Greensboro PFLAG newsletter, August 2000

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Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
PO Box 4153  GREENSBORO, NC 27404   PHONE (336) 852-8489 Vol. 7 No.8 Aug. 2
000
Welcome to PFLAG. We offer a safe,
confidential space in which to explore
our feelings and understandings of the
gay experience, especially "coming out"
and what this means to families and
other loved ones. Listen and share as
much or as little as you feel comfortable
with, knowing that others can understand. Welcome especially to our returning members whose love is so healing.
So Many Opportunities
(Tom is wandering the West, and Retta is filling
in for him this month,)
Many of you, especially those who have been
with the group for a while, please me so much by
telling of your growth through coming out. I
have also found that I no longer need to make a
big deal of it, but can casually say "my gay son"
or "my partner Donna". Here are a few ways
that some of our members have come out recently:
One of our mothers met a young male couple
who were waaay back in the closet. As she got
to know one of them better, she casually told
about her gay son. Haltingly, the young man
admitted that he was gay. She was the first
straight person he had ever told!
That same mother called to tell me that a friend
of hers looks to be elected to our state House of
Representatives in November. She believed that
she should ask for his support of g/I/b/t legislation, and we discussed what she might talk with
him about.
The interview lasted over an hour, and the
politician went from saying he knew nothing
about gay issues to being open to learning more
and willing to support legislation. He promised
to contact her for more information. I believe
he'll do it.
I urge you to come out because I know that it
can be very important to other people. Example:
a father was introducing himself in a meeting by
giving name and a fact that others might not
know. He gave his name and said, "I'm a member of PFLAG." In the group was a mother
MEETING
7:30 TUESDAY, AUGUST 15
FRIENDSHIP FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE
1103 NEW GARDEN ROAD, GREENSBORO
whose daughter had just come out to her.   She
was needing someone who understood.
Another father heard homophobic remarks
from a work group. He told the group about his
wonderful gay son, and he touched many others
in ways he may never know.
Our g/l/b/t members are often far ahead of
parents in coming out. One PFLAGer is openly
gay at work even though some of his superiors
are homophobic. But he has recently been promoted, and my bet is that he will soon be a "superior" himself.
Until we are willing to come out, in whatever
way seems appropriate, we are still enslaved by
internalized homophobia. This month, will you
take a step toward freeing yourself ?
A10 NEWS & RECORD, W«ft^^.^fc'i.200tf
BSA is out or touch ^#«a -
As a PFLAG dad and former Boyr,
Scout, I deeply regret the Boy Scouts oi.,
America's position on homosexuality,.,   •
Recently/by a 5-4 vote,'the. Supreme- "
Court upheld the constitutional right of*
the Scouts to exclude gay individuals. >/
During the last 40 years our nation's col,-,,
leges and athletic teams have moved.',
toward inclusion, especially for African^.
Americans and women. The National,.
Boy Scout leadership has moved in the ,
wrong direction by publicly choosing tq-
support discrimination against gay men
and boys. M fli*to^c?Si '3ff?Ws&Q
Clearly Scouting is a great organiza-^
tion but it should be for all youth,.-X
straight of gay, black or white, rich orj \
poor. Scouting should contribute to the
safety and moral well-being of all youths
It should promote self-respect.ancj^
respect for others.    ...   fc.,. - 1--A   -; iz
I look forward Jo the rime when the"
BSA will voluntarily reform its policy
and recognize that both straight and gay M
individuals can and should be morally"
strong and positive._ t * •.-. ■ ,-,.?,&$ &, * .._,
4   f  * Y   *>?^        Mac Stroupe
v   . <:      -.-:-> •=••   - ■-•• Greensboro.,
Editor's note: PFLAG stands for Par±
ents, Families and Friends of Lesbians
and Gays. - J     ;
QUARTERLY COORDINATING COMMITTEE
MEETS 7:30 TUESDAY, AUGUST 22
FRIENDSHIP FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE
1103 NEW GARDEN ROAD, GREENSBORO
EVERYONE IS A MEMBER OF QCC