Articles From Our March, 2005 Newsletter

PFLAG INTERIM DIRECTOR TO SPEAK

Our March 13 meeting will feature guest speaker Ron Schlittler, interim director for PFLAG National. Ron is coming to town to help defeat the Kansas Amendment. He'll be filling us in on what's happening at the national office and what we can do to help.

Passages will be coming in April to share their stories--don't miss out on these two great events.

Our meetings begin at 3pm, with the program segment commencing at about 4:30. Bring your friends and loved ones and help us give Ron a warm PFLAG/KC welcome.

And, of course, there will be the typical stimulating fellowship and refreshments. Hope we’ll see you there.

AIDS WALK APRIL 16......DON’T MISS IT

Last year, thousands of caring people participated and raised money for the men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS in our hometown. The 17th annual AIDS WALK, presented by the AIDS Service Foundation of Greater Kansas City, will be held Saturday, April 16th at Theis Park, across 47th Street South of the Nelson. Registration opens at 8:00 am, Welcoming Ceremonies at 9:30 am, and then we walk at 10:00 am!

HELP WANTED

Center Needs Volunteers for Quarterly Newsletter

Writers - the topic being community centers both personally or how they effect the community. Articles are due March 11th.
Photographers - we may try to use archival photos at this point since the newsletter is about the Community Center. We will certainly need photographers in the future.
Advertising - we need people who are motivated to get out there and sell ads.

Please contact info@lgcc-kc.org or call LGCC-KC at (816) 931-4420, if you are interested in any of the volunteer responsibilities listed above.

From Our President

Founded in 1996, the Day of Silence has been the largest single student-led action towards creating safer schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. From the first-ever Day of Silence at the University of Virginia to the organizing efforts in over 1,900 middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities across this country today, it's history reflects its diversity in numbers and reach. Students at these schools might simply hand a note to their teachers and friends explaining why they are choosing not to speak--because so many have been silenced and they want everyone to have a voice. It has an amazing impact on the faculty and the student body for those who participate are as diverse as the reasons they have for participating. Some local students put together some skits for a recent in-service day for teachers--the subjects related to things they see and hear on a daily basis in the halls and in the classroom. They also offered ways in which they would like to see the faculty address some of these situations. Many of those taking the workshop were teary eyed by its end- realizing for perhaps the first time the hurtful comments students put up with every day. Interestingly enough there was also a workshop on bullying that some of the same students and faculty chose to attend. This workshop was presented by an administrator and instead of addressing the truly hard issues of how to deal with the bully at school he said that teachers should go to the victim and ask them to stop the offensive behavior. I am grateful that at least one teacher that I know of simply packed up her things and walked out.

This year's Day of Silence is April 13th. Many are participating locally and there will be a big rally at the end of the day. It's always exciting to see young people doing what they can to end bigotry and bias-committed to seeing that everyone has a voice. Mark your calendars and get inspired!

Jamie

Washington, D.C. - February 2, 2005 - Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays was recently one of 22 national GLBT advocacy organizations to sign onto the ground-breaking unity statement entitled "Civil Rights. Community. Movement." After years of being accused by some of having a subversive anti-American "radical gay agenda," PFLAG was proud to sign onto a document that set forth what might fairly be called our collective agreement on an actual gay agenda. Ron Schlittler, PFLAG's interim executive director said, "This is a clear listing of goals rooted in nothing more than aspirations for basic fairness and equal respect and protection under the law for all of our family members and friends."

What the unity statement did not spell out was how each group would go about achieving shared aims. Schlittler said, "In the interest of transparency - and in articulating for ourselves what our specific goals are rather than leaving it to those who continually mischaracterize our work for their own political aims - we are announcing today PFLAG's core goals established by our Board of Directors that shape our work of support, education and advocacy."

Here are PFLAG's long-term goals:

I. Build the capacity of our organization at every level so that we may have all the resources, in the form of information, people and funding, necessary to move forward in our work with the greatest possible effect.

II. Create a world in which our young people may grow up and be educated with freedom from fear of violence, bullying and other forms of discrimination, regardless of their real or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation or that of their families.

III. Make our vision and our message accessible to the broadest range of ethnic and cultural communities, ending the isolation of families with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender family members within those communities.

IV. Create a society in which all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons may enjoy, in every aspect of their lives, full civil and legal equality and may participate fully in all the rights, privileges and obligations of full citizenship in this country.

V. Work toward full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons within their chosen communities of faith.

In releasing this statement of strategic goals, PFLAG National President Samuel Thoron said, "We welcome the participation and support of all who share in our vision and mission and who hope to realize our goals - whether straight or GLBT, whether relative or friend. We are redoubling our organizing efforts state-by-state all around the nation to significantly enhance and expand the effectiveness of our exceptional grass roots network."

With these clear guideposts, PFLAG's national office retains a central aim of keeping families together, but signals an equally deep commitment to educating friends and neighbors and policy makers about our concerns. Central to the work for the next couple of years will be state-by-state strategic organizing and training of members and supporters to be even more effective spokespersons and policy advocates for the their family members and loved ones in the GLBT community.

NEW KANSAS ORGANIZATION FORMED

A new statewide organization, Kansans For Fairness, has been formed to educate and encourage the public to vote “NO” on the proposed marriage amendment to the Kansas Constitution. Voting will take place on Tuesday, April 5th.

The proposed marriage amendment reads as follows:

a) The marriage contract is to be considered in law as a civil contract. Marriage shall be constituted by one man and one woman only. All other marriages are declared to be contrary to the public policy of the state and are void.

b) No relationship, other than a marriage, shall be recognized by the state as entitling the parties to the rights and incidents of marriage.

Same sex marriage has been illegal in Kansas since 1867. The current statute (KSA 23-101) states:

Nature of marriage relation.

a) The marriage contract is to be considered in law as a civil contract between two parties who are of opposite sex. All other marriages are declared to be contrary to the public policy of this state and are void. The consent of the parties is essential. The marriage ceremony may be regarded either as a civil ceremony or as a religious sacrament, but the marriage relation shall only be entered into, maintained or abrogated as provided by law.

b) The state of Kansas shall not recognize a common-law marriage contract if either party to the marriage contract is under 18 years of age.

An amendment to the Kansas Constitution is not needed and will reinforce to the rest of the nation and to the world that Kansas is a state of intolerance. Be sure and take a friend with you to the polls on April 5th and VOTE NO!!

Please visit these websites for further information on the proposed marriage amendment:

PFLAG SUPPORTS REAL FAMILY VALUES