Articles From Our August, 2001 Newsletter

The August 12th program will feature the presentation of a delightful and entertaining documentary film "The Celluloid Closet". It's a history of gays in the movies with wonderful footage of lots of movies. Bring popcorn and be prepared to settle in for a fun afternoon. 
PFLAG-KC is experiencing an increase in requests for speakers to present to government, educational, religious, and civic organizations. Several people have indicated interest in being part of a PFLAG-KC Speakers Bureau. A training session has been scheduled to develop guidelines for a Speakers Bureau. It will be held on Saturday, August 18 from 9:30AM-12:00 noon at Sally Niermann's home. This is a great opportunity to represent PFLAG-KC publicly and to enhance our presentation skills. All PFLAGers are invited to participate. Please call Sally at 816-361-8916 for directions to her house.
OVERVIEW: 
Fred Martinez Jr., 16, was murdered in Cortez Colorado. Fred had a history of wearing makeup, dresses, padded bras, etc., to school, etc. The media is currently referring to Fred as a "gay Navajo high school student". Colorado's legislature has refused in each of the past eight years to pass a Hate Crimes Bill, because the religious right adamantly refuses to allow people to be protected from "anything", based on sexual orientation, much less based on gender identity. 

BY PAULINE MITCHELL, MOTHER OF FRED C. MARTINEZ, JR. 

"I feel it is time to talk about the death of my son, Fred C. Martinez, Jr. 

"I am his mother and now I want to make sure the truth is told about Fred by people who loved him. With more and more talk about his death, the police looking into his murder, and the details of my son's personal life in the media, it is time to speak the truth about Fred's life. 

"The most important thing I can say is that I loved Fred. I loved my son exactly for who he was, for his courage in being honest and gentle and friendly. It is sad that he had to face pain in his daily life and in school. 

"I am speaking out now because I am angry. I am angry that other people are lying about who my son was, including Shaun Murphy and his family. I want to make sure that Fred has people speaking the truth about his life. I am angry that the police have not taken the time to explain what is happening and help me deal with this. I don't want to read about new things in the newspaper. 

"I reported that Fred was missing on June 18. Two days later I called the police again, and on June 23 I read about a body being found near our home. I phoned the police again, but they told me the body had not been identified. 

Since June 25, when the police told me at work that Fred had been murdered, I wondered if it was because of who he was and how he expressed himself. Violence was a common part of his life, and as I learn more, I know that this was a crime based on anger and hate. His friends, other students at school, and family friends have told me things that make me know that Shaun Murphy picked Fred out to chase and beat him. 

"One of the places that Fred faced a lot of trouble was in school. I blame the people in charge at the school for not making sure he was safe. I am angry that they thought Fred was the problem. Fred tried very hard to fit in. People in charge shouldn't treat children differently just because they aren't like them. I hope that they will listen to me and other people who care about what happened to Fred. 

"Fred was a member of the Native American Church. A lot of Native American Church members prayed for Fred and his family. 

"What I wanted for my son was for him to be accepted and loved, just like I accepted and loved him. Fred was always proud to be Navajo. Fred did not struggle with who he was, but he was hurt because of the people who had problems with my son expressing himself honestly. I hope that the police and the District Attorney will talk about this and bring justice for the death of my son. I am grateful to Fred's friends for accepting him the way he was and remembering him for who he was. Fred's family loved and cared deeply for all of who he was. We firmly believe that Fred's murder was a hate crime. 

"Because he was different his life was taken from him, and we will never know the person Fred would have become." 

CONTACT: 
Carolyn Wagner 
Vice President, National PFLAG 
Co-Founder, Families United Against Hate (FUAH) 
(202) 257-9182 - cell 
By Deb Price, The Detroit News 

Long ignored in the international human rights drive to avoid repeats of Nazi-style atrocities, gay men and lesbians recently advanced a tiny bit closer to being fully embraced as part of humanity's family. 

In the first of two unrelated developments, the United Nations' human-rights arm announced it will start collecting reports on torture and other anti-gay activity that can be used to try to persuade countries to improve the lives of their gay citizens. Separately, because of a Clinton administration decision, more than a half million dollars from an international fund is being given to gay survivors of Nazi concentration camps and to fund efforts to inform the world about cruelties committed against homosexuals in Hitler's Germany. 

Together, the two moves are heart-warming proof that decades of tireless work by international gay-rights advocates are paying off. Slowly, the UN community is starting to understand why protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation need to be read into the human-rights declarations signed after World War II. 
By D'Vera Cohn 

The 2000 Census is showing huge increases in the number of same-sex couples sharing households in the District and the nation, reflecting a decade's worth of political and social gains that have made gay men and lesbians far more willing to report their living arrangements. The numbers also grew significantly in 10 states for which figures have been released: More than 700 percent in Delaware and Nevada; more than 400 percent in Vermont, Indiana, Louisiana and Nebraska; and more than 200 percent in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts and Montana. 

The statistics are the most recent from the 2000 Census, adding another component to the complex portrait of a nation that is increasingly diverse racially and socially. 

The new information does not cover the entire gay population, but it offers a snapshot of gay men and lesbians who have settled into a shared household. The census shows that they typically live in big cities, coastal towns, state capitals and college communities. Comparable figures for cities known for their large gay populations, including New York and San Francisco, have not been released yet. But among those for which numbers are out -- including Boston, Chicago and New Orleans -- the District stands out. Of the 15 neighborhoods in these cities with the highest concentrations of gay couples, 10 are in the District. 

From Our President

It's good to be home after three weeks in New York City including baby-sitting my grand babies. They live, with their parents, in Greenwich Village, a culturally and economically diverse community with lots of families, single people and many glbt people. Each morning, the kids (four and half and two and a half years old) and I walked across the street to buy bagels and juice. Then we sat on the stoop and watched people going to work, many of whom stopped to talk with Dante and Lorenzo (my grand babies). Lots of houses and apartments in the neighborhood are adorned with rainbow flags and many glbt couples are out and about. There are many gay bookstores, bars, gathering places and a six story building with a huge sign identifying it as a "Lesbian and Gay Community Center". I visited the community center which has a library, office and meeting spaces, and a busy agenda of social, political and recreational activities. Being in Greenwich Village reminded me of how open and inclusive of glbt people the world can be. PFLAG is committed to working for that world.

I also realized how much Kansas City needs a glbt community center. I hope the glbt community and friends find a way, soon, to create such a facility; it's a really important resource.

Here at home, PFLAG-KC has been very busy. We continue to receive many requests for information and material from glbt people and their families. We also have been invited to provide speakers and literature tables for several organizations including Federal agencies, businesses, community organizations, and educational institutions. An interview with PFLAG-KC was aired on KKFI on July 18. Given the increased number of requests for PFLAG representatives, the Board decided to establish a Speakers Bureau. A Speakers Bureau organization meeting will be held on August 18. SO...please do come and be part of public PFLAG. See page 1 for details. 

Watch the newsletter for information about wonderful PFLAG programs and events that you can participate in. PFLAG needs you and wants you. AND...do check out our website: pflagkc.org

Helen Cohen

CONGRATS, HELEN

Our president has accepted an invitation to serve on the board of Passages. Helen has always enjoyed working with young people and is happy to be serving in this capacity. "PFLAG now has an official tie with Passages", she says. 

PFLAG SUPPORTS REAL FAMILY VALUES