.com

Next on Sunday, August 16th is our annual PFLAG Family Picnic which is a potluck. More info to come asap confirming time and location.

We will also be tabling at the Eugene Celebration September 4-6th and marching in the parade on September 5th. We need you help tabling and marching with us for this event too! Contact Doug if you would like to volunteer to table or march in the parade. We need as many folks as we can get to march in the parade!

Finally, the PFLAG Board met in July and decided to discontinue the monthly PFLAG General Meetings at the First Congregation Church due to lack of attendance and facilitators. The board did however set a goal to either participate in, or implement quarterly events for the PFLAG community to promote education, advocacy and support. Our Parent Only support meeting and youth meetings will continue as usual. Thank you for your continued support as we strive to provide our membership and friends with the best possible services our volunteer board can provide

Bonnie Tinker

2009-07-08T09:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCtbziDMuIc

Here is a talk given by the inimitable Bonnie Tinker, whose powerful witness on behalf of marriage equality will be missed. She died last Thursday in a sad accident, while attending an event in Virginia.

Frm BRO: ENDA!

2009-06-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was introduced this week. This version of ENDA would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. In 2007, we won comprehensive nondiscrimination at the state level in Oregon—but 37 states aren't so fortunate.

As we all know work, place protections for LGBT people are urgently needed and long overdue, and we need your help in making sure that the ENDA passes.

Contact your representative and ask them to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

The President will sign this bill. All we need now is for Congress to act.

This historic bill has bipartisan support in the House, but we need your support to make it a reality. Please take action NOW to contact your representatives and urge them to support this crucial piece of legislation that protects all workers.

A CELEBRATION OF THE HEART

2009-06-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

A CELEBRATION OF THE HEART
Embracing Diversity
Sponsored by
The Eugene/Springfield PFLAG Chapter
(Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals and Queers)

Come and join us in a celebration featuring voices from community leaders and clergy embracing diversity and the GLBTQ community. Partnering with Community Alliance of Lane County to display the traveling photo exhibits: Shared Communities/Mixed Identities, We Are Neighbors and What Does A Family Look Like? Entertainment will be provided by the Soromundi Lebian Choir. Light refreshments will be served.

Monday, June 29th 6:30-8:00: First Christian Church, 1166 Oak St. Eugene, Oregon

Community Partners Include:
CommunityAlliance of Lane County
Back to Back: Alies for Human Dignity
Religious Response Network of Eugene
Eugene Human Rights Commission
Springfield Alliance for Equality and Respect
Basic Rights Oregon

PFLAG meeting Monday June 15!

2009-06-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Our monthly meetings are open to anyone. Good folks, advocacy, education, support.

We will show a short video “It Takes a Team” which is about LGBTQ athletes. There will also be time for sharing.

Meeting Time and Location

We meet the 3rd Monday of most months at the First Congregational Church in Eugene, 1050 E. 23rd, at 6.45pm. The Church is a few blocks east of Sundance Natural Foods, on the corner of East 24th and Harris. Park in the lower parking lot off 24th and enter the building downstairs through the double doors facing 24th.

Kulongoski signs safe Schools Act

2009-06-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

From Basic Rights Oregon

It is unanimous!

2009-06-03T14:05:00.000-07:00

From Alan Brown:

Today the Oregon Senate joined the Oregon House of Representatives in voting unanimously for HJM 22, the Oregon Hate Crimes Bill. Next stop the Governor's desk.

http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/hjm1.dir/hjm0022.intro.pdf

This is the first Bill in the United States that includes both "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to pass unanimously by any State. We should all be proud of the work we have put into this and the job that we have done as grass roots activists.

A HUGE Thank you goes to Basic Rights Oregon for their help, guidance and working the Halls of the Capitol to make this bill successful. Thank you also to Rural Organizing Project for working with activists all over the state to make constituent calls. Kitchen table activism rocks!!!

After the Governor's desk it's off to Congress for HJM 22 to encourage the passage of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (otherwise known as the Matthew Shepard Act).

New Hampshire 6th State!

2009-06-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage after the Senate and House passed key language on religious rights and Gov. John Lynch -- who personally opposes gay marriage -- signed the legislation Wednesday afternoon.

After rallies outside the Statehouse by both sides in the morning, the last of three bills in the package went to the Senate, which approved it 14-10 Wednesday afternoon.

Cheers from the gallery greeted the key vote in the House, which passed it 198-176. Surrounded by gay marriage supporters, Lynch signed the bill about an hour later.

Bend Pride 2009

2009-06-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

Eugene/Springfield Pride 2009

2009-06-02T11:01:00.001-07:00

Pride NW 2009

2009-06-02T10:55:00.001-07:00

Portland Latino Gay Prive 2009

2009-06-02T10:52:00.001-07:00

Anger into Action

2009-05-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

From BRO:

Today the California court upheld Prop 8 - a ballot measure that took the freedom to marry away from committed couples in California.

I am deeply disappointed in this decision. The Court has diminished its legacy as a champion of equality, forcing advocates of equality to return to the ballot to win marriage back.

This puts California in the same position as Oregon. We share a common purpose - we must win majority support for our cause by educating our friends and family about the impact of being shut out of marriage.

So I'm asking you to turn your anger into action. Turn your disappointment into determination.

Get Engaged in the campaign for the freedom to marry in Oregon. Go online and sign our pledge to say "I DO Support the Freedom to Marry."

Every signature on the Freedom to Marry Pledge brings us one vote closer to winning marriage in Oregon as soon as 2012.

And send this to your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. Ask them to join you in taking a stand for equality. Ask them to Get Engaged in this historic campaign.

Take action today to win marriage equality in Oregon.
In solidarity,

Jeana Frazzini
Executive Director
Basic Rights Oregon

Three bills moving forward in two days!

2009-05-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

From BRO:

What a great week for equality. On Tuesday the Oregon House voted unanimously in support of our hate crimes resolution HJM22, which denounces the beatings of two gay men in Seaside last month and calls on the federal government to pass the Matthew Shepard Act.

Never have we seen our elected officials completely united on an issue like this. It represents tremendous progress that people from across the political spectrum believe Oregon should welcome all.

This resolution now moves to the Senate where legislators will have an opportunity to concur, sending a strong message that these hateful attacks on our community will not be tolerated.

Click here to thank your legislator.

Yesterday, we also saw Oregon move one step closer to safer schools for all youth as the Oregon Safe Schools Act (HB2599) was voted out of committee unanimously. Committee members agreed that no Oregon youth is singled out by a bully just because they are gay or transgender or different in any other way.

Senator Morse (R-Albany) a story he heard during Basic Rights Oregon’s Day of Action of a young woman who was targeted by bullies In Oregon schools. Today’s committee vote is a direct result of the hundreds of emails and calls you have placed in support of House Bill 2599.

Finally, House Bill 2839, which makes several technical adjustments to the domestic partnership system, received its Senate hearing Tuesday. This bill is expected to come up for a committee vote next week.

That’s three bills moving forward in two days.

Bodies in Doubt : presentation

2009-05-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge (and make readable!).

Maine law passed and signed

2009-05-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- Same-sex marriage became legal in Maine on Wednesday as Gov. John Baldacci signed a bill less than an hour after the state legislature approved it.

Maine Gov. John Baldacci signed a bill Wednesday legalizing same-sex marriage....
Three other states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa -- allow same-sex marriages. Vermont has passed a law making gay and lesbian marriages legal that takes effect in September. New Hampshire lawmakers are close to passing a similar bill.
On Tuesday, the Washington City Council voted to recognize same-sex marriages from states that allow those unions. Mayor Adrian Fenty has indicated that he will sign the measure. It will become law if Congress fails to overturn the measure during a 30-day review period.

more at CNN

Safe Schools for All

2009-05-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

For too many of our children, attending school can be a frightening experience. As parents, families and friends we need to do something to make schools safer for our LGBT and all students. Please join us by advocating for strong national policies, learning the Top 10 Ways you can Make Schools Safer… For All Students, hosting a PFLAG Cultivating Respect certification training in your community, or promoting our national scholarship program. We each have an important role to play in fighting bullying and harassment, and everyone has a stake in the success of this work.

from National PFLAG

Legislative news

2009-04-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

the US House of Representatives has just passed the Matthew Shepard Act! If passed, the act will ban hate crimes on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and disability. The bill now moves to the Senate. President Obama has committed to sign the bill, and has urged Congress to move quickly to approve it. [Associated Press]

And in New Hampshire, the state Senate approved a bill that may establish marriage equality! The House has already approved a similar bill, but since it’s been amended, it’ll need to go back to Representatives for a final vote before hitting the Governor’s desk. Governor John Lynch has not stated whether he intends to veto the bill. [Edge Boston]

Congratulations to all the activists and lawmakers who’ve worked so hard to make both of these votes a reality!

from Basic Rights Oregon

Fierce, Strictly Fierce: Drag Show 2009

2009-04-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Date:	Saturday, April 25, 2009
Time:	6:30pm - 9:45pm
Location:	Ballroom, Erb Memorial Union (EMU), University of Oregon
Street:	13th and University
City/Town:	Eugene, OR

Drag Show Tickets!

Thursday 23 April, 2009 9:38 AM | Site Announcement | lgbtqa

The Drag Show is this Saturday, April 25 from 6:30-9:45 in the EMU Ballroom. Tickets for the drag show are on sale and selling quickly. You can pick them up at the UO Ticket Office in the EMU. Hope to see you at the show.

Fierce, Strictly Fierce: Drag Show 2009

Civil Rights Enforcement

2009-04-23T14:36:00.001-07:00

From John Kroger, Oregon Attorney General:

If you support reinvigorating civil rights enforcement in Oregon there are three things you can do to help:

1. Attend a public hearing. The Joint Committee on Ways and Means will be holding a series of public hearings in different communities in Oregon to take public input on state budget decisions. We want our supporters to demonstrate, in person, the importance of funding civil rights enforcement.

2. Contact your legislator and let them know that funding for civil rights enforcement is important to you. Passing both House Bill 5022 and Senate Bill 797 would allow for a small amount of seed money to start the civil rights enforcement unit and allow for it to eventually become partially self-funding.

3. Sign the online petition; forward this email to your friends and encourage them to take the action too!

Man Found Guilty Of Murder, Hate Crime In Transgender Killing

2009-04-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

KMGH Denver

Source: www.thedenverchannel.com

GREELEY, Colo. -- The family of an 18-year-old transgender teen burst into tears as they learned that the man who killed her has been found guilty of first-degree murder and bias-motivated crime.

ACLU Threatens Suit in Gay Web Site Filtering

2009-04-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

ABC News

Last December, when Andrew Emitt starting looking for college scholarships, he turned to his high school library, hoping to find Web sites that would guide him.

Gay high school senior Andrew Emitt has joined forces with the ACLU to end blocking of LGBT resource Web sites, which they say is "protected speech." (ABC News)

But the Tennessee 17-year-old is gay, and when he searched for organizations that might be friendly to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) students, he hit a firewall.
What he discovered is that 107 schools in Tennessee -- including his, Knoxville Central High School -- use software that can block Web sites catering to gay issues.
Emitt couldn't find any education sites, but he could find those that promoted "reparative therapy," which promises to change homosexuals to heterosexuals.
"I wasn't looking for anything sexual or inappropriate," said Emitt. "I was looking for information about scholarships for LGBT students, and I couldn't get to it because of this software. Our schools shouldn't be keeping students in the dark about LGBT organizations and resources."

more ...

Vermont legislature wins over veto!

2009-04-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Vermont on Tuesday became the fourth state to legalize gay marriage _ and the first to do so with a legislature's vote.

The House recorded a dramatic 100-49 vote _ the minimum needed _ to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto. Its vote followed a much easier override vote in the Senate, which rebuffed the Republican governor with a vote of 23-5.

Vermont was the first state to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples and joins Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa in giving gays the right to marry. Their approval of gay marriage came from the courts.

Iowa decision!

2009-04-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

DES MOINES — Iowa became the first state in the Midwest to approve same-sex marriage on Friday, after the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously decided that a 1998 law limiting marriage to a man and a woman was unconstitutional.
The decision was the culmination of a four-year legal battle that began with a suit filed on behalf of six same-sex couples in the lower courts.
The Supreme Court said same-sex marriages could begin in Iowa in as soon as 21 days, making Iowa only the third state in the nation, along with Massachusetts and Connecticut, to legalize gay marriage. While the same-sex marriage debate has played out on both coasts, the Midwest — where no states had permitted same-sex marriage — was seen as entirely different. In the past, at least six states in the Midwest were among those around the country that adopted amendments to their state constitutions banning same-sex marriage.
“We have a constitutional duty to ensure equal protection of the law,” the Iowa justices wrote in their opinion. “If gay and lesbian people must submit to different treatment without an exceedingly persuasive justification, they are deprived of the benefits of the principle of equal protection upon which the rule of law is founded.”

more at New York Times

Bullying leads to suicide

2009-04-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

Family Wants No Money but Insists School Address Bullying and Three Other Suicides

By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES
April 2, 2009

Eric Mohat, 17, was harassed so mercilessly in high school that when one bully said publicly in class, "Why don't you go home and shoot yourself, no one will miss you," he did.

In a federal lawsuit, the parents of Eric Mohat allege that their son committed suicide after being tormented by bullies at his Mentor, Ohio, High School. They say the school knew about the bullying and failed to protect their son.

(Courtesy Mohat Family)

Now his parents, William and Janis Mohat of Mentor, Ohio, have filed a lawsuit in federal court, saying that their son endured name-calling, teasing, constant pushing and shoving and hitting in front of school officials who should have protected him.

The lawsuit -- filed March 27, alleges that the quiet but likable boy, who was involved in theater and music, was called "gay," "fag," "queer" and "homo" and often in front of his teachers. Most of the harassment took place in math class and the teacher -- an athletic coach -- was accused of failing to protect the boy.

"When you lose a child like this it destroys you in ways you can't even describe," Eric Mohat's father told ABCNews.com.

The parents aren't seeking any compensation; rather, they are asking that Mentor High School recognize their son's death as a "bullicide" and put in place what they believe is a badly needed anti-bullying program.

Speakers Bureau

2009-03-31T08:47:00.000-07:00

The Bridges Program is a panel of LGBTQ identified people and their allies that share their personal experiences to different organizations in the Eugene-Springfield area in order to dispel myths and fears surrounding the LGBTQ community. Speaking can be both personally rewarding and a way of serving the community. As a panelist, you can help educate people about the destructive nature of homophobic ignorance and break the silence surrounding our presence in the community. Training is provided for those that wish to become speakers; if interested please contact them at

Workplace Giving Grants

2009-03-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Equity Foundation releases $86,000 in Workplace Giving Grants to communities all over Oregon

PORTLAND, OR—Every six months Equity Foundation pumps tens of thousands of dollars into local Oregon communities through their efforts in twenty Workplace Giving Campaigns around the state. Last month, Equity Foundation dispersed over $86,000 to deserving community organizations that don’t discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Workplace Giving Campaigns offer employees the option to give to approved organizations through payroll deductions. Essentially, Equity Foundation administers these grants for grantees to provide them with funding from pooled smaller donations from around the state.

Within the Workplace Giving Program, Equity Foundation is known for providing the largest and most diverse list of organizations throughout Oregon from which to choose in these campaigns.

Workplace Giving is just one of Equity Foundation’s five granting program. The Foundation also offers Donor Advised Fund Grants, Scholarships, General Cycle Grants and Pride Festival Grants throughout the year.

March 2009 Workplace Giving grantees include:

Abdill Ellis Lambda Community Center
ACLU Foundation of Oregon
American Red Cross
Artists Rep Theater
Basic Rights Education Fund
Bend Community Radio
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Metro Portland
Bosco-Milligan Foundation
Boys & Girls Aid Society of Oregon
Boys & Girls Club of Portland
Bradley-Angle House
Brother to Brother
Camp Fire USA-Metro Council
Cascade AIDS Project
Catholic Community Services of Lane County
Children's Cancer Association
Children's Home Society of Washington
Community Alliance of Lane County (CALC)
Community of Welcoming Congregations
Compassion & Choices of Oregon
Confluence: Willamette Valley Mixed Gala Chorus
DePaul Treatment Centers
Dougy Center
Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Elder Resource Alliance c/o Friendly House
Friendly House, Inc.
Friends of People with AIDS Foundation c/o Our House or Portland
Friends of the Children
Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest
Girls Initiative Network
Greenhill Humane Society
Habitat for Humanity of Portland
JOIN
KBOO 90.7 FM
KBPS All Classical
Kinship House
Komen Foundation
Lawyer's Campaign for Equal Justice
LEAD
Loaves and Fishes Centers, Inc
Love Makes a Family
Mano-a-Mano Family Center
Mercy Corp
NARAL Pro Choice of Oregon Foundation
Native American Youth Association
New Avenues for Youth
North Portland Bike Works
NW Pilot Project
Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence
Oregon Community Warehouse
Oregon Death with Dignity National Center
Oregon Food Bank
Oregon Food Bank - Clark County
Oregon Garden Foundation of Silverton
Oregon Humane Society
Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon Safe Schools and Communities Coalition
Oregon Symphony
Oregon Zoo Foundation
Our House of Portland
Outside In
PFLAG Corvallis/Albany
PFLAG of Eugene/Springfield
PFLAG Salem
PFLAG-Oregon State Council
PFLAG-Portland
Planned Parenthood of SW Oregon - Lane County
Planned Parenthood of SW Oregon - Medford
Planned Parenthood of the Columbia Willamette
Portland Center Stage
Portland Community College Foundation
Portland Gay Men's Chorus
Portland Parks Foundation
Portland State University Foundation
Portland State University Foundation-Walk of the Heroines
Portland Taiko
Pride Day Equality Project, Inc.
Pride Northwest, Inc
Q: A Queer Resource for Social Change
Q Center - Portland
Rainbow Youth
Rock N Roll Camp for Girls
Rural Organizing Project
Salem/Keizer Coalition for Equality
Sexual Assault Support Services
Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center (SMYRC)
Sisters of the Road Café
SMART
SOLV
St. Vincent DePaul Society of Lane County
The Library Foundation
Trillium Family Services
Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation
White Bird Dance Company
Women's Community Project (In Other Words' Bookstore)
Write Around Portland
Young Audiences of Oregon
YWCA of Greater Portland

CONTACT:

Kevin Easton | Executive Director | 503.320-0191 | kevine[at]equityfoundation.org

Day of Action slide show

2009-03-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

Day of Action slide show:

http://www.tributewebdesign.com/images/standout/index.html

Washington men fall victim to hate crime in Oregon

2009-03-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.kval.com/news/local/41752047.html

SEASIDE, Ore. -- A spring break trip to the Oregon coast was short cut by a vicious gay bashing for two nursing students from Western Washington. The two men, Samson, 22, and Kevin, 22, said they left a campfire to walk along the beach during what was supposed to be a stress-free getaway.

Diversity and Prejudice in Schools

2009-03-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

Diversity and Prejudice in Schools

From PFLAG National

This week The Colorado Springs Gazette takes a look at Pine Creek High School' Diversity Club, which aims at creating a dialogue between students of different ethnic, religious, and sexual orientation backgrounds. And the Gazette talks to both national and local PFLAG about creating safe schools!

In profiling PFLAG:

The strategy is to approach schools through parents, rather than as outsiders.

"We've been very deliberate in deciding which cities to launch the program," said Steve Ralls, national spokesman for PFLAG. "And we want to be in places like Colorado Springs, more conservative areas where this work has not been done."

Marilyn Davis, president of the local chapter of PFLAG, says the time is right.

"I think that there's a different climate now because we've had some high-profile issues," Davis said. "So, the administrations are more open now."

"Before, a lot of schools said, ‘We don't allow bullying of any kind here, and we don't allow name-calling. We've got it under control. The parents don't want that discussed in the schools.' But eventually they're going to have to start talking about it."

Read the complete article here.

Also be sure to take a look at PFLAG's new safe schools program Cultivating Respect!

[Posted by Adam R]

Judge Judy Speaks Out

2009-03-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

From Just Out

Appearing on CNN’s “Larry King Live” television’s popular Judge Judy spoke her opinion on same-sex marriage.

“We’ve got a lot of trouble in this country. We’ve got a lot of trouble in the world. Why the state should be interested in proscribing the word marriage from two people who love each other, who are responsible, tax-paying, productive people, who have created a family … why the state would have an interest in proscribing that kind of conduct, I don’t understand. I understand the anger about poverty. I understand the anger about AIG. I understand the problem about the banks. I understand the problem about Afghanistan and the Taliban and everything else. But I don’t understand the preoccupation with gays being permitted to marry.”

Oregon Safe Schools Act: update from BRO

2009-03-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

After a hugely successful Day of Action on Friday, it's official: The House Education Committee has passed the Oregon Safe Schools Act! In a 9 to 1 vote, committee members approved the bill for a full vote from the House.

That means that in as little as a few days, the House of Representatives could vote on House Bill 2599. Now, more than ever, your legislator needs to hear from YOU!

Contact your Representative today!

Email your Representative TODAY and tell them to vote YES on House Bill 2599! Tell them that ALL youth deserve to grow up free from intimidation and harassment in school.

Even if you've previously sent a message. Even if you were one of the over 300 fair-minded Oregonians to stand up for Oregon youth at the Capitol on Friday. Your Representative needs to hear from you TODAY!

Contact your Representative today!

We all know the toll that bullying and harassment takes on LGBT youth--they're more likely to experience depression, substance abuse, homelessness, and even to attempt suicide.

We know bullying is a serious problem. And we know the solution is simple. Now all we have to do is speak up.

In Solidarity,

Jeana Frazzini
Executive Director
Basic Rights Oregon

PS -- Missed Friday's Day of Action in Salem?? Click here to see photos from volunteer photographer Jennifer Meyer!

Live from Salem

2009-03-06T12:58:00.000-08:00

From Basic Rights Oregon

We are coming to you live from the Capitol as our "Day of Action" is going strong! Over 300 Oregonians are standing up for gay and transgender students, students of color, rural students and differently-abled students so that all youth can have a safe and comfortable learning environment in school.

Secretary of State Kate Brown and Representative Tina Kotek have just spoken out in support of the Oregon Safe Schools Act (HB2599), and our lobby visits are in full swing!

For those of you who could not be here today, please be here in spirit. Donate $35 now to support a foundation for fairness and to end bullying in Oregon schools. Your gift makes you a guardian of Oregon's youth - think of it this way: Because of you and your support, all youth can be safe in school.

Eugene/Springfield PFLAG Scholarship 2010

2009-03-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

-------------Please distribute widely!------------------

The Eugene/Springfield Chapter of PFLAG is proud to announce it will sponsor an LGBTQ local PFLAG Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 for a Lane County High School senior graduating in 2010.

To view or download a copy of the application, go to:

Microsoft Word

http://www.box.net/shared/tiunxa414v

PDF

http://www.box.net/shared/5fb4in9u9a

.Or

Changing Minds, One Speaker at a Time

2009-03-03T13:47:00.000-08:00

The Advocate's website has a great interview with Andy Birnbaum and Ron Elecciri, from PFLAG's Los Angeles chapter, highlighting the L.A. speakers bureau and the power of PFLAG allies to change to hearts and minds.

"For more than 30 years, the forces of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays have been uniting to make the process of coming out -- and subsequent conversations with family members, friends, and coworkers -- a little bit easier. Founded in the 1970s, today the all-volunteer organization boasts more than 500 independent chapters worldwide," reporter Jenn Kennedy writes.

"As the latest step toward raising awareness and understanding about LGBT people, speaker bureaus have been organized as offshoots of local PFLAG chapters," she notes. "These bureaus host free panels at all sorts of organizations -- high schools, colleges, businesses, employee groups, labor unions -- to help members and participants understand issues surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity."

more at PFLAG National Blog

Damsels, Divas and Dames

2009-02-24T16:02:00.000-08:00

Film Festival!

2009-02-24T15:52:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you know that this week starts the Queer Film Festival at the University of Oregon. Our first movie is Wednesday night. We are showing Chris & Don: A Love Story, and on Friday we are showing two extremely important documentaries, one is Dreams Deferred: The Sakia Gunn Story and the other is Ask Not. These two films are both important because Sakia Gunn tells the story of a young African American lesbian who was brutally murdered in a hate crime.... What was shocking is less about the hate crime and more about the lack of media coverage. Why would the death of a 15 year African American be ignored is the question discussed within the film. Ask Not is a documentary discussing the Don't Ask Dont Tell policy and service members directly affected by it.

All movies are shown Lawrence hall 115 (UO Campus) with doors at 630 and movie starts at 700. Also all showings are FREE.

Look for signs on campus showing you where to go.

Kirista

Lez Dance

2009-02-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

PFLAG monthly meeting February 16th

2009-02-13T21:38:00.000-08:00

Our monthly meetings are open to anyone. Good folks, advocacy, education, support.

Meeting Time and Location

The Oregon Safe Schools Act is on the move!

2009-02-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

From BRO

Just last week, the Oregon Safe Schools Act, House Bill 2599 , was introduced- and legislators across the state are already waiting to hear from you.

The Safe Schools campaign is now moving into high gear. Basic Rights Oregon expects to hold a press conference at the Capitol to announce this campaign very soon. And we may have a hearing in the House Education Committee and floor vote sooner than we think.

The campaign to win Safe Schools is officially in a sprint to the finish line—and we need you now.

Here are 2 things YOU or your GSA can do to make sure we win:

1. Collecting testimony from those impacted by bullying and harassment in schools. We need the voices of a broad group of students and parents that can show the problem of bullying exists and must be fixed. We also need the expertise of adults who work in the education system and can speak on behalf of bullying issues.

These stories are critical to our success and we need them as soon as possible in order to prepare for the press conference and House Hearing. Please use the online testimony forms to submit stories: student testimonies here -and - adult testimonies here.

2. Bringing supporters to HB 2599’s House Hearing. We hope to know very soon the date of our first hearing. We will need to fill the hearing room to let legislators know just how important these protections are and how many youth are counting on them. Can we count on you to join us? Let us know if your GSA can mobilize for the hearing!

Black History Month

2009-02-05T16:10:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to mark your calendars for these NAACP events celebrating 100 years of Civil Rights Service! As always please forward this email & posters and pass out attached flyers!!

Celebrate Black History Month

February 10, 2009

11:00am-12:00pm

Campbell Center (155 High St)

Free

Presented by NAACP “Celebrating 100 years of service.”

This February, celebrate African American history with members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the oldest civil rights organization. Learn about the accomplishments of African American pioneers from Oregon and Eugene. There will be time for questions and answers.

To find out more information or to register, call Campbell Center at 682-5318.

Course #82445

NAACP’s Image Awards Film Fest

“Come celebrate 100 years of the NAACP”

Location: Campbell Center (155 High Street)

Date: February 21, 2009

Time: 10:00AM-5:30PM

Cost: Free (Donation’s accepted)

Featured Films:

10:00am-12:00pm • “The Great Debaters (PG-13)”

12:30pm-2:30pm • “I Am Legend (PG-13)”•

3:00-5:30pm • “Talk To Me (R)”•

6:00-8:00pm • “Why Did I Get Married? (PG-13)” •

PARTY

WITH THE

NAACP

“100 years of Steppin’, Marchin’, Moovin’ & Groovin”

Dance Time: 9:30-12:00am

Cover Charge: $10.00 *Ticket included w/ Freedom Fund Ticket Purchase

Location: Valley River Inn

Date: February 27, 2009

DJ: Kevin Williams

BRO's plan unveiled

2009-02-04T11:00:00.001-08:00

Join Basic Rights Oregon’s Executive Director, Jeana Frazzini, for the unveiling of BRO's five-year strategic plan. Also, Rebecca Flynn will offer a briefing on BRO’s 2009 legislative agenda, which includes passing an anti-bullying bill and fixing a couple problems with the Domestic Partnership law.

WHAT: The Agenda: BRO's Strategic Plan for Safe Schools, Trans Justice, and Marriage Equality

WHEN: Thursday, February 12th from 6 - 7:30 pm

WHERE: Spencer Butte Middle School cafeteria, 500 East 43rd Ave. (in South Eugene at Donald St.)

RSVP today at www.basicrights.org/?p=508

If you need childcare or have questions, call Rebecca in the Eugene BRO office at 41-513-9012.

A Message from PFLAG president Jody Huckaby

2009-02-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

Dear PFLAG Family and Friends,

Two weekends ago, more than 5 million people tuned into Lifetime Television for the premiere of Prayers for Bobby, a powerful new film starring Sigourney Weaver as PFLAG mom Mary Griffith. The true story of Mary, who rejected Bobby after learning he was gay and later became a powerful ally for the LGBT community, has inspired and empowered a new generation of parents and friends to step up and get involved with PFLAG's work to move equality forward for our loved ones. Following the film's premiere, we received hundreds of emails from people across the country who wanted to know how they could become involved with PFLAG, and how they could work to ensure there are no more 'Bobby's' to make films about.

All of us at PFLAG were proud to be an integral part of Prayers. In addition to being part of filming (our Detriot chapter can be seen in the film's pride parade scene), we also worked with Lifetime and executive producer Dan Sladek to make sure that Prayers was more than just a movie. On premiere weekend, cast members from the film joined PFLAG supporters to celebrate the movie and educate the masses about why Mary's story is so important, and why PFLAG's work is so powerful.

In Dayton, Ohio, more than 100 people turned out to meet Ryan Kelly, who plays Bobby in the film, as our local PFLAG chapter hosted a screening of the movie and a discussion about the story. Kelly traveled from Los Angeles to Ohio - in the heart of swing-state America - to emphasize the importance of our work to change hearts in the heartland. Dozens of new allies, who had never been to a PFLAG event before, showed up to meet Ryan and ask about PFLAG's work in their local community.

In Washington, D.C., actor Scott Bailey, who portrays David, Bobby's first boyfriend, joined PFLAG National and local supporters at the Georgetown home of C. Dixon Osburn and Jeremy Hodder for a premiere night reception. Nearly 200 people packed two receptions to hear Scott's moving remarks about the connection between ballot box battles, Mary's story and PFLAG's work. And many of those who attended signed up to join PFLAG's Guardian Program - our monthly giving plan - and make a generous, ongoing gift to support our work.

We couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity Prayers has presented us: This moving film, based on a true story, will remain an invaluable tool in educating our neighbors and friends about why we do what we do.

And in the coming days, PFLAG will continue to be joined by actors, advocates and allies who are working tirelessly, every day, to make a difference.

On Thursday evening, we will gather in New York City for the first-ever Straight for Equality Gala, honoring amazing allies in our work to create a welcoming world for our LGBT loved ones. We will be honoring Dr. Maya Angelou, Dr. Johnetta Cole, IBM and the star of Prayers, Sigourney Weaver, for their work and commitment to civil liberties for all. This amazing evening, which will be hosted by CNN's Soledad O'Brien and also feature actress Judy Reyes of Scrubs, will be a celebration of the remarkable first year of Straight for Equality . . . and a rallying call to continue building this important coalition of allies. Because, as Scott Bailey reminded us in Washington, there is a lesson to learn about the effectiveness of reaching out when we look at examples like Election Day 2008.

Even as we gather in New York to honor high-profile advocates like Sigourney and Dr. Angelou, however, we will also be mindful that the change we are working for is taking place, and gaining hold, because of the tremendous work of those who may not be in the spotlight every day. In small towns and communities across the country, PFLAG supporters like you are the real agents of change, and your amazing efforts are paying off every day. Your hard work, dedication and energy, as we heard during our premiere events for the film, are what inspire those like Sigourney Weaver, Scott Bailey, Ryan Kelly . . . and me. And your stories, like Mary's, are what truly bring the change we need.

I hope you will consider joining us in New York as we toast the progress we've made together. And, in the meantime, here are some other stories PFLAG has been involved with during the past weeks:

Actress and PFLAG supporter Sharon Gless (Queer as Folk, Cagney and Lacey) spoke to Ambiente Magazine about her work with PFLAG and her recent decision to sign the Straight for Equality pledge. You can read the full interview with Gless on the Ambiente website, here.

PFLAG broke the story about Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's alarming appointments to a state commission on marriage and the family. After PFLAG exposed the far-right connections of many people on the commission, the story was picked up by HuffingtonPost, Jezebel, state news sites and even Comedy Central. . . and Jindal was called out about his appointments. You can read our original report here, and stay up-to-date on the story at the PFLAG blog.

We announced our 2009 scholarship program, to recognize the hard work of LGBT and ally students. We have already awarded more than $150,000 in educational aid to 115 students, and will be announcing a new round of scholarships soon. For more information, or to apply, click here.

We called on the South Carolina parole board to deny leniency to the killer of Sean Kennedy, a young gay man who was brutally attacked and beaten outside of a gay bar. The parole board is currently considering granting a request by the attacker which would set him free by September 2009. To learn more, and find out how you can be part of PFLAG's response, click here.

We weighed in a new "provider conscience rule" which would dramatically change federal law and enable individuals and institutions that receive federal funding to refuse to provide healthcare services on the basis of a moral or religious objection. The new rule, which could directly impact LGBT people, would impact both emergency care and preventative treatment. PFLAG joined other groups to work with Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Daschle in overturning the Bush administration guideline. For more infomration, click here.

PFLAG joined Dr. Caitlin Ryan in publicizing her groundbreaking new research highlighting a link between family acceptance - or rejection - and the longterm health and well-being of LGBT young people. Dr. Ryan's research, which was also recently featured on National Public Radio, is undeniable proof that families make a lasting impact on young people depending on their response to a loved one's coming out. To read PFLAG's HuffingtonPost column about Dr. Ryan's findings, visit the site online.

On behalf of all of us at PFLAG, thank you - whether you are an actor, advocate or ally - for being part of our work to move equality forward. With your help, we are making a difference every day, and will continue to be there for families who turn to us in times of crisis, confusion or celebration.

Sincerely,

Jody M. Huckaby
Executive Director

09: The Year Ahead for Straight for Equality!

2009-01-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

from The PFLAG National Blog by PFLAG

Happy New Year from Straight for Equality!

...Let’s take a look at all the brand-spankin’-new things that Straight for Equality has to offer:

Straight for Equality message boards! Here you can connect with other allies and discuss anything your heart desires, from current events to personal stories. Start a conversation today!

Training programs: they’re not all new, but they’re all improved! Interested in moving equality forward at work? Check out Straight for Equality in the Workplace! For a straight ally 101, take a look at our How to be an Ally training. Are you an experienced advocate for equality looking to reach out to and engage more allies? Give The Care and Feeding of Straight Allies a try.

Updated Resources! On our new Resources page, you’ll find an updated recommended reading list, a selection of films for allies, a great glossary of helpful terms, and even an “Ask an Ally” column.

And coming soon in 2009…

The First Annual Straight for Equality Awards Gala:

On Thursday night, February 5, 2009, in New York City’s Times Square, PFLAG and Straight for Equality will make history by hosting the first annual Straight for Equality Awards Gala. At this event, we take time to honor and celebrate a few straight allies that embody the values of PFLAG and Straight for Equality.

This year, we are proud to recognize Dr. Maya Angelou, Sigourney Weaver, Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole and IBM. We’ve also got CNN’s Soledad O’Brien as emcee, Gala Chair J.T. (Ted) Childs, Jr., and Judy Reyes from ABC’s Scrubs as our auctioneer.

Click here to purchase tickets and learn more about this fabulous event!

Also coming in 2009: Straight for Equality in Healthcare! Are you a straight ally in the healthcare field? We’re in the process of developing Straight for Equality in Healthcare, a set of resources for anyone who works in healthcare, from doctors to nurses to psychologists to receptionists working in doctors’ offices, and anyone in between. Look for Straight for Equality in Healthcare on www.straightforequality.org in early 2009!

Happy New Year everyone, and have fun exploring Straight for Equality!

Vagina Monologues 2009

2009-01-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends, Supporters, Volunteers,

Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) and the Pluma Project are proud to announce the VDay 2009 performance of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" February 9 & 10, 2009 at the McDonald Theatre at 1010 Willamette Street. This event is always fun, empowering, and controversial, and all proceeds from the performances benefit SASS and the Pluma Project and will be used to assist survivors of sexual assault and abuse in Lane County. Cost is $15 for general admission and $9 for students and seniors.

Tickets on sale now at all TicketsWest locations, by calling 1-800-992-TIXX or online at ticketswest.rdln.com.

Club Pynk, the queer friendly dance night hosted at John Henry's every first Saturday of the month, is donating a portion of its proceeds from the February 7th "Moulin Rouge" themed party to "The Vagina Monologues." Show your support for VDay while dancing the night away! On Monday, February 2nd, Hair Virtuoso at 679 Lincoln Street is offering reduced price haircuts and donating all proceeds to "The Vagina Monologues." Set up your appointment now by calling 868-1189!

--
Shanta Kamath
Volunteer Program Coordinator
& Crisis Line Supervisor
Sexual Assault Support Services
(541) 484-9791 x306

Remembering Bobby

2009-01-24T16:52:00.000-08:00

Ryan Kelley as Bobby Griffith in Prayers for Bobby

Photo: Ben Mark Holzberg, Lifetime

Prayers for Bobby

This Saturday and Sunday evenings, January 24 and January 25, the Lifetime Cable Channel premieres the long awaited film version of the powerful book by Leroy Aarons, Prayers for Bobby. Sigourney Weaver plays Bobby's Mother, Mary Griffith and Ryan Kelley plays Bobby.

We encourage you to gather family and friends from your church to watch this poignant and powerful film together. We encourage you to get your church's youth group, campus ministry or seminary community together to watch this film.

Why? It's a true story. It's a family story. And, it's a Presbyterian story. This story and film has much to teach us in this moment as the Presbyterian Church (USA) is considering the removal of prejudice and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and their families in the ratification process of Ordination Amendment 08-B.

"Prayers for Bobby" has been called an American tragedy. In 1983, Bobby Griffith killed himself at the age of 20 by doing a back flip off a freeway overpass. Bobby was a gay teen who grew up in religious household. Bobby never found acceptance within his family, particularly from his mother, Mary Griffith. Mary's fundamentalist Christian beliefs forced her to choose between her faith and her son because he was gay. When Bobby came out, she launched a crusade to "cure" Bobby that included posting Scripture passages around the house and forcing her son into therapy sessions.

Bobby left diaries that are quoted in Aarons' book. Bobby wrote: "I've overheard (family members). They've said they hate gays, and even God hates gays, too. Gays are bad, and God sends bad people to hell. It scares me when they talk that way because now they are talking about me."

In today's San Francisco Chronicle article about this film, Mary Griffith, now 74, said, "I didn't listen to my conscience. I was entrenched. But I don't live with the guilt anymore because I realized that I was truly ignorant. It wasn't something I did out of malice. So, I can forgive myself for that."

Following her son's death by suicide, Mary blamed herself which took her on a journey to understanding, redemption and transformation. She became an advocate for gay teens and spokeswoman for the Diablo Valley Chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

PFLAG 'Prayers' Around the Country

2009-01-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

PFLAG 'Prayers' Around the Country

This weekend, join PFLAG and Lifetime to celebrate the release of Prayers for Bobby, the powerful new film starring Sigourney Weaver, Ryan Kelly and Scott Bailey.

Prayers 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 an incredible journey toward embracing the gay community . . . with a little help from PFLAG along the way.

This Saturday and Sunday, PFLAG supporters across the country will gather to watch Prayers and talk about the role PFLAG played in the life of Mary Griffith and countless other parents with LGBT loved ones.

Cast members will join PFLAG in Dayton, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; and Detroit for premiere events. And PFLAG chapters and supporters in other cities will also gather to discuss Prayers and their own work to help the Mary Griffiths of the world on their journeys, too.

Please join us for one of these upcoming viewing parties:

Washington, D.C. – January 24th @ 5pm & 7:30pm
Join star Scott Bailey for the official PFLAG National reception at the home of C. Dixon Osburn and Jeremy Hodder. Hundreds of PFLAG supporters are expected to turn out for a festive celebration of Prayers and an exclusive Q & A with Scott.

Dayton, Ohio – January 25th @ 3pm
Join PFLAG Dayton and actor Ryan Kelley (Bobby in Prayers) for an afternoon reception at Cross Creek Community Church to learn more about Kelley’s experience with the film, and his own thoughts on the power of PFLAG.

Detroit, Michigan – January 24th from 4-11pm
Join PFLAG Detroit for a special viewing party on Saturday evening with local cast members from Prayers. Raffles and prizes will be awarded throughout the evening, with appearances from PFLAG supporters who appear in the film!

Winston-Salem, North Carolina – January 24th @ 9pm
PFLAG of Winston-Salem's Interfaith Coalition will host a Viewing Party for Prayers for Bobby on Jan. 24th in the Lower Auditorium of Wingate Hall on the Campus of Wake Forest University. Seating is limited to around 100 people.

Be sure to visit our listing of other viewing parties (including parties in Nashville, Fort Worth, Key West and more).

For more information on upcoming events, visit the PFLAG National Blog, as well as the Prayers page on the PFLAG website, here. Then, make plans to join us this weekend as we celebrate the premiere of Prayers for Bobby!

from PFLAG national

From whitehouse.gov (that was fast!)

2009-01-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

m Obama wasted no time sweeping out the digital filth of the Bush Admin. Take a look. Here is the LGBT section in the civil rights directory:

Support for the LGBT Community
"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."
-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. President Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, President Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.
Fight Workplace Discrimination: President Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. The President also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.
Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: President Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. The President will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.
Expand Adoption Rights: President Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.
Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, President Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. The President will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. The President also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. President Obama has also been willing to confront the stigma -- too often tied to homophobia -- that continues to surround HIV/AIDS.
Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. President Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.

from Pam's House Blend

March January 19th!

2009-01-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

10 am Moshofsky Center to Hult Center, shuttles available to return.

PFLAG General Meeting Monday Evening January 19

2009-01-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

Our monthly meetings are open to anyone. Good folks, advocacy, education, support.

Meeting Time and Location

Stand up for our kids March 6

2009-01-13T14:34:00.000-08:00

From Basic Rights Oregon

Every day, nearly one third of US students report being involved in bullying--as a bully, a target of bullying, or both. The number one reason given for bullying students? They "don't fit in."

We all know what it's like not to fit in. And when LGBT youth are bullied for being who they are, their success in school, their mental health, and their physical safety are all threatened.

Basic Rights Oregon Day of Action at the Capitol -- register today!

Join hundreds of fair-minded Oregonians on Friday, March 6th, to stand out for equality in Salem. We'll stand up for LGBT youth when we rally on the Capitol steps, and when we lobby legislators to strengthen Oregon's anti-bullying law.

Stand out for equality -- register today!

In 2005, we stood strong outside the Capitol for months, demanding a vote on anti-discrimination and relationship recognition laws.

In 2007, we stood up for our right to live, work, and care for our families free from the sting of discrimination. And our victories made history.

In 2009, let's stand up for LGBT youth and stand out for equality.

Join BRO's Day of Action at the Capitol -- register today!

Once every two years, Basic Rights Oregon brings together LGBT and allied Oregonians from across the state. This year we'll join together to make sure the next generation of LGBT youth can live safe and healthy lives. It's an opportunity to make a difference that will last a lifetime.

PepsiCo Foundation's Support of PFLAG’s Straight for Equality

2009-01-13T14:09:00.000-08:00

Last week, the American Family Association launched a boycott of PepsiCo. The AFA boycott is based, in part, on the PepsiCo Foundation's support of PFLAG’s Straight for Equality in the Workplace project.

If you wish to let Pepsi know that you appreciate their support for our families and will support the company when you are shopping:

Please call PepsiCo's customer relations line at 1-800-433-2652 today.

When you call, please be brief in your comments. Politely tell the operator that:

You are a PFLAG member and want to thank Pepsi for its support of your family;

You plan to purchase Pepsi products whenever possible to show your support for the company’s welcoming policies; and

You support Pepsi and your area bottlers and will refuse to participate in the boycott.

Support a united ENDA

2009-01-06T15:58:00.000-08:00

From BRO -- and we also got in much the same from PFLAG National --

This is a great week in Oregon.

Why? Because this week, a new crop of fair-minded legislators will take office all over the state.

Together we spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars electing pro-equality lawmakers in Oregon. And now they are set to represent all Oregonians--including those of us who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.

Portland's first out gay mayor, Sam Adams, has already been sworn in and made history. After a long campaign, pro-LGBT champion Kitty Piercy will start her next term as Eugene's mayor. Oregon's first out bisexual Secretary of State, Kate Brown, was sworn in yesterday.

And just today, pro-equality U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley took his oath of office. Senator Merkley is a champion for equality who will bring Oregon values to our nation's capitol.

Now is the perfect time to contact our allies in elected office and make sure they know what issues we care about. Join us today in asking Congress to act quickly to protect all workers in America by passing the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA).

Email your Congresspeople now!

Basic Rights Oregon supports an ENDA that prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression as well sexual orientation. Any version of ENDA that does not include gender identity and expression will leave Americans unprotected.

With the election of Barack Obama and new members of Congress we have a real opportunity to pass ENDA. Contact Congress today and tell them that we need an Employment Non-Discrimination Act that protects our entire community.

Email your Congresspeople now!

We made 2008 an election year to remember. Let's make sure 2009 is just as historic. Together, we can make employment discrimination a thing of the past.

In Solidarity,

Jeana Frazzini
Executive Director
Basic Rights Oregon

Support and Love: Family is Key to Youth Health

2009-01-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

from The PFLAG National Blog by Adam R

This shouldn't sound like rocket science: LGBT youth who are raised in families that support them have less mental health issues than youth whose families do not accept them as they are.

PFLAG parents know this more than any other group. Yet, in the nation at large, many myths persist - such as the fantasy many parents have that they can "change" their children or that it might just be a "phase." But nonacceptance and/or hostility to a LGBT youth by family can have devastating consequences.

Yesterday, in a journal of the Academy of American Pediatrics, the results of a study performed by researchers at San Francisco State University show that "the way in which parents or guardians respond to a youth's sexual orientation profoundly influences the child's mental health as an adult.

"...The study showed that teens who experienced negative feedback were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide, nearly six times as vulnerable to severe depression and more than three times at risk of drug use.

"More significantly, [researcher Caitlin Ryan] said, ongoing work... suggests that parents who take even baby steps to respond with equanimity instead of rejection can dramatically improve a gay youth's mental health outlook."

This is part of why the hard work PFLAGers do is so critical: by dispelling myths and offering support and education to parents (who often times are confused and have many questions) we all help make the world better for all of the youth of tomorrow!

You can read all about the study's significant findings in an Associated Press article that appeared yesterday. Also be sure to check out San Francisco State's Family Acceptance Project, which headed this study into the importance of family acceptance.

Emerald Knight and Debutante Ball

2008-12-26T14:54:00.000-08:00

Click for larger flyer

Holiday Greetings from PFLAG Central

2008-12-22T08:23:00.000-08:00

Dear PFLAG Family & Friends,

As 2008 draws to a close, all of us at PFLAG want to express our enormous gratitude for your support, encouragement and hard work to move equality forward. With your steadfast support, we have made real progress in our work to respect, honor and embrace our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender family members and loved ones. And even though we fell short this year in our attempts to defeat extreme, anti-gay ballot measures in several states, we are anxious to get to work with the most pro-LGBT administration and Congress in history as we chart the course for our families’ futures.

We have important work ahead of us, and together, we have made important strides in 2008.

PFLAG took on anti-gay lawmakers in the heartland, bringing a message of hope and inspiration to LGBT people in even the most rural, red-state communities in our country. In Oklahoma City, for example, our local chapter stood up to Sally Kern, a state lawmaker who compared gays to terrorists and demeaned our families and friends. In St. Louis, we opposed an honorary doctorate for Phyllis Schlafly, one of the most virulent, anti-gay activists in the country. And we called out Senator John McCain when, on the presidential campaign trail, he insinuated that our families were somehow unacceptable families for children in need of loving homes.

We launched Cultivating Respect, an important new Safe Schools initiative, to combat anti-LGBT animus in our nation’s schools. By rallying local parents to work with local school administrators, PFLAG is harnessing our nationwide network of allies to improve school climates, educate educators about keeping students safe and empower parents to speak up and make a difference where it matters most: in their own hometowns, where their own children go to school every day.

The media increasingly looked to PFLAG for insights on the movement for equality. When Senator McCain announced his opposition to adoption rights for same-sex couples, the Associated Press turned to us. When California’s Supreme Court issued its historic ruling on marriage equality, USA Today asked PFLAG to weigh in . . . and turned to us again in the days following the passage of Proposition 8. And The Progressive Media Project partnered with PFLAG for widely distributed op-eds on welcoming faith communities, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the urgent need for comprehensive hate crimes legislation.

President-Elect Obama’s transition team invited PFLAG to have a seat at the table at a recent meeting of LGBT advocacy groups. We were honored to provide our insight about priorities for our community over the next four years, and to bring the parents’ and allies’ voice to a conversation with high-ranking administration officials.

We called out Love Won Out, the so-called “ex-gay” conference, when it came to Orlando and Anchorage. PFLAG parents greeted young people being forced into this day-long conference, with messages of hope, love and acceptance. Wherever Love Won Out goes, PFLAG will be there to support the children who are subjected to this harmful, anti-gay rhetoric.

We took on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” with an outstanding rebuke of the law from PFLAG National board member Dan Tepfer in The Dayton Daily News and a week-long blog series featuring service members dismissed under the law, and their parents, talking about the campaign for repeal. And when Congress held its first hearings on the issue since 1993,USA Today turned to PFLAG for an analysis of that historic moment, and our thoughts on how to best move forward as we work to lift the ban.

Even with all that progress, however, much work remains to be done. In the coming months, the new Administration and new Congress will tackle critically important issues of equality. Employment non-discrimination . . . a federal hate crimes law . . . and repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” are just a few of the historic steps forward that are possible now. But, as we learned in California, Florida, Arizona an Arkansas on election day, it is essential that we have the resources to expand and mobilize our grassroots network of allies in order to change hearts and minds.

This is a pivotal time for our community . . . and a moment to rally our families and allies for our cause. But we cannot do that without you. And so, as you consider your year-end giving, I hope you will make a tax-deductible contribution to PFLAG National. Together, we can continue our important work in 2009 and seize the opportunities ahead of us to realize real change for our LGBT loved ones.

Even in these difficult economic times, PFLAG’s work is monumentally important. Our LGBT friends can still be fired for being gay. Our sons and daughters in the armed forces can still be dismissed because of who they love. And, as we reported in a recent op-ed, hate crimes against our community continue to rise.

Through all of that, PFLAG must still be there. And I hope you will stand with us, too.

I am enormously proud of everything our PFLAG families did to work for equality in 2008, and I am optimistic about the chances for real change in 2009. And with your generous, year-end contribution, we can finally pass pro-LGBT legislation and ensure that every family is respected and protected under the laws of our land.

Thank you for your continued support, and please accept our best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a new year filled with opportunities. Wherever you are, remember that your actions, both large and small, make a real difference in the fight for full equality.

Sincerely,

Jody M. Huckaby
PFLAG National Executive Director

Light Up the Night Vigil

2008-12-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

from www.queereugene.com

Light Up the Night Vigil - in front of Hult Center

Outside the Hult Center for the Performing Arts
One Eugene Center @ Willamette
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Starting time: December 20, 6:30pm Contact: Jessica Chesbro for more info.

Considering the weather, t-shirts optional. Please bring candles for yourself, and if you can, extras for your fellow participants. Most importantly, please bring yourself.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

In coordination with JoinTheImpact.com, this will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays. Dress alike. Wear the same t-shirts or signs pinned to your coats. You can make or buy a "2nd Class Citizen" t-shirt, but the message is optional. Learn more about why we suggest "2nd Class Citizen." This will be the culmination of our National Food Drive for Equality

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Hosting peaceful candlelight vigils. We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bear signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects. Bring candles (battery powered if you'll be huddling inside). Singing and/or silence encouraged...chanting is not....keep it peaceful and in the holiday spirit.

Holiday Dessert Potluck Canceled

2008-12-12T08:15:00.000-08:00

The streets will be just toooooo dangerous tonight; let's all stay home, count our blessings, and eat our desserts! Be safe out there.

PFLAG Eugene-Springfield Oregon

Follow Us On Twitter

2012 Youth Scholarship!

Help support the National Movement for the Freedom to Marry!

Scholarship Time!!

A Call to Action From PFLAG National

Fantastic Article from the Register Guard by local PFLAG Mom

10 Ways to make your school safer!

It's time for our annual PIZZA FUNDRAISER!!

Jimena Navarrete, Miss Universe Supports Marriage Equality

Stanford Study Examines Role of Gay Parents, Finds No Disadvantage to Children

Eugene Celebration

THANK YOU EUGENE

Coalition Partner throws Party

Great article in the Oregonian about Basic Rights Oregon and the fight for marriage equality

PFLAG needs your help to end discrimination

What to say when your teenager says they're Gay, from the WSJ

Risks of Rejection

Where to Find Help

Yes, He Did!

Human Rights Begin at Home

PFLAG Supports LGBTQA at U of O

Resources for parents, family, and friends

PFLAG National Scholarship Program

Posadas Celebration

PFLAG Fundraiser

November 16-20 Transgender Week of Empowerment

Monica Helms, transsexual Navy veteran

Membership Time!

Join us at Roaring Rapids Pizza Company, and Help Support PFLAG!

Q Center Meeting

EVAN WOLFSON

NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY

What

When

Where

Created By

Description

2009 Oregon Safe Schools Training

HIV Alliance Red Ribbon Circle Breakfast

Ohio House Passes Anti-Discrimination Law

Bringin' love in th' rain

March with PFLAG in the Eugene Celebration!

Bro Dinner!

Saturday, October 10, 2009Basic Rights Oregon's 27th Annual Dinner & Auction

Take action on ENDA!

PFLAG on the move!

Bonnie Tinker

Frm BRO: ENDA!

A CELEBRATION OF THE HEART

PFLAG meeting Monday June 15!

Kulongoski signs safe Schools Act

It is unanimous!

New Hampshire 6th State!

Bend Pride 2009

Eugene/Springfield Pride 2009

Pride NW 2009

Portland Latino Gay Prive 2009

Anger into Action

Three bills moving forward in two days!

Bodies in Doubt : presentation

Maine law passed and signed

Safe Schools for All

Legislative news

Fierce, Strictly Fierce: Drag Show 2009

Fierce, Strictly Fierce: Drag Show 2009

Civil Rights Enforcement

Man Found Guilty Of Murder, Hate Crime In Transgender Killing

ACLU Threatens Suit in Gay Web Site Filtering

Vermont legislature wins over veto!

Iowa decision!

Bullying leads to suicide

Family Wants No Money but Insists School Address Bullying and Three Other Suicides

Speakers Bureau

Workplace Giving Grants

Day of Action slide show

Washington men fall victim to hate crime in Oregon

Diversity and Prejudice in Schools

Diversity and Prejudice in Schools

Judge Judy Speaks Out

Saturday, October 10, 2009
Basic Rights Oregon's 27th Annual Dinner & Auction