Greensboro PFLAG newsletter, October 2002

              -   7
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
GREENSBORO, N.C.
Vol. 9 No. 10
October, 2002
PFLAG Bi-Annual Conference
by David Parker
What a wonderful experience! Linda and Mac
Stroupe and Joan and Dave Parker attended the PFLAG Bi-
Annual Conference in Columbus, Ohio, September 27 - 29.
There arc lots of interesting and exciting things happening,
with lots of new activities and information available.
The PFLAG Board of Directors by resolution
issued a Policy Statement September 27 welcoming intersex
persons and their families as fully participating members.
At least one in 2000 children is bom with notably atypical
sexual anatomy, i.e., an intersex condition.
Joan and Dave attended several transgender
network meetings, including an intersex meeting. As is
generally the case with PFLAG members, we were
welcomed to these meetings and made new friends. We
expect to become more active in PFLAG's Transgender
Network.
Joan and Dave also attended a very special
workshop on the origins of sexual orientation. PhD Cheryl
Lynn Weill reviewed the Neohormonal-Gcslational theory
of sexual orientation and presented a number of studies that
validate the theory. In short, sexual orientation is
determined by the fetus during week 6 through week 8 of
gestation due to hormonal influences generated by the fetus.
It is not affected by other environmental influences, cither
before or after birth.
Linda and Mac and their son Carter especially
enjoyed the Friday evening performances of the Columbus
(Lesbian) Women's Chorus and the Flaggots Ohio. The
Flaggots, who describe themselves as "fags with flags," have
fun performing for GLBT&S audiences. They do perfectly
executed march/dance routines with brightly colored flags.
You can see their website at www.flauaots.com. The 60-
voice Columbus Women's Chorus ended their program
singing a haimtingly beautiful African melody a capella as
they surrounded the audience in a large circle while holding
hands. Their music was enlightening and moving.
The Stroupes have promised to tell us about the
most impressive conference workshops they attended in our
next newsletter.
The next national conference will be in two years in
Salt Lake City. We hope more people from our chapter will
try to go. It's incredibly gratifying and energizing to be with
hundreds of people much like ourselves who are committed
to work for a better world for us all. Consider having the
national conference as your vacation in 2004.
Dave, Joan, Mac & Linda will be discussing
their trip in more detail at our next meeting Tuesday
October 15.
Welcome to PFLAG. Wc offer a safe,
confidential space in which to explore our feelings and
understandings about 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.
News and notes
By Tom Clarke
This year's annual North Carolina gay pride march
and rally was on the campus of Duke University in Durham
on Sept. 28. There were at least a couple of thousand people
in the march, including a big group of Triangle PFLAG
folks. Also several people from our Greensboro group were
in attendance. There were a large number of student groups
including gay-straight alliance groups from schools and
colleges all over the state. The parade route was lined by
hundreds of supporters and there were rainbow flags all
along the route. It is very empowering to be in a large
crowd of gays and straight supporters, especially after many
years of being closeted and feeling alone.
* * *
Four people from Greensboro PFLAG - Mac and
Linda Stroupe and Joan and David Parker - attended the
national PFLAG conference in Columbus, Ohio. They tell
of their experience elsewhere in tins newsletter and will have
more to tell us at the October meeting.
* * *
Holiday party. Wc need to decide as a chapter
whether we want to host the Holiday Party again this year. I
think it would be nice to do it, but wc need to contact the
other chapters and set a date if wc do it. Wc will discuss this
at next cliapter meeting.
* * *
Books donated to public libraries. Last year
Greensboro PFLAG donated funds to purchase 18 different
titles for a total of 36 books to the Greensboro Public
Library. These books designed to educate our youth and
Continued on page 2
'LAG
Octobei
Friendship Friends Meeting House
1103 New Garden Road