Jay County PFLAG shares mission

As the new board of Jay County PFLAG we would like to introduce ourselves and our mission.
“PFLAG” is Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. We are a national support, education and advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, their families, friends and allies. With 200,000 members and supporters, and local affiliates in more than 500 communities across the U.S. and around the world. We are a non-profit organization and are not affiliated with any religious or political institutions.
After some Jay County High School students formed Prism Gay Straight Alliance, we felt that the best way to support the student-led GSA was to be a visible presence in the community and to be available as a support for the families of the teens who were “coming out” and being more open with their sexual orientation. Since our local beginnings in October 2009, we have discovered that we were a needed resource for the parents and family of adult children who have been “out” a long time, and by both young and old adults whether they have been “out for years, for days, or not at all. We are here for those whose life is touched by the LGBT community to know that they are not alone, and that we care.
Our members come from all walks of life. We are moms and dads, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends, children and allies. We come from all economic backgrounds. We come from all faith traditions. We are youth and we are elderly. We are straight, we are gay, and we are bisexual. We are transgender. Our membership and our leadership are diverse, but what we have in common is our commitment to support each other and to grow beyond false and harmful perceptions of LGBT people.
Our mission is to promote the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: Support, to cope with adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights.
PFLAG provides an opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.
Jay County PFLAG meets the first Thursday and the third Wednesday of each month, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Jay County Public Library, 315 N. Ship St., Portland.
If you need us or would like to join us, we are here.
André Whetstone, president, and Brittany Flesher, secretary, Jay County PFLAG[[In-content Ad]]