Articles From Our August, 2008 Newsletter
OUR SPEAKER IN AUGUST
PFLAG/KC PRESENTS
Sanford P. Krigel
Sandy Krigel was born and raised in Kansas City. He attended the
University of Pennsylvania for his undergraduate degree in Urban Studies. He
graduated cum laude in 1973. He obtained his legal education at St. Louis
University School of Law, graduating in 1976. Since 1976 he has actively
practiced law in Kansas City at the firm of Krigel & Krigel, P.C. Sandy's
practice is primarily in the areas of corporate/transactional services,
commercial litigation, real estate, estate planning, assisted reproduction
technology law and adoption law. Sandy is a member of Kansas City
Metropolitan Bar Association, the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, KC
LEGAL (Kansas City Lesbian, Gay and Allied Lawyers) as well as other local
and national bar associations.
Over the last several years Sandy has represented approximately fifty gay
and lesbian clients in successful adoption cases. In its estate planning
practice Krigel & Krigel regularly represents GLBT clients in handling their
special estate planning needs.
Dear PFLAG Family,
Thank you to all who represented PFLAG as well as presenting your own stories at the various speaking engagements in June and July. For those of you who have not had the opportunity, speaking in front of a group is a learning experience as well as empowering as you tell your stories to complete strangers.
I very much missed hearing George Turner at our July meeting and I wanted to thank Carolyn, one of your Co-Vice Presidents for coordinating the meeting. August will bring Sandy Krigel, an attorney who will speak about adoption and estate planning issues for GLBT clients. September will bring representatives from Black Gay Pride to discuss specific needs within the Black GLBT community. October will bring representatives from Kansas City Anti Violence Project (KCAVP). If you have an idea for a program or speaker, please contact any Board member.
Enjoy the rest of your summer, keeping cool I hope! I look forward to seeing all of you at the August meeting.
Thank you for all that you do within our organization and our community as a whole!
Randy
In GBLT Cinema coming back to the Tivoli this month is the movie Chris & Don a love story. It is a true-life story of the passionate three-decade relationship between British writer Christopher Isherwood (whose Berlin Stories was the basis for all incarnations of the much-beloved Cabaret) and America portrait painter Don Bachardy, thirty years his junior. From Isherwood’s Kit-Kat-Club years in Weimar-era Germany( the inspiration for his most famous work) to the couple’s first meeting on the sun-kissed beaches of 1950s Malibu, their against-all-odds saga us brought to dazzling life by a treasure trove of multimedia. Bachardy’s contemporary reminiscences artfully interact with archival footage, rare home movies, reenactments, and, most sweetly, whimsical animations based on the cat-and-horse cartoons the pair used in their personal correspondence. With Isherwood’s status as an out-and-proud gay maverick, and Bachardy’s eventual artistic triumph away from the considerable shadow of his life partner, Chris & Don: A Love Story is above all a joyful celebration of a most extraordinary couple.
Bill
Name: Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act
Bill Number: H.R. 1653, S. 972
Currently, states can only receive federal funding for sexuality education if they agree to teach abstinence-only-until-marriage, which routinely excludes critical information about the health benefits of contraception to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Because of the marriage stipulation, the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals (GLBT) in the curriculum is virtually nonexistent.
The REAL Act would authorize the first federal programs for comprehensive, honest sex education. It would provide funding for states to implement comprehensive approaches that include information about both abstinence and contraception and condoms, from both the values and public health perspectives.
This is a joyous look at the many ways gay, lesbian, bi, and transgendered persons have realized and claimed their identity. The frank and spontaneous responses endear these individuals to the viewer. It is clear that this journey from awareness to enjoying their lives as GLBT persons was well worth the effort for these delightful persons. The inspiration for this project first came to Jamie Rich several years ago. The video taping project at the Pride Festival this year was the beginning of making it a reality. Jamie contacted Lisa Marie. She was excited about the idea and made room in an already crowded schedule to come to Kansas City to work on it. Her technical skill and her sensitivity to and appreciation for the experiences and emotions that were shared by members of the Kansas City LGBTQ community make this an informative, uplifting, and informative experience for the viewer. Thank you to Jamie Rich, Lisa Marie, KKFI, and the KC Pride Festival, the KC Gay Film Fest and all the individuals who were willing to share these personal vignettes with us. Several of our own PFLAG members participated but unfortunately there was not enough time to edit and use all of the material on the DVD so that more of these poignant stories could be shared. Maybe next year…
PFLAG SUPPORTS REAL FAMILY VALUES