PFLAG Tri-Cities

2011-08-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

PFLAG National continuously works to improve direct services and support to our large and expanding affiliate base (chapters) across the country. One of our core functions is to provide leadership on the wide range of challenges and issues our chapters face, both internal and external, so that they can be as effective as possible in fulfilling the PFLAG mission—supporting families, educating communities and advocating for equality.

The 2011 Chapter Needs Assessment Survey is an important tool for PFLAG National staff, volunteer regional directors, state coordinators, and the board of directors to understand chapter needs and evaluate PFLAG National resources.

As PFLAG National looks toward the future, we look to you for your thoughts and insights. Your feedback will help us improve our resources - training programs, publications, advocacy work, and so much more.

To take this simple PFLAG National survey, please go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011PFLAGchaptersurvey.

Please note that all responses are completely anonymous and confidential and will not be linked to either IP addresses or chapter characteristics. Your candor is appreciated.

This link will stay open until September 9th. At that time, we'll close the survey and start analyzing the results. Chapter leaders and members will be informed of survey results and subsequent action plans to address areas identified for improvement at the 2011 PFLAG National Convention in November.

In appreciation for your feedback, we are offering a 75% discount on your next order from the PFLAG National Bookstore (information provided at the completion of the survey.

Although online surveys are preferred, if you need to utilize a paper version of the survey, please contact the National Office to have one mailed to you. Paper surveys can be mailed to Beth Kohm (Deputy Executive Director), 1828 L Street NW Ste. 660 Washington, DC 20036. If you use this method, please include your name, mailing address, telephone number and an email address to receive the bookstore discount codes.

Many thanks for all that you do!

Regards,

Peggy Moore, Vice-President, PFLAG National Board of Directors, Chair, Board Performance Review Committee

2011-02-26T20:02:00.001-08:00

Come see what we're up to at our upcoming PFLAG Tri-Cities Meetings!

In March (17th), one of our members who works with the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) will be presenting photos and stories from the 7th Annual Advancing Equality Day on the Hill. She will provide updates on the bills proposed in the TN General Assembly that affect LGBT individuals in the state of TN.Come on out to find out about the issues and see how TEP and PFLAG can work together.

Then...

In April (21st), an individual from Appalachian Service Project (ASP) TriCities will speak to our group about community service opportunities with the local one-day service projects in the Tri Cities area. He will provide an overview of ASP and specific information about the year-round projects locally. The goal is to organize 1-2 teams of volunteers (8-10 persons each) to serve our community in the name of equality and fellowship. Please join us to find out how you can make a difference in our area.

As always, our meetings offer the opportunity for safe, welcoming, supportive fellowship.Please come out and join us!

2011-01-19T22:31:00.000-08:00

Meeting!

Thursday, February 17th!

ETSU Campus
Rogers-Stout Hall, Room 125
7pm

Hope to see you there!

December Meeting Canceled

2010-12-16T07:33:00.001-08:00

The PFLAG December meeting is canceled!

Due to the inclement weather and potentially dangerous road conditions, the December meeting of PFLAG Tri-Cities is canceled.

We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season and we hope to see you at our January meeting.

Next meeting:

January 20, 2011 at 7pm

New Meeting Room: 125 Rogers-Stout Hall on the ETSU Campus

We look forward to seeing you there!

SPLC: Gays Under Attack

2010-12-10T11:24:00.001-08:00

In today's mail I received the latest issue of the Intelligence Report published by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The cover story is Under Attack: Statistics Reflect Grim Reality: Gays Remain The Most Targeted Minority In America.

Responding to the wave of teen suicides — including, most dramatically, that of 18-year-old Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers University student who leaped off the George Washington Bridge in New York City in September — anti-gay leaders instead blamed those who sought to protect students from bullying.

Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association said gay rights activists “pressure these students to declare a disordered sexual preference when they’re too young to know better, [so] they share some culpability.” Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a key critic of anti-bullying programs, said gay activists were “exploiting these tragedies to push their agenda.” He said that gay kids may know “intuitively” that their desires are “abnormal” and that the claim, pushed by gay activists, that they can’t change “may create a sense of despair that can lead to suicide.” Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel said those activists want “to use the tragedies to increase pressure on the real victims: Christians.”

Can you believe that? Christians are the "real victims" according to these anti-gay zealots. You will also want to read

Thanks to the SPLC for this issue.

The best way to counter this is to stand up and be counted.

In Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia please support:

2010 PFLAG Holiday Celebration!

2010-11-23T22:00:00.000-08:00

Come and join us for some holiday fun!

It's the PFLAG Tri-Cities Holiday Celebration!

When: Sunday December 5 at 5pm
Where: Presbyterian Campus House
1412 College Heights Dr.
Johnson City, TN

What to bring: A covered dish to share, drinks* for your party and your holiday spirit!

(*As this location is on the ETSU campus, no alcohol will be permitted.)

RSVP either at our Facebook event page or email us at pflagtricities@yahoo.com

We look forward to seeing you there as we come together to celebrate the holidays in a safe, accepting environment!

Coming Out Day October 11th

2010-10-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

Join us Monday at the Borchuck Plaza (courtyard outside the Sherrod library)

Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs at ETSU presents:

Sam says:

On this night, we remember and speak about those who have gone on, those who continue to have the courage to speak out for what they believe is right, and those who inspire you in your everyday life. There will be performances by Johnson City's sensational group, Squash Blossoms, and an after-dinner at the Campus Presbyterian House. Following dinner, we will take time to share our stories and gain a deeper understanding of the human condition.

2010-09-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

OCTOBER PFLAG PICNIC
TIME TO CELEBRATE FRIENDSHIPS, FOOD & FUN!

The fall PFLAG picnic will be held Saturday, October 23rd at 1 p.m. at River Park Campground, 3937 Hwy 81 South in Jonesborough. Festivities begin at 1:00 with an early dinner (or late lunch, as you prefer!) between 3:00 and 4:00.

October is a month to celebrate; Halloween is just around the corner and October is the month for PFLAG membership renewal.

Membership Information
Membership forms will be available at the picnic for all renewing and new members. Membership is a great bargain - $25.00 per household, no matter the number of people in each home. The membership year is October 1 through September 30, so joining in October means having a full year of membership in the PFLAG TriCities chapter and PFLAG National. Your local dues are used to purchase education and advocacy materials and to provide opportunities for support through functions such as our picnics. Check out PFLAG National’s website to see how your national dues are used for education, advocacy and support!

https://community.pflag.org/btmh

Picnic Details
Hamburgers and hot dogs, buns, and condiments provided by PFLAG and cooked to perfection by our expert chefs!

Please bring your own beverages, a side dish to share, and a chair for each person in your party.
PFLAG will also provide plates, eating utensils, napkins and cups.

Bonfire following the picnic with s'mores for all!

Fun – Pumpkin Carving, Games and Conversation

Enjoy carving Halloween pumpkins from 1-3:00pm – PFLAG will provide trash bags. Bring enough pumpkins to accommodate your party; don’t forget to bring your own carving tools!
Play bocce ball and croquette!

Participate in wonderful conversation in an affirming environment!

Planning to attend? Please RSVP with number in your party so we can accurately plan for food.

See you on October 23rd!!!!

Meeting Tonight!

2010-09-16T06:19:00.001-07:00

Tonight September 16^th is this month’s P.F.L.A.G. Tri Cities meeting in Warf Pickle Hall, room 413 at 7:00 PM.

We have a lot of exciting upcoming events to discuss and we hope that you’ll be able to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

Best wishes!,

Your friends at P.F.L.A.G. TriCities

Meeting Tonight!

2010-08-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

Hey PFLAGers!

Don't miss our meeting tonight at #315 Warf-Pickel at ETSU!!

We have been offered space at a house on the tree streets to sell and/or to promote PFLAG Tri-Cities at the big tree streets yard sale in Johnson City. It will be a great opportunity to get the word out about us. That plus other things will be on the agenda tonight!

Hope to see you all!
John

PFLAG Tri-Cities New Board

2010-08-16T12:21:00.001-07:00

A note of thanks from the new steering committee of PFLAG Tri-Cities:

Two years ago the well being and the respect of several local citizens was jeopardized when the Johnson City Police department carried out a sting operation aimed at gay men. A local newspaper responded with a shameful display of those who had fallen victim to the sting. As a result, several individuals lost their jobs and their family relationships. One of those men actually committed suicide.

It was blatantly apparent that the civil liberties of these people were being jeopardized. In response, five individuals rallied together to offer their support through education, service, and leadership. They did so by organizing the Tri-Cities chapter of P.F.L.A.G.

Under their guidance, a strong foundation of allies for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community has taken root in the Tri-Cities. At this time, P.F.L.A.G. Tri-Cities has many members and allies who follow us on Facebook and who support one another through meetings, service projects, and advocacy roles. As a result, P.F.L.A.G. Tri-Cities has matured into an invaluable social justice entity for our surrounding area. It offers support and compassion for the well being of all living in a part of the country where many are challenged by sexual diversity.

Now after two years of devoted service, the original founding steering committee is passing the baton on to a new group. In appreciation for their service, we would like to officially acknowledge those who answered the higher call. Kerry Holland, John Mosier, John Shuck, Patricia Robertson, and Bert Allen have generously offered their compassion and their devotion for the respect and justice of gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgendered individuals in East TN. We are thankful for the work and for the leadership they have provided. We take this opportunity to offer them our heartfelt gratitude.

President--Ray White
Vice-President--Keith Frederick
Secretary--Michele Banner
Treasurer--Scott Paffenroth
At-Large--Stacey Williams

Come to our next meeting, Thursday, August 19th at 7 p.m. at #315 Warf-Pickel at ETSU!

Word

2010-08-04T17:52:00.001-07:00

From NYMag:

Judge Hands Victory to Proposition 8 Opponents, Gay-Marriage Ban Overturned

Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. Because California has no interest in discriminating against gay men and lesbians, and because Proposition 8 prevents California from fulfilling its constitutional obligation to provide marriages on an equal basis, the court concludes that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.
--Judge Walker

Keep the faith.

Next Meeting

2010-07-13T19:10:00.001-07:00

Hey PFLAGers,

Our next meeting is this Thursday, July 15th at 7 p.m. We will meet at ETSU in Warf-Pickel Hall Room #315.

See you there!

A thought. In the past we have been talking about doing some kind of service project. My daughter, Katy, is working this summer for the Boone Watershed Partnership and they are all about clean streams. Maybe we can clean a stream? Anyway, this Sunday is a fundraiser (spaghetti dinner and karaoke with Tri-Cities DJ Michael Hawkins!) for the Boone Watershed. You all are welcome.

Go here for information .

See you Thursday!
John Shuck

Westboro Hate Group in Johnson City

2010-06-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities,

For the last two days, the Johnson City Press has printed articles regarding Westboro Baptist Church coming to Johnson City to "protest" a funeral service for fallen Senior Airman Benjamin D. White.

Here are links to the articles:

Original article (Friday):
Westboro Baptist Members Plan Protest at Local Serviceman's Funeral

Counter-protest article (Saturday)
Plans Underway to Protest Westboro

This Westboro group is a bunch of haters that stage these events to call attention to themselves. In my opinion, best to be ignored.

I have received a couple of messages about folks concerned about what we might do.

We did talk about this at our PFLAG meeting Thursday. We decided NOT to participate in any vigil or counter-protest. There will be no PFLAG presence, no banners, signs, etc.

We are concerned that we not turn this into a circus of some sort. Fred Phelps is a joke and he only does this for the publicity he gets from counter-protests.

The biker groups will be there and there will be plenty of security. The church is huge and will do what it takes to care for the family. I don't know the family and I am not connected with the church. It is important for the church (who is working with the family) to take the lead.

I have contacted the church and offered my support. They replied in an email to me that they essentially have it covered:

"It is our distinct privilege to honor the humility, heroism and sacrifice of Ben White. Ben was an active part of our church. Most importantly, he was a believer in Christ and sought to serve Him, especially through his military service. It is our desire to provide a dignified service allowing his family, our church and community to grieve and glorify God."

Funerals are the most sensitive events there are.

The last thing we need is to have our name connected with a some kind of sideshow. In other words, We don't think this is an event for PFLAG. This is not a LGBT rights thing. Fred Phelps and his group are publicity hound weirdos that will be contained by the police and the church.

Certainly folks can do what they need to do. If anyone decides to do something, you might contact the church first and think this through carefully.

Before doing anything, you might consider the letter the pastor of Grace Fellowship (where the funeral will be held) sent to church members:

"June 18, 2010 To the GFC Community,

As you may have heard, one of our own, Ben White, was killed in action in Afghanistan over a week ago. Ben was a vital part of our church along with his family. The funeral service is planned for Monday evening here in our building.

It has also been reported that a group will protest his military service with a demonstration near the church Monday night. Our understanding is that they will not be permitted beyond Greenwood Drive and Seminole. They will not protest on our property. Law enforcement will handle all issues related to this matter. Understandably, many people have expressed a desire to hold anti-protests or otherwise react to this group. We have been encouraged to be vocal in our repudiation of this group. We are extremely proud of the sacrifice that Ben and other members of the military have made and continue to make for all of us. We do repudiate the theology and tactics of this very fringe group.

However, this group specializes in making a media frenzy out of these events. It is estimated that there may be seven people show up. Sometimes, they do not show up at all-but they have made their point due to the reaction of the community and media. No one in America supports this group and in a sense, our protests only "preach to the choir."

Ben's family honors the right of this group to have their say. In no way does the presence of this group affect how they feel about Ben's honorable service or the support they have received from their country and community. They plan to celebrate Ben's life and mourn his loss with respect and dignity, regardless of what happens "on the street." Our property will be holy ground, set apart for the "things of God" appropriate for the occasion.

It is our intent to stay focused on the needs of the family and on a service that will honor Ben and our Lord. We encourage our members to do the same. Be very careful about giving this group what they want-attention.The following statement is being given to media outlets that request a statement from us and will appear on our web site.

It is our distinct privilege to honor the humility, heroism and sacrifice of Ben White. Ben was an active part of our church. Most importantly, he was a believer in Christ and sought to serve Him, especially through his military service. It is our desire to provide a dignified service allowing his family, our church and community to grieve and glorify God.

Please direct your energy to quiet prayer and support for the White family. Pray for the impact of the service upon all who attend. Pray for the safety of those who join the fray and for law enforcement as they seek to manage a potentially chaotic situation. Pray that our church can provide an example of consistent godliness and grace in the midst of this spectacle.

Thank you for honoring Ben and his family by your continued support and prayer. We will provide an opportunity on Sunday for you to express yourself in writing to the family.May God provide us all wisdom and grace as we navigate the troubled times in which we live.

Tom Oyler, Lead Pastor With Tim Bowers, Staff Pastor, and the support of the elders"

I think that is very good advice for all of us:

"Be very careful about giving this group what they want-attention...."
"....Direct your energy to quiet prayer and support for the White family."

In the meantime, all of us at PFLAG offer our deepest condolences to the family of Senior Airman Benjamin D. White. He served his country and he gave his life. For that we are forever indebted.

By the way,

We have a new steering committee!

We officially elected the following:

Ray White--President
Keith Frederick--Vice President
Scott Paffenroth--Treasurer
Michele Banner--Secretary
Stacey Williams--At Large

I will still help with email and internet stuff as they need me to do so. This group will be wrestling with these kinds of decisions and many others as we move forward.

Peace,
John Shuck, email guy

Celebrating Diversity at the Blue Plum

2010-06-09T13:35:00.001-07:00

Eighty thousand folks visited the Blue Plum over the weekend according to the Johnson City Press. The Press also posted some photos.

PFLAG Tri-Cities gave away a thousand or so rainbow colored "Celebrate Diversity" stickers.

In the pic at the right (click here or click the pic to enlarge) two people are wearing them! Can you spot them?

PFLAG Tri-Cities at Blue Plum!

2010-05-31T09:52:00.001-07:00

I am looking forward to the Blue Plum Festival in Johnson City this weekend. It is a big celebration downtown with a lot of great music and great food.

For the third straight year PFLAG Tri-Cities will be at the Blue Plum. We will be in the covered gazebo in Majestic Park.

Come by, say hello, pick up a brochure, get some skittles and rainbow stickers (but of course!)

PFLAG Tri-Cities Elections

2010-05-30T16:56:00.000-07:00

Hello PFLAG Friends,

We hope you are all doing well and enjoying this Memorial Day Weekend. Don’t forget to remember our fallen soldiers who were GLBT and not allowed to identify themselves as such. They were real heroes to us all.

Your Steering Committee has been working hard to finalize some guidelines for PFLAGTriCities first election since we re-formed in April 2008.

Here is what we have come up with:

We have four offices: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and a Member-At-Large position. Five people so far have volunteered to be nominated for these.

We will continue taking nominations until Midnight, June 4. You may nominate yourself or someone else (via e-mail) for any of the above positions. If you nominate someone else, they must send a confirmatory e-mail expressing their agreement to be nominated.

Additionally, any new nomination must be accompanied by a biographical statement of interest in a leadership position and the work of PFLAGTriCities. If we do not receive a biographical statement by Midnight June 4 that accompanies a new nomination, that nomination will not be considered valid.

Please note, all nominees for a leadership position in PFLAGTriCities must be a member-in-good standing (i.e. your dues are currently paid for membership year 2010).

After the nominations have closed, The Steering Committee will announce the candidates, publish their bios and announce the procedure for finalizing the election. The election will be finalized at our regular monthly meeting, Thursday June 17, 2010.

We are excited to be ushering in this new phase of development in PFLAGTriCities. We appreciate the opportunity to work so closely with all of you for a cause that is so dear to all of us.

Peace and Love,
Kerry Holland, President
John Mosier, Vice-President
John Shuck, Secretary

Meeting Thursday!

2010-05-19T14:12:00.001-07:00

Hey PFLAGers!

Don't forget our meeting this Thursday!

We will begin the process of electing officers.

We will make plans for the Blue Plum. Stacey still has openings for the Booth.

Saturday, June 5th

8am set up

9-11am

11-1pm

Can you help? Email pflagblueplum@gmail.com

See you at #315 Warf-Pickel at ETSU!

Seven p.m.!

Love,
John

Picnic, Blue Plum, Elections

2010-05-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

This is from Kerry:

Hi PFLAG friends and family!

Forwarding below from our friend, Stacey about the Blue Plum Music Festival which is coming upon the first weekend in June. Please respond so she can get you signed up for staffing the booth! The Blue Plum has been a great way for PFLAG to get the word out to the TriCities area. We network, we hob-knob, we fund-raise, we raise awareness, and we have a great time! So, sign up! You'll have a great time!

Also, our next social function is the picnic coming up on May 15 at the Riverpark Campground on 3927 Highway 81 outside of Jonesborough...please be looking for further announcements about that...PFLAG will provide the main course, you can bring yourself, your friends and family, your lawn chairs, sunscreen, bug repellent, swimsuits, lawn games, side dish or dessert, and your preferred beverage. It will be fun like always!!! RSVP to pflagpicnic [at] yahoo [dot] com with the number in your party!

And on Thursday, May 20 at 7-8:30pm we will have our monthly meeting in room 315 Warf-Pickel on the campus of ETSU. Remember, we are gearing up to have our first election ever at the June meeting...several wonderful folks have come forward to "put their hats in the ring", and we are so thrilled that they have. This is an exciting stage in the continuing development of this rebirth of PFLAGTriCities. We've been going strong for a couple of years, now. And now it is time, to move our organization forward to the next level!! If you are also interested in holding elected office in PFLAGTriCities, now is the time to speak up. The election will be held in June. We will ask folks running for office to write brief statements about themselves as an introduction to the membership at large and make a statement about their goals for the organization.

By the by, if you haven't renewed your membership in PFLAG, we sure do need you! Erin at the National Office tells us that our numbers are way down from last year!!! So, please, get out your check book and renew your membership in PFLAG. You'll benefit our local group as well as the National organization. And as Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing."

Heeere's Stacey!!

Hi John and Kerry,

I am hoping that you can send out this email about the Blue Plum for me... I have provided subheaders in the message below to indicate the areas we need volunteer help... Anyone interested in helping can email me at pflagblueplum@gmail.com

Thanks!
Stacey

VOLUNTEERS AT THE BOOTH:
We need volunteers to sit at the booth (which will be at the gazebo in Majestic Park in downtown Johnson City). Working at the booth consists of telling people a bit about PFLAG as they drop by to see what we are about...as well as distributing stickers and brochures about PFLAG, signing people up for our email distribution and membership if they are interested, signing them up for a raffle during the festival, etc.

We typically have at least two people working at the booth at any given time. But I know last year lots of us just stayed around and socialized with each other as well...so it can be lots of fun knowing our group! So I think this is a great way to get to know fellow PFLAGers as well as make a difference by getting the word out about the organization.

The festival runs Friday (June 4) - Sunday (June 6). Friday's hours are 11am-11pm, Saturday's are 9am-11pm, and Sunday's are 11am-6pm. I would like to aim for volunteers on both Friday and Saturday as usual. Although there are hours on Sunday, I may not be available. If we get lots of folks interested in Sunday perhaps something can be worked out. Also, we are able to take down the booth each evening beginning at 5pm. Once late evening approaches we get few people dropping by the booth, so the last time slot will be from 5-7pm.

So, here are the time slots that we need to fill...

Friday (June 4):
10am set up: 3 people
11-1: 2 people
1-3: 2 people
3-5: 2 people
5-7 (take down): 3 people

Saturday (June 5):
8am set up: 3 people
9-11: 2 people
11-1: 2 people
1-3: 2 people
3-5: 2 people
5-7: 3 people (take down)

OTHER WAYS TO HELP:
We also have several other needs for the festival...
~bottles of water for the volunteers
~coolers to borrow to keep the water cold (and bags of ice)
~chairs for people to sit (we have used bag chairs in the past and they have been very convenient)
~mini bags of Skittles candy to give away at the booth
~plastic table cloths for 2 long tables
~a dolly to transport materials and coolers and such to and from the booth
~anything else you can think of that might be a good contribution

Thanks Everyone!
Kerry
(your soon to be ex-prez!!)

I Am A Transexual (An Open Letter to the Washington Times)

2010-04-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

I think most of us understand that the Washington Times is as much a bastion of literary integrity as Westboro Baptist Church is a role model for Christianity.

Still, I was delighted to see this response to a recent editorial in the WT. Keffy has it going on. His blog is one worth keeping an eye on, I would say. (The author has stated a preference for linky love versus re-posting, so please be sure and click the link above for the letter).

There is one thing lacking in Keffy's letter, though. In it, Keffy quotes an unidentified straight teacher as saying "it's actually a psychological disorder, officially listed as such by the current American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders." That statement is just not true.

This is from the APA's website: "The Board of Trustees of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1973 after reviewing evidence that it was not a mental disorder. In 1987 ego-dystonic homosexuality was not included in the revised third edition of DSM (DSM-II-R) after a similar review."

Although Keffy's point that mental illness/disorder is not (or should not be) looked upon as reason to keep people out of jobs, he did not, in this letter anyway, refute the teacher's claim. That is an important omission, I believe.

PFLAG Picnic!

2010-04-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

One of our most anticipated events is the PFLAG Tri-Cities Picnic!

It will be held Saturday, May 15th at 5 p.m. at River Park Campground, 3937 Hwy 81 South in Jonesborough.

Please bring your own beverages, a side dish to share, and a chair.

PFLAG will be providing hot dogs and hamburgers. Bonfire following the picnic with s'mores for all!

Planning to attend? Please RSVP to pflagpicnic@yahoo.com with number in your party so we can accurately plan for food.

PFLAG's Second Birthday!

2010-04-18T19:59:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Presbyterian Student Fellowship for hosting a great birthday party for PFLAG Tri-Cities! We celebrated our second anniversary with about 30 in attendance!

Thanks to Lori for decorating our delicious cake!

We now have over 400 on our email contact list and so we consistently have 25-30 at every meeting.

We are a force to be reckoned with in the Tri-Cities. A force of support, education, and advocacy. And a hell of a lot of fun, too!

We meet the third Thursdays at ETSU. Currently in #315 Warf-Pickel. Our next meeting is May 20th.

But the event that draws the big crowd is the picnic! Get it on the calendar! Saturday, May 15th. Details to come on the PFLAG Tri-Cities Blog!

"Homophobia is about as logical as anatidaephobia"

2010-04-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

Excellent letter by Sam Smith in The East Tennessean (ETSU's student paper):

I was 20 years old when I came out of the closet. Before that, there were plenty of family members and friends elbowing me and winking references to my need for a girlfriend or at least a Jessica Biel poster in my room.

At first, I appeased everyone and agreed with them. In high school, I kept an Angelina Jolie poster by my desk in journalism.

I allowed very unappealing girls to flirt with me. I avoided talking to guys, fearing I might find one of them compatible enough to share my belief that a Casey Affleck poster would be much more up my alley.

As can be expected, I dated no one until college. When you repress yourself, you tend to ride the wave of monotony and dissatisfaction.

Feelings of anger, failure and loneliness are sharpened by the everyday rejection of happiness, independence and companionship.

Developing through teenage years is annoying enough without the suffocating expectations of people who don't know you, combined with the regionally dominant religion and its damning pick-and-choose usability.

Before I knew better, I considered myself an abomination.

If Leviticus 18:22 said my innate preference for men made me a turnip, a razzmatazz or a Barcalounger, I would have been ashamed of myself for being a turnip, a razzmatazz or a Barcalounger.

The word, however, was "abomination" and it took years for me to realize that oppression, even in a book that has been adapted and recycled for centuries, is the real abomination.

People have been murdered for the color of their eyes, hair or skin; and people have been murdered for their transgender, bisexual or gay nature.

I wonder how many more disasters and diseases the world must have before people are no longer killed but valued for being alive?

I'm currently of the mindset that the odds of my existence are one in a "measureless-illion." Multiply that by 6 billion and you have an estimate of the odds that you and I are the ones sharing the only known planet that offers oxygen, merry-go-rounds and Hayao Miyazaki.

The odds of our existence aren't very probable, but the odds of our coexistence are much more in our favor.

Homophobia is about as logical as anatidaephobia (the fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you).

When I was in the closet, your average homophobe was just as miserable and insecure as when I came out. To go from denying yourself to being yourself is an adventure. To continue fearing those who are not like you is a shame.

I came out to my mom one summer nearly two years ago because I was going through a particularly volatile relationship with my best friend-turned-boyfriend.

I felt like I had no one who would understand, which struck me that day as a completely moronic feeling.

If I didn't have my parents' support through the end of a pivotal and poisonous situation, then I was cheating them and myself by not giving us a chance to function on a deeper level as family.

After all my years of angst and the weight of "Why is Sam always single?" on my shoulders, my parents understood and never expressed a doubt in my ability to make them proud or their own willingness to love me for who I am. I have heard of others who were less fortunate, deserted by friends and disowned by family.

When I was closeted, I feared I would be left without someone to understand me. That kind of fear reminds me of the pain I felt when I fell from a tree and broke my right arm in two places.

Pain can be instantaneous or it can fester for years, but there will always be someone who is not only happy but obligated to help.

My email is zsss44 [at] goldmail [dot] etsu.edu. If you need a good listener, or if you're wondering who Hayao Miyazaki is, please don't take several years, like I did, to ask for a little inevitable conversation.

Happy Birthday PFLAG Tri-Cities!

2010-04-14T11:42:00.001-07:00

PFLAG Tri-Cities is two years old this week! What a great two years.

We are going strong providing support, education, and advocacy, for LGBTQ people, family, friends and allies.

To celebrate we are having a party this Saturday night! Everyone is invited. The Presbyterian Student Fellowship at ETSU is hosting the party for PFLAG Tri-Cities.

It will be held at the Presbyterian Campus House.

Here is the announcement from our President, Dr. Kerry Holland:

PFLAG TriCities will be celebrating its 2nd birthday on Saturday April 17, 2010. Can you believe it's been 2 years since we first gathered together to express our common concern and humanity?! We'll gather at the Presbyterian Campus House on the campus of ETSU at 7pm. Bring your favorite party food and beverage. Sorry, no alcohol, though (cause we're on campus). There'll be birthday cake, music and a bonfire! The address is 1412 College Heights, Johnson City.

We'll have our regular monthly meeting on Thursday April 15, 2010 at 7 pm in room 413 Warf-Pickel on the campus of ETSU. We'll be making plans for our first picnic of the season, too. I'm really looking forward to seeing you there! We've had a great 2 years! Bring your friends to the meeting AND to the party! We'll have a great time!

Here is the original article about the formation of our chapter in April 2008.

Dr. Kerry Holland, a Johnson City psychologist, the Rev. John Shuck, who pastors at First Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton, and others formed a steering committee to establish the Tri-Cities chapter.

“We are hoping to create a supportive community for people who have children or family members who are gay and lesbian or bisexual or transgender,” Holland said. “We are wanting to embrace them so they can continue to be a loving family to their children and siblings. And we want to create a similarly open and loving environment for the GLBT community here in the Tri-Cities area.”

Shuck was a member of the PFLAG chapter in Billings, Mont. As a member of the clergy for 16 years, he has seen families disown their children and the emotional and physical distress experienced by homosexual individuals shunned because of their sexual orientation. He hopes the local PFLAG chapter will provide comfort to those who are facing difficulties because of their sexual identity.

“I think there’s a great need for people to be who they are and be accepted for who they are and to have their family members accept them,” he said. “I think that so many times people think from religious convictions or other convictions that it’s not OK to be gay. And we want to say ‘No, it really is OK.’ What’s not OK is to discriminate and to act on one’s prejudices.”

Melanie Teegarden’s 14-yearold daughter faces criticism often because of her sexual orientation. Teegarden will be attending the PFLAG meeting.

“When people ask her questions about her orientation it tends to be with a hostile undertone, and she’s faced physical aggression in school repeatedly,” Teegarden said. “Strangers come up to her on the street and hurl insults at her. And this is just a way that I can stand up for my daughter and hopefully encourage other parents to stand up for their children as well.”

Holland said she wants PFLAG to be active in the community and believes that in the next several months the local chapter will be working toward an environment where everyone is accepted.

“What I would really hope is that several years down the road, we wouldn’t need to have a PFLAG Tri-Cities,” she said. “I don’t think that’s particularly realistic, given the time in which we live in. But I really would like to see a larger, vibrant organization that would be able to advocate in the community for all people; that perhaps we would not just be focusing on creating a supportive community, but we might be able to advocate for change in how things are done in the community and perhaps some legalized discrimination could be made illegal.”

Here is how to connect with PFLAG Tri-Cities:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Yahoo Group

Hope to see you Saturday at the party and Thursday at our monthly meeting in #413 Warf-Pickel!

April PFLAG Meeting scheduled for April 15, 2010

2010-04-11T10:37:00.000-07:00

Don't let tax day get you down! Come out and connect with your friends at PFLAGTriCities on Thursday April 15 at 7pm. The meeting will take place in our usual location: room 413 Warf-Pickel on the campus of ETSU. Remember, PFLAGTriCities is for you. We offer support, advocacy and education. PFLAGTriCities, changing hearts and minds through the power of relationship. We are always hearing stories from people who tell us how their hearts and minds were changed when they discovered that someone they knew and cared about was gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning. That's the power of relationship! We find out that we are more alike than we are different. We find out that we all want the same thing: to love and be loved. How cool is that?

PFLAGTriCities Celebrates its 2nd Birthday!

2010-04-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

PFLAG TriCities will be celebrating its 2nd birthday on Saturday April 17, 2010. Can you believe it's been 2 years since we first gathered together to express our common concern and humanity?! We'll gather at the Presbyterian Campus House on the campus of ETSU at 7pm. Bring your favorite party food and beverage. Sorry, no alcohol, though (cause we're on campus). There'll be birthday cake, music and a bonfire! The address is 1412 College Heights, Johnson City.

We'll have our regular monthly meeting on Thursday April 15, 2010 at 7pm in room 413 Warf-Pickel on the campus of ETSU. We'll be making plans for our first picnic of the season, too. I'm really looking forward to seeing you there! We've had a great 2 years! Bring your friends to the meeting AND to the party! We'll have a great time!

Stop the "Don't Say Gay" Bill!

2010-04-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

Friends,
We received a request from our good friends at Tennessee Equality Project to get the word out about the "Don't Say Gay" bill. You may remember this is the bill that is attempting to prevent the discussion of homosexuality in school for grades K-8. Please click on this link or if it doesn't work, cut and paste it into your browser. It will take you to a site that contains information about this hateful bill and if you click on another link it will allow you to automatically send an e-mail to the committee members expressing your disapproval of this bill and discouraging them from voting for it. Remember this is for our children! http://www.miniurl.com/33724

Let your voice be heard!!

PFLAG Meets Thursday!!

2010-03-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

Don't miss our monthly meeting this Thursday, March 28th at 7 p.m. in #413 Warf-Pickel on the ETSU campus! Hope to see you!

Warf-Pickel is #8 on this map between the mini-dome and the tennis courts!

Congrats, Ash-Lee!

2010-03-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

Ash-Lee Woodward Henderson, an awesome advocate and activist for LGBT rights was honored for her work by Who's Who. Check the story:

Nine East Tennessee State University students have been selected for inclusion in the most recent edition of “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.”

Since 1934, the publication has honored outstanding students who demonstrate “academic achievement, service to the community, leadership in extracurricular activities and potential for continued success.” Those selected join representatives from “more than 2,300 institutions of higher learning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several foreign nations.”

Included in this list:

Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, a native of Chattanooga and now a resident of Johnson City, is the student recipient of ETSU’s Patricia E. Robertson Diversity Leadership Award. A senior majoring in English and minoring in African and African American Studies, she is president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, chair of the ETSU Student Government Association Student Affairs Committee, a national coordinating committee member of the United Students Against Sweatshops, and a national council member of the Student Environmental Action Coalition. Her other affiliations include membership in Mountain Justice and the ETSU organizations Initiative for Clean Energy, Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, Progressive Student Alliance, LGBTies, Black Affairs Association and the Race Relations Dialogue Taskforce. She is also a member of Chattanooga’s Greater Tucker Missionary Baptist Church. Her parents are Tamara Woodard of Ooltewah and Rev. LeRoy Henderson Jr. of Valdosta, Ga., and she is engaged to Jared Story, son of Jerry and Nancy Story of Jonesborough.

I drop her name whenever I get the opportunity. Yeah, I know Ash-Lee.

LGBTieS Comes Out!

2010-02-24T11:03:00.000-08:00

The ETSU student newspaper, The East Tennessean had a front page article about LGBTieS, the student-run gay-straight alliance group. This group does critically important work on the campus of ETSU:

LGBTieS, ETSU's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender student organization, recently held their Coming Out event on campus for ETSU students and community members to gather together to discuss their personal coming out stories and other related experiences.

The organization's main goal is to create a space where people are comfortable being themselves and sharing their life experiences, said LGBTieS President Evan Baker.

"Coming out is a momentous step for each and every member of the LGBTQ population, and no matter if the experience was positive or negative, we all deserve a platform to share our own unique story," Baker said.

Wednesday night that platform was Room 227 in Rogers-Stout Hall which was packed with more than 20 individuals sharing stories of personal discovery and expression.

"It was great that no one really had horrific tales to share, detailing being kicked out of their home or disowned," said Baker. "You can't pretend that those things do not happen, but it is also good to see that such a large group can all have relatively positive stories to share."

Everyone in the room shared their experiences coming out to their families and friends and while some have come completely out to their loved ones, others are still working on telling everyone in their lives who they truly are. Despite being in a diverse and educated college environment, the ETSU students who shared their stories at Wednesday's night event are proof that diversity and sexual orientation are still issues for some of our peers.

"Coming out is easier for our generation but only to a certain extent," said Baker. "Though I did tell a few people that I was gay while still in high school, I would never have been able to be out to everyone. "

LGBTieS is an organization that is working to bring acceptance and tolerance to ETSU and the local community. They meet Wednesday nights at 7:15 in Rogers-Stout Hall Room 227. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or straight - everyone is welcome to attend meetings and get involved in promoting equality in the community.

LGBTieS rocks. Check them on Facebook. While you are there, find PFLAG Tri-Cities!

PFLAG Meeting Tonight!

2010-02-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

PFLAG Tri-Cities meets tonight (Thursday) in #413 Warf-Pickel at ETSU!

Discrimination Case Against Johnson City Resolved

2010-01-27T17:26:00.000-08:00

In October 2007, 40 men were caught in a sting in Johnson City. At the insistence of the police department, their names, addresses and photos were published in the Johnson City Press.

The day after the publication, one of the men took his own life.

In October of 2008 one of the men, Kenneth Giles, filed a discrimination lawsuit against the city of Johnson City. Giles was represented by Lambda Legal.

Yesterday, Lambda Legal issued the following press release:

Lambda Legal Discrimination Case Resolved: Johnson City Police Department Updates Policies and Adds Training

"These measures show a commitment to treating all people equally. This is a win-win situation for everyone."

(Johnson City, Tennessee, January 25, 2010) - Today Lambda Legal announces the resolution of a lawsuit against the Johnson City Police Department in Tennessee, on behalf of Kenneth Giles whose photo was made available to the media, contrary to the Department's usual practices.

"We applaud Chief Lowry's decision to use this dispute to examine, clarify, and update the police department's policies, practices, and training programs," said Greg Nevins, Supervising Senior Staff Attorney in Lambda Legal's Southern Regional Office based in Atlanta. "We believe these actions will not only help avoid future disputes like this one, but also lay the groundwork for improved relations between the police department and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in Johnson City. These measures show a commitment to treating all people equally. This is a win-win situation for everyone."

On October 1, 2007, the Department issued a press release that included photos of 40 men arrested in a public sex sting operation. The local news ran the story prominently along with pictures and addresses of the men involved. Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit asserting that it is improper and discriminatory to single out certain groups of people for increased public attention by publicizing their arrest photographs. Lambda Legal reviewed hundreds of news releases issued by the JCPD in the year leading up to the October 1, 2007 release and found that no other release pertaining to arrests was accompanied by photos. Mr. Giles attributed the loss of his job to the enhanced publicity surrounding his arrest.

Johnson City Police Chief John Lowry denied any discriminatory motive, stating that the JCPD's media efforts related to the sting operation served the rational goal of dissuading others from illegal conduct. Even so, Chief Lowry stated that, irrespective of his views on the merits of the lawsuit, both his Department and residents of Johnson City are best served by the Department's adopting a nondiscrimination policy that conforms to the guarantees of equal protection in the U.S. Constitution and updating the JCPD media policy to address the release of arrestee photographs. Chief Lowry announced a program to train JCPD officers on the policies and to recognize and avoid conduct that would violate those guarantees. The training will also be aimed at improving the interactions between the JCPD and members of minority groups, including but not limited to persons whose sexual orientation is other than heterosexual, while the officers carry out their duties in the community.

Greg Nevins, Supervising Senior Staff Attorney in Lambda Legal's Southern Regional Office, handled the case, along with cooperating attorneys John T. Winemiller of Merchant & Gould; and Lisa A. Linsky, Jill Basinger, Molly Logan and Brian Tiemann of McDermott, Will & Emery.

The Johnson City Press posted the story yesterday:

The Johnson City Police Department will clarify and update its policies and practices when it comes to dealing with minority groups — signaling the resolution Monday to a lawsuit stemming from the so-called “man cave” arrests.
One of the 40 men charged in a 2007 city park sex sting filed a federal lawsuit in 2008 against the city and Johnson City Police Chief John Lowry because he says the police department gave his arrest excessive publicity. Each man’s photograph was released at a police news conference about the sting, and later published by area media.
Kenneth Giles, of Bristol, Va., filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Greeneville because he said the city violated his right to equal protection under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, according to the complaint.
Lowry defended his decision to release the photographs, saying it was never the police department’s intention to discriminate against anyone. But, he said, the department did not have a “well-defined” policy to address releasing an arrestee’s photograph.
After consulting with CALEA, the accreditation organization for law enforcement, Lowry has “directed that existing departmental policy be re-calibrated so as to address the issue when an arrestee’s photograph should be included in a press release,” he said in a news release.
“It is very important that law enforcement officers treat all citizens with whom they come in contact in a professional and nondiscriminatory manner,” Lowry said.
“The purpose for the news conference regarding the arrests at the city’s parks was to get the word out that the behavior taking place in the city’s parks would not be tolerated and would be stopped.”
Lowry said the undercover operation started after the police department received citizen complaints about sexual activity taking place at the city’s parks.
Greg Nevins, a staff attorney at Lambda Legal, the organization that represented Giles, said he’s pleased with the resolution that JCPD will address its policies and provide officer training on how to better deal with minority groups.
Lambda Legal, according to its Web site, www.lambdalegal.org , “is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.”
Lowry, in a news release, said the resolution is an “opportunity” for the JCPD to review its policies.
“Even though the lawsuit has been resolved without the payment of any money to the plaintiff, Chief John Lowry sees the lawsuit as a learning experience and an opportunity for the Johnson City Police Department to evaluate its policies and practices when dealing with members of a minority group,” the release said.
Nevins said changing policy and providing education and training for officers was the goal all along.
“That was the goal of the lawsuit — to make sure this wouldn’t happen again and to provide some education and training for the department in a good way,” Nevin said. “It’s a win-win situation. Both sides took a very responsible approach toward arriving at a solution that would be mutually beneficial,” he said.
Giles was fired by letter from his nursing job at the Veterans Administration two weeks after Lowry’s news conference. The termination letter stated that because Giles’ name and photograph were in the newspaper, the “notoriety reflected poorly” on the employer, according to the lawsuit.
Nevins said it was a struggle for Giles to find work, but has found suitable employment.
“I think he really deserves to be congratulated on this. He was willing to step forward after having gone through what he and the others went through,” Nevins said.
Lowry said the department did not meet with any local gay and lesbian groups to discuss any concerns about how the news conference was handled, but meetings did occur between the city and Lambda Legal.
Nevins said the lawsuit was never about money, but Giles wanted to change the way gays and lesbians are treated by law enforcement.
“The fact he was willing to resolve this case in a way to put in (place) the new policiies and training, I think speak very well of him. He is a man of principle and he wanted to” do the right thing, Nevins said.
“It’s better for the LGBT community in Johnson City for the police to say they’ll recognize the equal protection rights LGBT people have and they will put training in place,” he said.
Lowry did not specify exactly what policies might be changed or what training police officers would have in order to follow the terms of the suit dismissal, but Nevins said Lambda Legal will follow the changes.
“Obviously the policies are a matter of public record. We’re going to be offering them information about trainers and materials,” Nevins said. “We’re not concerned about it. Chief Lowry indicated this is something he wanted to do and he felt it would be good for his officers.”
Every law enforcement officer “has a duty to enforce the law even-handedly and without consideration to social status, ethnic background, or a person’s membership in any particular group," Lowry said.

It is a win-win for the city of Johnson City and the LGBT community here. We are working to build bridges between the police department our LGBT citizens.

Thanks to Kenneth Giles, the team at Lambda Legal, and the Johnson City Police Department for agreeing to update its policies.

Dr. Kerry Holland, president of PFLAG Tri-Cities, will release a statement regarding this case.

Athens Boys Choir at ETSU!

2010-01-13T18:04:00.000-08:00

This is coming up Wednesday, January 20th at the Culp Center at ETSU. Here is the scoop:

On Wednesday, January 20, ETSU will host transsexual artist Harvey Katz, a.k.a. Athens Boys Choir, whose spoken word performances are "raw, unapologetic, witty, and soulful," dealing with issues of Gender, Politics, Love, Sex, and everything in-between. The free concert is at 7 pm in the Ballroom of the D.P. Culp Center. Earlier the same day, at 2:45, Katz will conduct a workshop on gender identity in Meeting Room 6 of the Culp Center. RSVP for the workshop is requested: call Pat Buck, 474-3438 or email buck at etsu dot edu. The performance and workshop are sponsored by student groups FMLA, LGBTieS, and SGA, as well as the Counseling Center and Women's Resource Center.

And here is the Facebook page for the event:

A gender-deviant, multi-media, spokenword/homo-hop extravaganza. FREE for all ages, open to the public.

Ok, so the name Athens Boys Choir can be a bit deceiving but you can't blame a Transsexual man living in the Deep South for having a sense of humor about the whole ordeal. So Katz, the Choir's now solo member, travels the country speaking "the good word" throwing down hard hitting spoken-word that deals with issues of Gender, Politics, Love, Sex, and everything in-between.

Katz's spoken-word is raw, unapologetic, witty, and soulful. As Out Magazine wrote in 2006, "Katz avoids falling into the common spoken-word trap... and instead uses engaging wordplay, razor-sharp wit, and hip-hop rhythms." He has had the honor of sharing the stage with such artists as Ani Difranco, Indigo Girls, Bitch, The Butchies, Danielle Howle, and Michelle Malone. He has also opened for poets of HBO's Def Poetry Jam on more than one occasion.

Being a out Transsexual, Katz's spoken-word often becomes a platform for education and activism, but all work and no play makes for one intense performance so he lets loose with sarcasm, pop culture references, and video's featuring Barbara Streisand as Yentl and sassy footwork by the stars of the 1979 hit "Roller Boogie."

Athens Boys Choir has been touring nationally since 2003, performing for audiences that are becoming more diverse everyday. You don't have to be a spoken-word enthusiast to enjoy the lyrical stylings of the Athens Boys Choir. Katz has the unusual skill of opening even the most skeptical minds to the world of performance poetry. With three CD's already out and a fourth due for release on March 27, 2007, Katz/The Athens Boys Choir has established himself as a force in the spoken-word/queer/pop culture/homo-hop movement; you choose how it moves you.

Check out his webpage! Open to the public. RSVP to above phone for the workshop.

Marc Adams Next Thursday!

2010-01-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

We are excited to welcome Marc Adams to the Tri-Cities. He is going to speak at our 7 p.m. meeting, January 21st at ETSU. We will meet in #413 Warf-Pickel. Hope to see you. Check his Facebook page for details:

Growing up the son of a fundamentalist Baptist minister is tough enough. Growing up gay in an environment where your parents, teachers and peers deem evangelical Christians like Jerry Falwell as left wing liberals is an entirely different experience.

Marc Adams grew up in such a home. In an effort to save his own life, he decided at age 16 to rebel against his parents and attend Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University where he thought he could find a way to change his behavior from homosexual to heterosexual. His experience there changed his life and jump started his journey to self acceptance and personal freedom.

Marc Adams is the author of nine books including The Preacher‘s Son and Do’s & Don‘ts of Dealing with the Religious Right. His new books is titled, "It's Not About You: Understanding Coming Out & Self Acceptance. He is a widely respected authority on subjects ranging from fundamentalism, the religious right, gay civil rights as well as his ground breaking work with his own nonprofit, HeartStrong. HeartStrong is a social justice organization providing hope and help to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students who are persecuted in religious educational institutions.

Marc Adams’ presentation covers an often dark side of life. He bridges the serious discussion with humor and all-encompassing human compassion. People from all walks of life who have heard Marc Adams speak find themselves enlightened, uplifted and inspired.

Here is his web page. It is open to the public.

PFLAG Holiday Party IS ON!!

2009-12-19T08:45:00.001-08:00

Yes, the PFLAG Holiday Party is on tonight at 8 p.m. Snow or no, we are celebrating! Here are the details!

World AIDS Day in Johnson City

2009-12-04T07:55:00.001-08:00

On December 1st many communities held services for World AIDS Day. Our community held A Candlelight, Prayer, and Reflection Service at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church in Johnson City.

Between 70 and 80 were in attendance in Munsey's beautiful sanctuary that was decorated for Advent. Symbols of hope filled the space.

Pianist James Silver began the service by playing Robert Shumann's Fantasy in C Major. It was magnificent.

John Collins sang a powerful rendition of Precious Lord, Take My Hand.

Jeff Fyke and the Munsey Youth Ministry sang their hearts out by providing contemporary Christian music and the Squash Blossoms (Ashlee, Niki, and Sara) pulled our heartstrings with Hallelujah.

Rev. John Goah offered the prayer for the candlelight service and a challenge to all of us to be like Jeremiahs and Esthers speaking truth to power on behalf of compassion and justice.

I already posted the "sermonette" I delivered.

Blanca Taylor, the Ryan White Medical Care Manager, directed the service and presented three awards to people in our community who have done significant work with those living with HIV/AIDS.

Pictured from right to left, Rev. Donald Minor, Dr. Felix Sarubbi, Dr. Robin Lennon-Dearing, and Blanca Taylor.

Here are the accomplishments of each award recipient as presented by Blanca Taylor.

Dr. Robin Lennon-Dearing

This lady has demonstrated a strong commitment to volunteering in the HIV/AIDS network. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from the University of South Florida in Tampa and received her Ph.D from the University of Georgia. She is a dedicated support group facilitator for POZ, a place where HIV positive individuals can go, knowing they are in a safe environment where they are accepted. She has been a “buddy” at the Tampa AIDS Network and a volunteer counselor for HIV positive individuals at the Positive Impact in Atlanta. She has also been a facilitator of the women’s HIV support group at the AIDS Survival Project and is a board member and former president of the HIV Network. Her accomplishments are many and I have highlighted only a few. This award is being presented to Dr. Robin Lennon-Dearing.

Donald L. Minor

This young man will be 61 years old on the 21st of this month. In 1985, while having oral surgery, he received several blood product transfusions. Unfortunately, proper testing was not being performed at that time and he became infected with HIV. Already being an advocate for persons living with Hemophilia, he became involved in the issues surrounding HIV. After having his first opportunistic infection in 1991, he became a public advocate for those infected and living with HIV. He was one of the first members of the Ryan White Consortium and a founding member of the Tennessee Association of People with AIDS. He speaks about AIDS to an average of 250,000 persons per year. He has addressed congressional committees in Washington DC. Currently, he is employed by CVS/Caremark as a field service rep and is Vice-President of the Appalachian Regional Coalition on Homelessness, being actively involved in providing housing to person with AIDS through his grant work. His prior awards are too numerous to mention. He is a musician and has recorded several CDs, the last one dedicated to those impacted by AIDS. He is a licensed minister and has been involved in a very unexpected need—the service of conducting over 600 funerals for person who have died with AIDS. He now serves as a Christian Counselor at the Clark Street Baptist Church and serves on the Johnson City/Washington County Ministerial Fellowship as Vice-President. I humbly introduce to you our next award winner, Donald L. Minor.

Felix Sarubbi, MD

I am so honored to present our final award this evening. I placed this person last on the agenda because I feel he is one of the most important individuals that have committed themselves to the HIV/AIDS community. He served as Interim Chair for the Department of Internal Medicine. This physician services on many ETSU committees and is a member of the university AIDS Advisory Panel. He also serves on the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Planning Committee and served on the search committee for the present dean of the medical school. More importantly to all of us, he has tirelessly given his time to maintain the health of people living with HIV. His mission began in 1981 when he saw one of the first HIV patients. He became Professor of Medicine with the Department of Internal Medicine, in 1988. Since that time, he has taught many medical students, residents and fellows through the Department of Infectious Diseases. In 2000, the ETSU College of Medicine was designated as a Centers of Excellence for AIDS Care and this physician is very deserving of the directorship. Under his leadership, he coordinates a comprehensive approach to AIDS and HIV treatment. Throughout the years, he has dedicated himself to provide the highest quality of treatment and care for his patients. I am pleased to present to you, Dr. Felix Sarubbi.

The Johnson City Press reported on the work of ETSU students who were instrumental in raising awareness on campus.

Blanca Taylor remembered to acknowledge the work of these students, Evan Baker, Stephanie Sharrett, and Sheena Stinnett by writing letters of commendation on their behalf to several university department chairs.

Paul Baggett, Ph.D.
PO Box 70645
ETSU College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Social Work
Johnson City, TN 37614

Re: Evan Baker
Stephanie Sharrett
Sheena Stinnett

Dear Dr. Baggett:

I would like to personally commend these students on their performance during the organization and execution of the planning for the World AIDS Day Program. They are important members of the team and their contributions are numerous.

Today at noon, they are volunteering to participate during the World AIDS Day activities at the Johnson City Mall. They will assist Hope of Tennessee in passing out educational materials. Tonight, the second candlelight reflection service will be held at Munsey Memorial Methodist Church and these students will be actively involved with the service.

So many times, we forget to pat individuals on the back when they do an exceptional job. I am very glad that Evan, Stephanie and Sheena chose to take on this mission as their class project. They have shown compassion and understanding for the cause of HIV/AIDS in the Tri-Cities area and have truly been team players. I am sure these attributes will travel them in all their future endeavors.

Sincerely,

Blanca Taylor, RN
Ryan White Medical Care Manager

Heal the world.

PFLAG Holiday Party!!

2009-12-03T15:05:00.000-08:00

Update!! Lionel requested that folks bring a canned or dry good. The Elks Club in Erwin is preparing Christmas meals for those who cannot afford them. Please consider bringing to the party, one or more of the following:

Boxed stuffing
Can of cranberry sauce
Can of green beans
Can of corn
Jar of gravy

***

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

Here is the scoop on the PFLAG Holiday Party!

Woo Hoo!

When:
December 19th--Saturday--8 pm 'til ??

Where:
B & L Salon
509 North State of Franklin Road
Johnson City, TN

What:
Holiday Party!

What to Bring:
Potluck (party foods?)
Bring Your Own Beverage (alcohol OK!)
Bring Some Dancin' Tunes

Special thanks to Lionel Chiasson for hosting the party at his salon! He will have the place decorated for us. He has a cd player. He will have ice chests and the fridge for beverages. It is going to be fun!!

Get your hair styled at B&L beforehand so you look good, ok?

B&L Salon, "Johnson City's Finest in Hair Care"
423-926-7577

And don't forget our monthly meeting, Thursday, December 17th #311 Warf-Pickel at ETSU!

Dang we're good.

HappyMerrySolstiHanuKwanzaMas!

Heal the World: World AIDS Day 2009

2009-12-02T17:02:00.001-08:00

Last night Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church in Johnson City hosted the World AIDS Day Service. The Johnson City Press reported on the event.

Here is the text of the speech I delivered.

I am honored to be here this evening. Honored and grateful. I am grateful to those who put this evening together including these organizations that are listed on the program:

HIV Network, Inc.
HOPE for Tennessee
ETSU Center of Excellence
NE TN Minority Resource Network
Washington County Health Council
NE TN Regional Health Office
Ryan White Program
League of AT&T

I am grateful to Munsey United Methodist Church for hosting this event.

I am grateful to LGBTieS, the Gay-Straight Alliance student group at ETSU.

I am grateful to the Tennessee Equality Project of the Tri-Cities.

I am grateful to PFLAG Tri-Cities (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People). I am honored to be a member of PFLAG’s board. That is why I am sharing a few words with you tonight.

I am grateful to the POZ support group at ETSU (a support group for those living with HIV and those affected by HIV).

I am grateful for every organization that I did not mention that I should have mentioned.

I am grateful to each person here tonight who has organized, spoken out, cajoled, persuaded, wept, emptied their pockets, shouted, advocated, despaired, hoped, cared, laughed in the face of when the tears dried out, written letters, complained, cried, stomped, stamped, medicated, loved, prayed, suffered, and stood proud.

It takes all of us. We have come a long way in 30 years.

From a time when we had no idea what we were dealing with, to a time in which we know a little more but not enough for a cure.
From a time when churches closed their doors in fear and judged, denied, ignored, and dismissed to a time when churches are beginning to open their doors and care as their founder cared.
From a time when our government balked, procrastinated and fiddled while human beings died, to a time when our government is beginning to see that it is in its interest to finally build a national HIV/AIDS strategy and a global health initiative.

There is some good news. According to this article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Worldwide AIDS infection rates are curving down. People carrying the virus are living longer. Life-prolonging drugs, which also reduce transmission rates, and prevention advice, are making a difference. The counterattack in a long siege is showing results.

Borne out in a U.N. report in advance of today's World AIDS Day, these trends continue a positive trend in fighting a scourge that has killed 25 million and left 33 million infected since the immunity-sapping condition was identified nearly 30 years ago.

But with modest success go challenges. As AIDS treatment and care matures, critics want to shift money and medicine toward other problem diseases, such as malaria, pneumonia and childhood diarrhea, that are lethal and tameable. In public health politics, the AIDS fight is too successful for its own good, making the effort a target in the competition for funding.

It would be a mistake to buy this argument in total and cut AIDS spending to pay for a new fight in other areas. Weakening global efforts would lead to a rise in AIDS infection rates, reversing the progress made so far. There's no question that new health fights lie ahead, but hobbling a successful crusade isn't good policy….

....Other diseases badly need attention. But the fight against AIDS should not be sacrificed. The battle is still far from over.

It is more important than ever that we keep Washington’s feet to the fire and insist that Washington keeps the promise. We have a long way to go. President Barack Obama proclaimed December 1st, 2009 World AIDS Day and said:

Though we have been witness to incredible progress, our struggle against HIV/AIDS is far from over. With an infection occurring every nine-and-a-half minutes in America, there are more than one million individuals estimated to be living with the disease in our country. Of those currently infected, one in five does not know they have the condition, and the majority of new infections are spread by people who are unaware of their own status. HIV/AIDS does not discriminate as it infiltrates neighborhoods and communities. Americans of any gender, age, ethnicity, income, or sexual orientation can and are contracting the disease.

That is true. HIV/AIDS does not discriminate. A few years ago I participated in a World AIDS Day Service in Montana where I lived at the time. The planners were careful and accurate to show that HIV doesn’t discriminate. I think in the backs of our minds if we could show that HIV/AIDS is not just a gay disease, then non-gays might be more careful and perhaps more willing to take it seriously.
But in the effort to do that we overstated the case leaving a gay friend of mine to say, “What, gay men aren’t susceptible anymore?!”

At an HIV/AIDS rally six weeks ago in front of the White House, one the speakers, Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr., a gay Latino with HIV who is also the Deputy Editor of POZ Magazine said:

More than half of new HIV infections in the United States unfortunately are among men who have sex with men -- almost one in two of them are African American, almost one in five are Latino and more than one in five are white….Fighting homophobia and racism helps to fight stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS.

We have a lot of work to do. Right here in Johnson City. He also said:

Approximately half of all HIV-positive Americans have insufficient healthcare coverage -- or none at all.

That one is worth repeating:

Approximately half of all HIV-positive Americans have insufficient healthcare coverage -- or none at all.

The debate we are now having over healthcare is critical to those living with HIV. It is a matter of life and death. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say tonight. So yesterday on my blog and on my Facebook page, I announced that I was going to speak tonight. I wrote:

If you were speaking what would you say? Or what do you hope will be said?

I received a couple of replies that I will share with you word for word. I owe it to them to keep my promise and share their passion with you. The first commented on my Facebook page. His brother died of AIDS. He said:

You should tell your audience that they need to demand that Congress end the wars of terror and use that money to end HIV/AIDS and to give universal health care for all Americans.

Short and to the point. The second comment was from a gay man. He wrote:

If you've never read "Last Watch of the Night" by Paul Monette, you should. In one of the essays, titled "3275" (the number refers to his grave plot in the "Revelation Hill" section of Forest Lawn Cemetery), Monette writes,

"We queers on Revelation Hill, tucking our skirts about us so as not to touch our Mormon neighbors, died of the greed of power, because we were expendable. If you mean to visit any of us, it had better be to make you strong to fight that power. Take your languor and easy tears somewhere else. Above all, don’t pretty us up. Tell yourself: None of this ever had to happen. And then go make it stop, with whatever breath you have left.

Grief is a sword, or it is nothing."

Last night I went to Barnes and Noble and to Books a Million to find this book by Paul Monette, Last Watch of the Night. Neither store had it. Neither store had any book by Monette. I asked them if they had any books on HIV/AIDS. The pickings were sparse. Books A Million had one dated book. Barnes and Noble had one as well.

The Barnes and Noble book was an interesting one. It is a book about Johnson City. I had been told about it but never read it. I purchased it yesterday. It is My Own Country: A Doctor's Story by Abraham Verghese.

The author was a doctor in Johnson City in the 1980s as the AIDS epidemic began. I had the chance to read only about 50 pages and I skipped around a bit. So far I am finding it to be a fascinating story of both this period of time and of life near our mountain.

In one section of the book he writes about other parts of the country during 1987 or so in which people are demonstrating, acting up and demanding action on behalf of treatment and a cure. But no one is acting up in Johnson City. He writes:

But in our town we simply watched the television spectacle of mass arrests, heard the fiery speeches, saw the five-second newsflash of a bridge being blocked by activists.

My patients, by contrast, were in hiding. They were not inclined to a public demonstration of any sort, scared lest the tragedy of their HIV infection be compounded by their neighbors’ knowledge of it. My patients relied on me to tell them if a cure was coming, relied on me to tell them that they should be frustrated and angry with the fickleness of Reagan’s commitment to AIDS, relied on me to draw the parallel between Nero and Reagan, between the burning of Rome and the continued lack of a firm governmental response to AIDS.

I was their surrogate activist, their link to the larger consciousness of AIDS. They visited regularly they were punctual like churchgoers, they accepted my prescriptions for “Stress-Tabs-with-Zinc,” they swallowed the antidepressants or the appetite stimulants I prescribed, and they went on. Their battle lay largely on the home front: Keeping up the appearance of health and hiding the secret of AIDS. P. 276

Secrets kill. We need to end the stigma with whatever breath we have. Right here in Johnson City. In our grief, if there is anger, it is a holy rage. None less than St. Augustine of Hippo said:

“Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.”

I am grateful today that you are here. I am grateful that things are changing in the Tri-Cities. I am grateful that people are realizing that keeping up appearances and staying in closets and hiding secrets is not healthy.

HIV, homophobia, and racism are real enemies.

We fight them by telling the truth. We grieve today. We grieve for those who have died.

But let our grief become a sword. As Paul Monette said:

“Go without hate, but not without rage. Heal the world."

World AIDS Day 2009: Universal Access and Human Rights

2009-11-30T14:02:00.001-08:00

The theme for World AIDS Day 2009 is Universal Access and Human Rights. Check it:

The theme for World AIDS Day 2009 is 'Universal Access and Human Rights'. Global leaders have pledged to work towards universal access to HIV and AIDS treatment, prevention and care, recognising these as fundamental human rights. Valuable progress has been made in increasing access to HIV and AIDS services, yet greater commitment is needed around the world if the goal of universal access is to be achieved. Millions of people continue to be infected with HIV every year. In low- and middle-income countries, less than half of those in need of antiretroviral therapy are receiving it, and too many do not have access to adequate care services.

The protection of human rights is fundamental to combating the global HIV and AIDS epidemic. Violations against human rights fuel the spread of HIV, putting marginalised groups, such as injecting drug users and sex workers, at a higher risk of HIV infection. By promoting individual human rights, new infections can be prevented and people who have HIV can live free from discrimination.

World AIDS Day provides an opportunity for all of us - individuals, communities and political leaders - to take action and ensure that human rights are protected and global targets for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care are met.

Here is what is happening locally. This is from LGBTieS' (ETSU's Gay-Straight Alliance) President, Evan Baker:

"Well, it is finally here! World AIDS Day 2009. Please offer your support in any way possible. Events start with free Candy AND Condoms in the Culp Center tomorrow from 11am-1pm. There will also be a bake-sale fundraiser, with proceeds going to the HIV Network.

Also, tomorrow night is the Candlelight, Prayer, and Reflection Service, from 7 pm to 8:30 pm, at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church, 201 East Market Street, Johnson City, TN 37605 (down the hill past the Johnson City Public Library, over both sets of railroad tracks). Please come out in remembrance of those no longer with us because of this disease, and also in support of those still fighting the fight. There will be a reception to follow.

Wednesday there will be free HIV testing in the Culp Center, from 11am-3pm. This is open to anyone interested in getting tested, so feel free to pass the word along. At 6pm, there will be a film showing of “A Closer Walk,” which is also free, and open to anyone. If you are interested in attending the film showing, or any other of the events, feel free to bring non-perishable food items, which will go to Ryan White recipients."

World AIDS Day Service

2009-11-30T12:55:00.000-08:00

I have been asked to speak at the World AIDS Day Candlelight, Prayer, and Reflection Service tomorrow night. Information is below. Everyone is welcome.

It is an honor to speak. It is a responsibility as well.

If you were speaking what would you say?

Or what do you hope will be said?

World AIDS Day
December 1, 2009

Candlelight, Prayer, &
Reflection Service

Tuesday, December 1, 2009
7 pm to 8:30 pm

Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church
201 East Market Street
Johnson City, TN 37605
Phone: 423-461-8070

Sponsored by:
HIV Network, Inc.
HOPE for Tennessee
ETSU Center of Excellence
NE TN Minority Resource Network
Washington County Health Council
NE TN Regional Health Office, Ryan White Program

Here is more information about the events surrounding World AIDS Day at ETSU.

Gratitude Dance (Do It!)

2009-11-26T12:01:00.000-08:00

About time to dance off that meal. Do it. It will make you feel a lot better. The Gratitude Dance:

Hope You Survive Another Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

Just want you all to know how thankful I am for PFLAG Tri-Cities and for each and every one of you! I am thankful for what we have accomplished in a short span of time in the Tri-Cities.

With Much Appreciation,
John the Secretary

Here is an East Tennessee/Southwest Virginia Thanksgiving wish,

A Bird with No Tomorrow.

Meeting and Things

2009-11-19T06:50:00.000-08:00

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

We are meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in #311 Warf-Pickel at ETSU!

Hope to see you. Bring a friend or family member.

After tonight's meeting we will send to PFLAG National our memberships for 2009-2010. If you would like to renew your membership or start a membership, you can do so this evening.

Obviously, no one has to be a member to attend or participate in our activities, but it is a way we collect funds to do our work and it connects you with PFLAG national.

Here is the information about that.

***

Thanks to Evan Baker of LGBTieS for information about events surrounding World AIDS Day, December 1st:

What’s going on:
•Bake sale in the Culp (Tuesday 12/1) 11AM- 1 PM
All proceeds go to the HIV Network to help individuals with HIV/AIDS whose insurance has been cut
Items include assorted cookies, brownies, muffins, and cakes

•Free give-aways (Tuesday 12/1) 11AM- 1 PM
There will be a booth with information on testing, how HIV/AIDS could affect you, and best of all, free bags with candy & condoms

•Free movie (Wednesday 12/2) 6 PM
“A Closer Walk” a film about the global AIDS epidemic which includes appearances by the Dalai Lama & U2’s Bono
Dec. 2nd in the Martha Street Culp Center Auditorium @ 6 PM open to faculty/staff, students, and ANYONE who wants to come

•Free Testing (Wednesday 12/2) 11 AM- 3 PM
HOPE for TN will be coming to provide testing for HIV in the Culp Center from 11AM- 3 PM
ALL TESTING WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL!
Testing will be done by oral swabbing and results within minutes
Testing will also be available at the Johnson City Mall in the Health Resource Center (in front of the downstairs Belk) Tuesday from 12-5 PM

•Candlelight, Prayer, and Reflection Service
•7 pm to 8:30 pm
•Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church
201 East Market Street
Johnson City, TN 37605

***

In regards to advocacy, congress is considering the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Today, November 19th is national call-in day.

PFLAG National is encouraging PFLAGer to contact congress.

You are invited to call your representative today at 202-224-3121 and encourage passage of HR 3017.

We have a lot of work to do regarding education. There is a great deal of misinformation out there, unfortunately, including from our own members of congress.

Joe Rhymer of TEP Tri-Cities contacted Phil Roe and received this reply regarding ENDA:

Dear Mr. Rhymer,

Thank you for contacting me regarding proposed legislation governing sexual orientation in the workplace. I appreciate your views, which help inform and guide me in Congress.

Our nation has strong discrimination laws in place under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that protects employees from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. I have three fundamental problems with the so-called Employee Non-Discrimination Act - that would extend these protections to sexual orientation - and would therefore oppose it if it comes to the House floor. As you may know, this legislation passed the House in 2007 but has never been considered by the Senate.

First, the legislation interferes with the free exercise of religion, a principle that has been embedded in our laws since our country's founding. The language in the bill is inconsistent with a religious exemption in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It is clear the bill's drafters intended to create more federal interference for businesses, schools and community service organizations operated by religious institutions.

Second, the bill prohibits discrimination based on "actual or perceived sexual orientation." Because there is no definition of "perceived" in the bill, employers are almost certain to see a flood of frivolous litigation flood our court system. This standard could be applied so broadly and loosely that employers will have a difficult time defending themselves.

Finally, provisions in the bill appear to be targeting states that prohibit same-sex marriage.

Employers in states that prohibit same-sex marriage could not ask about marital status, despite a lack of evidence that such a prohibition is necessary. Since there is no explanation as to why only these states are prohibited from asking about marital status, it seems clear that the intention is to undermine the traditional definition of marriage.

Given that I am concerned the consequences of this bill have not been thoroughly examined, I cannot support a bill that could undermine freedoms that make our nation great.

Again, I thank you for your opinions and look forward to serving you. Please do not hesitate to contact my office in the future. If you would be interested in receiving my e-newsletter, or for further information, please visit my website at www.roe.house.gov to sign up or contact me.
Sincerely,

David P. Roe
Member of Congress

***

I can think of a number of responses to Rep. Roe, including a definition of "freedom" but you might want to do that yourself.

You can contact Phil Roe directly at 202-225-6356. This is what he has on his webpage:

"If you'd like to contact me about a legislative issue, please e-mail me; or phone me at (202) 225-6356; or mail me a note."

You can do it via email, but a call is much more effective. You will get a staff member. Simply tell the staff person you support ENDA, HR 3017 and that your representative should as well.

Once you make your call, the Human Rights Campaign asks you to contact them.

***

See you tonight!
John Shuck, Secretary

Lisa Larges Approved for Ordination in Presbyterian Church

2009-11-11T07:25:00.001-08:00

San Francisco Presbytery was all a twitter last night as Lisa Larges was approved for ordination by a vote of 156 to 138. That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) was also approved as a validated ministry of the presbytery. That vote was 157 to 147.

In a polarized presbytery in a polarized denomination, Lisa Larges completed another chapter in her 23 year quest to serve the church as an ordained minister of word and sacrament.

Her last statement before the vote on her ordination:

"My call is to follow Jesus Christ and live my life with integrity."

Indeed. Thank you, Lisa, for your witness.

I have posted on her journey previously.

Lisa Larges on Trial
Lisa Larges Approved!
Lisa Larges in LA Times
More Links Regarding Lisa Larges
Lisa Larges' Statement of Conscience
Church Has Opportunity to do the Right Thing

Time to Join or Renew!

2009-11-02T10:49:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

Now is the time to renew your membership to PFLAG Tri-Cities or to join for the first time! All memberships expire in October and need to be renewed. Your membership is only $25 and it makes you a member of PFLAG National.

Here is what you do:

1) Send a check for $25 to the address below (or bring a check or cash to our November 19th meeting).

2) Make sure we have your information (either by filling the form on our webpage and sending it with your check) or by emailing pflagtricities [at] yahoo [dot] com

We are going to send in our list of members to PFLAG National after the November 19th meeting, so it would be awesome if you could be on that list!!

Of course, you can always make additional donations to PFLAG Tri-Cities as well

For inspiration, here is a letter from Kerry!

PFLAG Tri-Cities (Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol)
P.O. Box 442
Mountain Home, TN 37684
October 22nd, 2009
Dear Friend,

You are receiving this letter because of your interest and commitment to equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. More and more people in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia are standing up and speaking out. PFLAG Tri-Cities was formed in April 2008 to provide support, education, and advocacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. We have two main purposes: to provide a support community for all individuals who have a GLBT person in their life and to provide support to GLBT and questioning people.

PFLAG Tri-Cities has an important on-line presence including e-mail (pflagtricities at yahoo dot com), a website (www.pflagtricities.org), weblog (www.pflagtricities.blogspot.com), and Yahoo! discussion group. We are also on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. Most of our communication is done on-line.

Highlights from our first 1 ½ years include creating a list of GLBT friendly businesses on our website and weblog, hosting Lambda Legal at a PFLAG meeting, staffing a booth at the Blue Plum Festival, meeting with the Society of Professional Journalists regarding fair and accurate reporting of issues pertinent to GLBT people, and advocating for equal benefits for GLBT individuals at Eastman Chemical.

And we want to do much, much more. We want to reach out to faith communities, agencies, schools, businesses, and local governments to make the Tri-Cities a place where all people are valued and treated equally. Will you join us?

You can become a member of PFLAG Tri-Cities for only $25 for your household. $15 of that will go to PFLAG National making you a full member of PFLAG National and $10 will go toward the work of PFLAG Tri-Cities. Your membership will be good until October 2010.

In addition to becoming a member, we appreciate any tax deductible donation to the work of PFLAG Tri-Cities you may wish to make. With your financial support we are able to continue our important work.

Please return the form and a check for $25 (or whatever amount you can afford) to the address below.

Thank you for your support,

Kerry L. Holland, Ph.D.

President, PFLAG Tri-Cities

Thanks, Kerry! And thanks to all of you! You are the tops!

John Shuck, Secretary

Reminder for Film and Other Things

2009-10-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

Final reminder about the film,

For the Bible Tells Me So, Sunday at 7 pm at First Presbyterian, Elizabethton

Here is the info.

I just saw the film again Thursday. Wow. Powerful. Invite family members and friends as it tells the lives of five families.

***

LGBTieS is doing great work. Want to make sure you know what they have coming up. On October 27th they will present, Gay History 101!

"After our last few meetings, I concluded this: collectively, we have a very small amount of knowledge on the history of our LGBTQ History-myself included. I decided that that is simply unacceptable. Within other cultures, so much importance and pride is place on where those individuals have came from, the fights they have had to fight, and the soldiers they have lost along the way. Now is our time to learn our history! Now is our time to look back and see where we started, and just how far we have come! I’m currently working on a PowerPoint Presentation for our next meeting. I’ve actually worked on it for 4 days, and am at best, half finished. In other words, I’m not taking this likely! I’m doing this for you all, and would love to see each and every one of you all at our next meeting, October 27th, 7:00 p.m., Rogers Stout room 118!

The PowerPoint well feature 3 different parts-a brief history, timeline style, a list of LGBTQ organizations that exist today and their functions, and last, definitions of symbols and terminology from our history! I know it sounds like a long boring lecture, but I implore you to attend-it is so important to know our history! Come and be empowered!

Evan Baker, President-LGBTieS"

Thanks, Evan! Make sure to connect with LGBTieS via their Facebook page so you can keep up to date with our friends at ETSU.

***

Here is a post that includes narrative and some pics by Beth and Stacey at the National Equality March.

***

Big news in the Senate, eh?

We are getting there, one law at a time...

Peace,
john

PFLAGers at the March!

2009-10-21T12:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a report and some pics by PFLAGers Stacey and Beth who attended the National Equality March in Washington D.C.

The March…
“full and equal protection for LGBT people in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states”
“the march is just the beginning”

The fun began on the Metro just prior to noon on Sunday, the 11th…where anyone wearing a rainbow or a “Hello Kitty” sticker was clearly going to the same place…the corner of 15th and I Streets. People looked out for each other that day…like when a large group was on the wrong Metro…the yellow line instead of orange…someone in the crowd yelled “If you’re gay, get off now!!!” We got off…soon found the orange line…and made it to the crowd.

Joining the hundreds of thousands of people also gathered at the same corner of 15th and I streets, one might expect to be filled with anxiety! But quite the opposite, it felt open and calming and a wonderful blending of energy with these people all with the same focus.

It is difficult to put into words…suffice to say that the beauty that radiated from each individual person in that march was exquisite.

There were families with children…babies being carried, children in strollers…screen actors guild…straight families, gay families, young people, old people, pflag, socialist workers, church groups, Methodists, Unitarians…the list goes on.

Also striking was what wasn’t present at the march. Unlike what one might expect with a wonderfully typical Pride Parade – a variety of scantily clad men and women, drag queens, flamboyant and outrageous costumes, etc.

– it was overwhelmingly everyday people…coming together with their friends, loved ones, families, and perfect strangers to make a difference.

Estimates give 200,000 as the number of people, but it felt like a million on the ground making their way the 2.33 miles from I to H Streets, on to Pennsylvania Avenue, past the White House, to the Capitol building. It felt like a million people in part because of the time it took for the march to begin. It started at noon, and from where we stood toward the back of the crowd marching did not begin until after 1:30pm. Once we made it to the destination of the Capitol lawn, there still were seven blocks of marchers behind us.

Once the march concluded on the Capitol lawn, an equality rally was held, with a host of speakers including Matthew Shepherd’s mother, Cynthia Nixon, Cleve Jones, among others.

Dan Choi spoke of the need for repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He emphatically repeated three times, getting louder with each time, “I Will Tell” “I Will Tell” “I Will Tell”. It was so inspiring to hear these words from him, knowing what he has been through. He had such conviction in his voice…and it was urging the crowd to join with him in telling.

An 18 year old young man … .
One of two that received an award…
Could hear the remorse in his voice - remorse for not responding two years ago the way he would have liked to an incident in which a gay friend was the focus of verbal attack (belittling, humiliating). And so now he is doing what he can to lead a movement of young straight allies to work for the cause… It was moving to hear him, because of his conviction to make a difference but more because of his youth…knowing he is so passionate about this cause…it just felt like he would in fact make a difference…and that he would be in this movement and politics for years to come.

News and Stuff

2009-10-19T12:57:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

I don't think a meeting goes by when someone doesn't bring up religion. We all know that religion can serve as a barrier to acceptance and equality (although not always). A great film that addresses that situation is "For the Bible Tells Me So."

First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton has purchased the rights to host screenings of this film and they are inviting our PFLAG, LGBTieS, and TEP friends to come and watch it Sunday, October 25th at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 119 West F Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643.

Here is a map.

This is not open to the public at large, but to invited friends (of which you are in that number). You can invite your friends too.

Anyone game for bringing snacks?

During the screening (and after if necessary), we are having an envelope stuffing party to send out our membership drive letters. It'll be fun. By the way, go to the PFLAG Tri-Cities web page for info on our membership drive!

***

We had a great meeting this past Thursday. We saw slideshows from Scott, Stacey and Beth about their trip to Washington DC for the Equality March. I plan to get something up on the blog and/or website this week. Check out this great youtube of excerpts of the speeches.

Adam presented a sample PFLAG powerpoint that we can use when we make presentations about PFLAG in the community. Adam and a few other folks will be tweaking that. Great job!

***

Our next meeting is Thursday, November 19th at 7 p.m. at #311 Warf-Pickel at ETSU!

***

LGBTieS meets weekly. Their next meeting is Tuesday, October 20th at 7 pm in #224 Rogers-Stout at ETSU.

***

TEP Meets next on November 12th, location to be determined.

***

The World AIDS Day Committee has been meeting for the past several months to plan events for December 2, 2009. Sally Dillon asked me to share this with PFLAG folks hoping we will participate:

"Next meeting of the World AIDS Day committee is November 6th at the Northeast Tennessee Regional Health Office, 2nd floor conference room, from 10:30 until noon. The NETRHO is located at 1233 Southwest Avenue Extension in JC (up the hill from the ETSU library and near married student housing). Public entrance is near the flagpole! Anyone and everyone involved in our community is welcome to participate.

Any questions, feel free to call me at 979-4606. Leave a message and I will call back. I am out of the office every day this week doing home visits in surrounding counties but check my voice messages throughout the day."

***

Hope to see you Sunday!

John, the Secretary

Fall Membership Drive

2009-10-16T16:12:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to renew your membership or start a new membership to PFLAG! You can become an at-large member of PFLAG national for $50. Here's how.

But if you join through PFLAG Tri-Cities it is only $25. Fifteen dollars will go to national and ten to PFLAG Tri-Cities. What could you do with the extra $25? Well...you could make a donation to PFLAG Tri-Cities!

Either way it is win-win for support, education, and advocacy.

All memberships expire at the same time, October of each year. If you have joined PFLAG Tri-Cities last year, your membership needs to be renewed. If you have never joined PFLAG there is no better time than the present!

Here is what you do:

Go to the website, open the form, print it, fill it out, send it with your check for $25 to

PFLAG Tri-Cities
P.O. Box 442
Mountain Home, TN 37684

You can make a larger contribution too. It will be most welcome.

National Equality March: The Movie

2009-10-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

Coming soon, pics and stories from PFLAG Tri-Cities folks who attended the march! In the meantime, enjoy this!

Meeting Tonight!

2009-10-15T02:48:00.001-07:00

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

We have our monthly meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at #311 Warf-Pickel on the ETSU campus!

We are going to be treated to a slide show (the old fashioned term for power point) of the National Equality March in which some of our PFLAGers marched!

Join us!

Invite friends!

Spread the word!

Love ya!

Openly Lesbian Rep. Tammy Baldwin on Health Care Reform

2009-09-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

Openly lesbian Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) urges LGBT Americans to support President Obama's health care reform bill, speaking about the fact that gays tend to be less insured than the general public, often because they cannot get spousal or family insurance through their employers.

via

HIR

2009-09-02T10:30:00.001-07:00

PFLAGTriCities September Meeting Has a New Location

2009-08-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

Beginning with our September 17 meeting, our monthly meeting will take place in room 311 of Warf-Pickel Hall at 7pm. Click here for a map: www.etsu.edu/maps/ to locate the building. Also, if you'd like a little more time for socializing before and after our monthly meeting, folks will be gathering for dinner at 5:30pm at Earth Fare before the meeting and at Acoustic Coffee House after the meeting for drinks, conversation and music. We'll be doing this every month - so even if you can't come in September, plan to come out and join us soon!

PFLAG Autum Picnic Scheduled for September 12!

2009-08-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

The 2nd annual PFLAGTriCities Autumn Picnic is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2009 at RiverPark Campground on Old Highway 81 www.riverparkcampground.net . The picnic will begin at 4pm with grilling to commence on or about 5:30. PFLAGTriCities will provide hamburgers, hotdogs, buns, paper products, and condiments. Please bring your drinks (alcohol is OK), a side dish and/or dessert to share, lawn chairs, bug repellant, sunscreen and swim suits. The campground has a very nice restroom/changing area. There is a fire circle and we will have a bonfire and S'mores when night begins to fall! If you have a drum, bring it! Who's up for a little group drumming?! We'll have bocce ball and croquet as well. Please contact Beth at pflagpicnic@gmail.com to let her know that you will be attending and how many guests you'll be bringing with you. The picnic is open to PFLAGTriCities members and friends. Even if you haven't officially joined yet, you are invited!!!! I look forward to seeing you there!

PFLAG monthly meeting tonight!

2009-08-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

We'll have our monthly meeting tonight at 7pm in room 302 Sam Wilson Hall on the campus of ETSU. We'll discuss our potential involvement in the march on Washington in October. We'll be talking about plans for a fall picnic and other activities we might want to engage in. Being a support, education and advocacy organization can sometimes feel challenging, isolating, anxiety provoking and emotionally draining. That's why it's so helpful for us to get together on a regular basis just to be able to "lay eyes" on other folks who are like minded and feel that community spirit. If you've been away for a while, I want to encourage you to come out to a meeting. You are missed! We'll begin our fall schedule meetings in September in a new location on campus. Beginning in September and continuing through December, we will meet in room 311 Warf-Pickel Hall. But tonight we are still meeting in room 302 Sam Wilson Hall. Click on this link for a map of ETSU. Sam Wilson Hall is building #12. http://www.etsu.edu/maps/

See you tonight!

PFLAGTriCities is going to the movies!

2009-08-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 9 at 3:45 PFLAGTriCities will be going to the new Harry Potter movie: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at the Carmike Theatre in Johnson City. The temperature outside is supposed to get into the low 90's so it will be a perfect time to be inside just chillin'. I'll be wearing a light blue t-shirt with a "peace" symbol on the front of it. Maybe you can also wear a blue shirt so we'll know how to find each other?

Next Meeting Thursday, July 16th

2009-07-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

The next meeting of PFLAG Tri-Cities is this Thursday, July 16th at 7 p.m. We meet at ETSU in the Sam Wilson Building, Room #302. Building #11 on this map.

Mass. Sues Feds Over Definition of Marriage

2009-07-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Lifted from the AP, By DENISE LAVOIE, AP Legal Affairs Writer

BOSTON – Massachusetts, the first state to legalize gay marriage, sued the U.S. government Wednesday over a federal law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The federal Defense of Marriage Act
interferes with the right of Massachusetts to define and regulate marriage as it sees fit, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said. The 1996 law denies federal recognition of gay marriage and gives states the right to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Boston, argues the act "constitutes an overreaching and discriminatory federal law."

Specifically, the lawsuit challenges the section of the law that creates a federal definition of marriage as limited to a union between one man and one woman.

Before the law was passed, Coakley said, the federal government recognized that defining marital status was the "exclusive prerogative of the states." Now, because of the U.S. law's definition of marriage, same-sex couples are denied access to benefits given to heterosexual married couples, including federal income tax credits, employment benefits, retirement benefits, health insurance coverage and Social Security payments.

"In enacting DOMA, Congress overstepped its authority, undermined states' efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples, and codified an animus towards gay and lesbian people," the lawsuit states.

The Defense of Marriage Act was enacted when it appeared Hawaii would soon legalize same-sex marriages and opponents worried that other states would be forced to recognize them. It defines marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and defines "spouse" as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."

President Barack Obama has pledged to work to repeal the law, although gay rights activists criticized the administration last month after Justice Department lawyers defended it in a court brief. White House aides said they were doing their jobs to support a law that is on the books.

Besides Massachusetts, five other states — Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Iowa — have legalized gay marriage.

This is the second lawsuit filed in Massachusetts challenging the law.

In March, the Boston-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders claimed the law discriminates against gay couples and is unconstitutional because it denies them access to federal benefits that other married couples receive, such as health insurance and pensions.

Putting a Human Face on Homosexuality

2009-07-08T05:09:00.000-07:00

From our friend Joseph, at Democracy Now! Tri-Cities:

A PRESENTATION TITLED "PUTTING A Human Face on Homosexuality" will be presented on July 19 by Sue Null, mother of homosexual grown children --a son and a dauhter, at the July meeting of the Ethical Society of Asheville, NC. The meeting will be 2:00-3:30 at Asheville's Botanical Gardens Visitor Center, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd. Following the presentation there will be a discussion period and following the meeting, there will be time for informal conversation. All are welcome! For more information contact: asheville@aeu.org, or (828) 687-7759.

Ethical Culture is a humanist, educational, philosophical, non-theistic alternative to traditional religions. It is affiliated with the American Ethical Union and the International Humanist and Ethical Union. Members are inspired by the ideal that the supreme aim of human life is working to create a more humane society. Their commitment is to the worth and dignity of the individual and to treating each human being so as to bring out the best in him or her.

Gay Marriage One Step Closer in DC Today

2009-07-08T05:04:00.000-07:00

reposted from Care2, written by Steve B Williams

After a law called the Jury and Marriage Amendment Act 2009 was approved in May by a 12 to 1 vote, and despite legal challenges that threatened to delay this progressive move for gay rights, D.C. has, as of Tuesday July 7th, started to officially recognize lesbian and gay marriages that were carried out in other states, with council leaders already looking toward making D.C. the next place to offer gay marriages to its own citizens in the future. So what does this ruling mean, and what does the future hold for gay marriage in D.C.?

What Does The D.C. Gay Marriage Recognition Law Do?
Today's step forward in gay marriage law means that, under the city's legislation, they will recognize same sex marriages carried out in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa, and will also recognize gay marriages from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont when the laws that made gay marriage legal in those states come into effect later this year.D.C. will also recognize marriages that were carried out in California last year during the time that gay marriage was briefly legal before Proposition 8 amended the law.

This means that D.C. also recognizes all the rights conveyed by those aforementioned states as afforded to any legally married couples. This is with certain exceptions.

What Does The D.C. Gay Marriage Recognition Law Not Do?
The Jury and Marriage Amendment Act 2009 does not grant gay marriage in D.C. yet. That is to say that it is still not legal to have a same-sex marriage performed within the city (or Washington state). The law is also very careful that it does not infringe on the restrictions placed on same-sex wedded couples by the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which bans the Federal Government from recognizing gay marriages and automatically prevents certain key rights, so, although D.C. recognizes as many rights are as afforded to gay married couples by any other state, it is still subject to DOMA restrictions.

Background to D.C.'s Gay Marriage Law
After the Jury and Marriage Amendment Act 2009 was passed in May by a 12 to 1 vote, with only former Mayor Marion Barry dissenting, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty signed the bill into law. As with any gay marriage legislation in the US, the following weeks were anything but straightforward.

Immediately, groups began to mobilize a campaign against the law. Opponents of gay marriage filed a lawsuit with the D.C. Superior Court, hoping that they could take the Jury and Marriage Amendment Act 2009 to a peoples veto, meaning that they wanted a referendum on the legislation. The dissenting groups sort action in the Superior Court because the District Board of Elections and Ethics had previously ruled that taking the matter to a people's vote in fact violated the 1977 Human Rights Act, because it allowed for the possibility that discrimination could effect the law, and for this reason was denied.

Amongst the high profiled dissenters to the law, Bishop Harry Jackson has perhaps been the most vocal. In an article from On Top Magazine, a leading online gay rights newspaper, Jackson is quoted as saying the following:

“It's a declaration of war... we are sending a clear message that this is going to be fought every step of the way.”

The same website also has one Minister, Leroy Swailes, announcing that discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people was, in fact, right and a form of "positive discrimination":

“Me as a black man, when they discriminated against me, I came out of my mother's womb, like I didn't have a choice, that was a negative discrimination. If you discriminate against a homosexual, that's a positive."

Charmingly, the minister also goes on to postulate that homosexuals are, in fact, not human and therefore not worthy of human rights. To read the article in full, please click here.

It should be pointed out that far from all being vitriolic, some ministers in the district were merely calling for a referendum to gauge public reaction and were not nearly as extremist in their views. At any rate, Bishop Harry Jackson remained the front runner and loudest voice in the fight against D.C.'s Jury and Marriage Amendment Act, creating the group Stand 4 Marriage and petitioning throughout church districts so as to get the needed number of votes to enact a referendum.

These efforts appear to have come to nothing, however, as Superior Court Judge Judith Retchin ruled against the possibility of a referendum, not only denying that the court was constitutionally obligated to call for the referendum (they weren't as the petitioners had failed to secure enough signatures), but also calling into question the motives of those seeking the referendum:

"At bottom, the harm about which Petitioners complain is not based on a denial of the right to referendum. Rather, they simply disagree with legislation enacted by our duly-elected Council. A citizen’s disagreement with constitutionally sound legislation, whether based on political, religious or moral views, does not rise to the level of an actionable harm..."

There is only one way to challenge the Jury and Marriage Amendment Act 2009 now and that is an attempt at amending the law, however, this would be subject to the same scrutiny as was the petition, with the District Board of Elections and Ethics more than likely ruling no to a referendum measure based on the fact that it would yet again violate the 1977 Human Rights Act (which has substantially changed in the past few years to include perceived sexual orientation as a protected class).

In the enacting of the Jury and Marriage Amendment Act 2009, which confers rights to same sex couples married out of state, and the respect this legislation has received from both the Elections and Ethics Board and the D.C. Superior Court, we find a quiet approval to push forward in securing gay marriage for D.C.'s own citizens.

So thanks to D.C. and congratulations to all its LGBT citizens who, today, are one step closer to equality!

Welcome Rev. Davidson!

2009-06-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

I am excited to introduce a colleague of mine as LGBTQ friendly! Rev. Sharon Davidson of the Unity Church of Tri-Cities has been added to the sidebar and our webpage as a friend of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

Thank you Rev. Davidson and thank you Unity Church of the Tri-Cities for demonstrating God's all-inclusive love!

Rev. Sharon Davidson, Minister
Unity Church of the Tri-Cities
703 South Roan Street
Johnson City, TN 37601
975-9159
e-mail

Tell Your Coming Out Story

2009-06-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

NPR wants to hear your coming out story. Check it:

Coming out of the closet is a pivotal moment for many gays and lesbians, and can involve emotions somewhere between terror and catharsis.
Tell us your "coming out" story — how did your family and friends react?
Guests:
Oriol Gutierrez, deputy editor of POZ magazine. He wrote an article published therein called "Coming Out Again."
Rev. Irene Monroe, coordinator of the African American Roundtable at the Pacific School of Religion, and syndicated religion columnist
Listen to the TOTN podcast. Sign up for the newsletter.

HVUUC Welcomes ALL!!

2009-06-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

The Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church is going through the process of education and awareness regarding becoming a welcoming congregation. This is a great opportunity to connect with our UU friends and find out how we can work together in breaking the silence. Here is the information:

WELCOMING CONGREGATION NEWS

A Welcoming Congregation is a UU church that thoughtfully and intentionally welcomes and affirms all persons regardless of sexual identity or affectional preference. To create a truly accepting and affirming environment, we must first examine our own hearts and minds: our knowledge and beliefs, our biases and fears, our behaviors and practices. Over the next several months, we will offer a workshop series designed to educate, encourage self-awareness and stimulate discussion. The workshops build on one another, so attending them all would be ideal, but not required. (Don't stay away because you're afraid you can't come to them all.) There will also be movies with discussion afterwards. Bring a friend.

To get us started, here are the activities for the summer. Get out your calendars.

Jun 21 noon
Movie: For the Bible Tells Me So
Bring a sack lunch

Jun 24 (after Wed Night Supper)
Movie: For the Bible Tells Me So

Jul 18 5 PM (followed by Coffee House)
Workshop: The Common Elements of Oppression
Bring a potluck dish to share. Stay for Coffee House afterwards.

Jul 30 6-8 PM
Workshop: Gender Socialization and Homophobia

Aug 23 noon
Movie: Milk
Bring a sack lunch

Aug 26 (after Wed Night Supper)
Movie: Milk

Sessions will all be 2 hours or less. Please make plans to join us in a spirit of fellowship, growth and enlightenment. It will help us plan space and materials needs if you will let us know whether you plan to attend a session.

Questions? Need child care? Ready to RSVP? Call Kim Ray at 423-967-0196 or email Kim. As we begin this very important journey together, remember the words we hear each Sunday: "We do not have to think alike to love alike." Amen. Shalom. Blessed be.

Next Meeting June 18

2009-06-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

Our next meeting will be Thursday June 18th at ETSU. We meet at the Sam Wilson Building, Room #302. It is building #11 on this map.

On the agenda will be upcoming Jonesborough Days and the possibility of participating in their parade July 3.

See you Thursday!

From the New York Times: A Bad Call on Gay Rights

2009-06-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2009
Editorial
A Bad Call on Gay Rights
The Obama administration, which came to office promising to protect gay rights but so far has not done much, actually struck a blow for the other side last week. It submitted a disturbing brief in support of the Defense of Marriage Act, which is the law that protects the right of states to not recognize same-sex marriages and denies same-sex married couples federal benefits. The administration needs a new direction on gay rights.
A gay couple married under California law is challenging the act in federal court. In its brief, the Justice Department argues that the couple lack legal standing to do so. It goes on to contend that even if they have standing, the case should be dismissed on the merits.
The brief insists it is reasonable for states to favor heterosexual marriages because they are the “traditional and universally recognized form of marriage.” In arguing that other states do not have to recognize same-sex marriages under the Constitution’s “full faith and credit” clause, the Justice Department cites decades-old cases ruling that states do not have to recognize marriages between cousins or an uncle and a niece.
These are comparisons that understandably rankle many gay people. In a letter to President Obama on Monday, Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights organization, said, “I cannot overstate the pain that we feel as human beings and as families when we read an argument, presented in federal court, implying that our own marriages have no more constitutional standing than incestuous ones.”
The brief also maintains that the Defense of Marriage Act represents a “cautious policy of federal neutrality” — an odd assertion since the law clearly discriminates against gay couples. Under the act, same-sex married couples who pay their taxes are ineligible for the sort of federal benefits — such as Social Security survivors’ payments and joint tax returns — that heterosexual married couples receive.
In the presidential campaign, President Obama declared that he would work to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. Now, the administration appears to be defending it out of a sense of obligation to support a validly enacted Congressional law. There is a strong presumption that the Justice Department will defend federal laws, but it is not an inviolable rule.
If the administration does feel compelled to defend the act, it should do so in a less hurtful way. It could have crafted its legal arguments in general terms, as a simple description of where it believes the law now stands. There was no need to resort to specious arguments and inflammatory language to impugn same-sex marriage as an institution.
The best approach of all would have been to make clear, even as it defends the law in court, that it is fighting for gay rights. It should work to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the law that bans gay men and lesbians in the military from being open about their sexuality. It should push hard for a federal law banning employment discrimination. It should also work to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act in Congress.
The administration has had its hands full with the financial crisis, health care, Guantánamo Bay and other pressing matters. In times like these, issues like repealing the marriage act can seem like a distraction — or a political liability. But busy calendars and political expediency are no excuse for making one group of Americans wait any longer for equal rights.

From Despair to Hope

2009-06-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to the Kingsport Times-News for their front page stories today. These stories will save lives. The first is a story about a woman who attempted suicide because she learned negative and harmful messages about her sexual orientation. It is a powerful story of hope.

Woman who attempted suicide in lake says rescuers 'saved someone's soul'

Despair and anger can drive you to places you thought you’d never go, but so can inner peace and acceptance. This is what Moriah May has learned in the year and a half since she drove her car into Fort Patrick Henry Lake the day after Christmas 2007.

May said she wasn’t thinking of suicide when she went to the lake. She was just seeking solace from emotional turmoil.

“I’ve always loved the outdoors. It helps me relax,” she said.

But that day, “I saw the water and just how quiet and soothing it looked, and I guess I wanted to be like the water and it drew me in. It’s peaceful, and that’s what I was looking for — peace. I thought that is what death would be like, the peace and the calm of the water.”

May, who was 21 at the time and had entered her second semester of college, had told her immediate family that fall that she is gay. While she said some family members were supportive, others were not. (Read More)

The second article features the work of PFLAG Tri-Cities:

PFLAG Working to Make Its Presence Known in the Tri-Cities

Celebrating its first year in existence, PFLAG has taken steps to let those in the gay and lesbian community know they have a voice and that they have support.

PFLAG Tri-Cities is a chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, a national organization founded in 1972 to promote the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends.

One of their members said Moriah May’s experiences after she told family and friends she is gay are not uncommon. (Read More)

PFLAG Tri-Cities meets the third Thursday at 7 p.m. on the campus of ETSU. Our next meeting is June 18th. Here is contact information:

423-483-7129
webpage
weblog
Facebook
Twitter
On-line discussion group
e-mail
Myspace

Thanks again to Kevin Castle of the Kingsport Times-News for these important stories! Be sure to pick up a hard copy of the Times-News today.

The Dilemma of Being Gay and Christian in Northeast Tennessee

2009-06-05T13:06:00.001-07:00

I received an e-mail about a Christian gay couple who want to attend a church but are looking for one with a charismatic worship style. That is no easy find near our mountain.

We have had a number of lgbt people (and straight folks) attend our congregation because they know we are inclusive. Some have found a home with us. Others appreciate our inclusivity but our worship style is not one in which they are comfortable. We are Presbyterian after all (stand up, sit down, sing hymns). I do think we are kind of fun, though.

Here is the dilemma for those who are gay and Christian in East Tennessee. Do you attend a congregation that suits your worship style but regards you as a second-class (or worse) citizen or do you attend a congregation whose worship style isn't your cup of tea but affirms you as a person?

(I would choose the second option).

Most churches (in fact nearly all) have simply horrendous views regarding homosexuality (ie. "sinful sexual behavior and lifestyle rooted in man’s depravity.") The only congregations that are openly, publicly (in other words they say it) inclusive are the Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and us.

If I am wrong, I will be the first to refer people to your congregation. I will be thrilled to list your congregation on the PFLAG website and blog as long as you can affirm the PFLAG vision statement.

We, the parents, families and friends of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, celebrate diversity and envision a society that embraces everyone, including those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Only with respect, dignity and equality for all will we reach our full potential as human beings, individually and collectively. PFLAG welcomes the participation and support of all who share in, and hope to realize this vision.

Even if you are an inclusive clergyperson and your congregation has not taken that step, I will include you and gladly refer people to you and to your congregation.

Neither First Presbyterian nor HVUUC can be all things to all people, gay and straight.

Here is an opportunity for congregations of the Tri-Cities. Consider it an evangelism opportunity. The field is ripe for harvest as they say. LGBT folks are looking for congregations that will welcome them and not condemn them. That can't be too hard, can it?

Consider it a challenge. Take me up on it.

See You at the Blue Plum!

2009-06-04T21:30:00.001-07:00

The Blue Plum Festival opens tomorrow in Johnson City.

When you go, make sure to look for the PFLAG Tri-Cities/TEP Tri-Cities booth.

Look for our banner!

You will get a friendly smile and an opportunity to find out more about PFLAG Tri-Cities and the Tennessee Equality Project!

PFLAG Tri-Cities in Johnson City Press

2009-05-30T10:16:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Stacey Williams for this excellent article in Friday's Johnson City Press about PFLAG Tri-Cities!

PFLAG provides support, education and advocacy

By STACEY WILLIAMS Stacey Williams lives in Johnson City.

On April 17, the Tri-Cities chapter of Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays celebrated its first full year of existence.

The group was begun in response to a growing need in Northeast Tennessee for a resource on LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning) issues.

The members of the Tri-Cities chapter (and more who participate by e-mail distribution), draw from the Johnson City, Bristol and Kingsport areas as well as larger surrounding region.

What is PFLAG? It is an organization that provides support, education and advocacy on issues relevant for the LGBTQ community and their families and friends. The Tri-Cities chapter meets monthly, on the third Thursday, on the East Tennessee State University campus.

Who attends PFLAG meetings? Everyday folks who have people they care about who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning. The monthly meetings are open to those who would like to gain support by other like-minded individuals who care about the LGBT community.

People have different reasons for attending PFLAG, and what PFLAG means to them:

• Christine Pearson — “PFLAG has been an important part of my move to East Tennessee and has helped me understand the depth of our community. I have found a group of people who encourage me and my family and also, a place to offer help for those who may not have a support system.”

• John Shuck — “As a Christian minister I find that many people are shunned by their families and their faith communities because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. This is unfortunate. PFLAG helps people come to terms with all of the wrong and damaging things said about them. While PFLAG is of course a secular organization, for some it fills the role that a faith community and a family should be. It is about acceptance and overcoming prejudice.”

If you think PFLAG might be a good fit for you, or you would like more information, you can contact the Tri-Cities chapter by e-mail.

Thanks, Stacey and JC Press!

Don't miss our picnic tonight!

Yep. Pretentious Hyphenated Names are Definitely Non-Traditional

2009-05-29T03:41:00.000-07:00

Here's another great video from Keith Hartman:

Tradition!

2009-05-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

Last Minute Reminder!

2009-05-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

Hey PFLAG Tri-Cities!

Don't forget the picnic Saturday night!

And, Stacey asked me to send you a note asking for volunteers to staff our booth at the Blue Plum:

There is only a week 'til the festival and we have some time slots that need filled. You can have them email me.

Rob Thomas Sings It on Huffinton Post

2009-05-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

Rob Thomas, of Matchbox Twenty and "Smooth" fame, has written an exceptional piece about Gay Rights, which appears here. This is my favorite bit from that article:

I've heard it said before, many times, that if two men or two women are allowed to join into a civil union together, why can't they be happy with that and why is it so important that they call it marriage? In essence, what's in a name?
A civil union has to do with death. It's essentially a document that gives you lower taxes and the right to let your faux spouse collect your insurance when you pass away. A marriage is about life. It's about a commitment. And this argument is about allowing people to have the right to make that commitment, even if it doesn't make sense to you.

Smooth, indeed. Sing it, Mr. Thomas!

Donor Sibling Registry

2009-05-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

Here is a service that might be helpful. I received this email and thought I would pass it on. I have linked to this organization on the website.

The Donor Sibling Registry is the worldwide hub for families formed via donor insemination. We currently have more than 23,000 donors, parents and donor conceived people on our site, and have helped more than 6,200 half siblings make mutual consent contact with each other, and/or their donors. Approximately one third of the children posted on the DSR are in GLBT households.

So many of us wish that we would have known of such a service when we ourselves were going through the process of deciding how to form our families, and ultimately choosing donor insemination.

May News

2009-05-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

There are many ways to connect with PFLAG Tri-Cities!

The blog offers general information pertaining to LGBT issues as well as local news.
Facebook has nearly 60 folks. Great way to connect with others, also for news updates.
The yahoo group is nice for questions, support, and fun. We have about 35 folks there.
The website has loads of links and ways to connect.
Twitter is fun, too and a way to let you know when we have updated information.
Myspace is another great tool to connect with one another!
Send us an e-mail to get on our e-mail list for updates.

Here is what is shakin' at ye olde pflag chapter:

1) Address change. Our post office box is now P.O. Box 442. Any mail sent to the old P.O. Box is returned. Our mailing address is:

PFLAG Tri-Cities
P.O. Box 442
Mountain Home, TN 37684
423-483-7129
E-mail

2) We will be meeting for the summer in 302 Sam Wilson Hall at ETSU. The meetings for the summer will be at 7 p.m., June 18, July 16, and August 20. We meet on the third Thursdays.

3) Picnic!! We are picnicking at Riverpark Campground, 3937 Highway 81 South in Jonesborough. We are asking everyone who wants to attend to please send a quick e-mail. By letting us know how many people you are bringing with you, we will be able to purchase an accurate number of hot dogs and hamburgers. We are also asking everyone to bring a covered dish to share and your own beverage of choice.

4) The Blue Plum!! We are hosting a booth at the Blue Plum Festival in Johnson City, June 5-6. This is a great publicity tool. We could use your help to staff the booth for a couple of hours Friday or Saturday. Contact Stacey if you can help.

5) Report on May Meeting. We had 12 in attendance last night, including a few new faces. We saw the new video, "Playing for Change", did introductions, went around the circle talking about why we were in PFLAG, planned for the picnic and the Blue Plum. It was a good meeting with a mix of support and planning.

Kerry asked if someone would be willing to follow up on phone calls that come our way. Contact Kerry and she will explain the process and put you on a schedule. One of our new folks volunteered to send a press release to the newspapers two weeks before each meeting. We are still trying to arrange a conversation with the owners of New Beginnings in Johnson City. We have been close twice, but they canceled at the last minute. We are still working on making that happen.

**A little editorial about number 5. These meetings are very important. You never know who will come. Those attending are looking often for support for themselves or someone they love. The best way to beat the isolating and at times oppressive situation LGBT people and allies face around these mountains is to connect. Your presence is welcome and appreciated!**

6) New LGBT-friendly businesses!

Counseling:

Mary O'Keeffe, MA, LMFT
600 E. Unaka Ave.
Johnson City, TN 37601
423-202-8258
E-mail

Susan Elaine, M. Ed., L.M.F.T.
(Licensed Marital and Family Therapist)
Outpatient Therapist
Department of Psychiatry
Quillen College of Medicine
423-439-8000

Academics:

Steven M. Shulruff, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
East Tennessee State University
James H. Quillen College of Medicine
Box 70567
Johnson City, TN
37614-1707
423-439-2205
E-mail

Wellness:

Beth Evelyn Barber, LMT, CHT, DA
600 East Unaka Ave.
Johnson City, TN 37601
423-434-9765
E-mail

Services

Radiance Salon
Laura McCoy, Cosmetologist/Owner
125 E. Jackson Blvd. Suite 3
Jonesborough, TN 37659
423-753-9389

These fine folks have been added to our blog and website. If you would like to be listed as an LGBT friendly business or professional, let me know. You need to be able to affirm PFLAG's vision statement. If so, contact us!

7) Check out what our neighbors are doing!!

Southwest Virginia Alliance

The Southwest Virginia Alliance acts as a safe and supportive community for persons of diversegender and sexual identities as well as for their family members and friends. The SWVA Alliance also acts to make the communities of Southwest Virginia safer and more supportive.

GenXY

GenXY is a grassroots non-profit association centered towards providing support to GLBTQ adolescents and youth. We are committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of GLBTQ youth and improving the diversity our community through effective action.

In the upcoming months you will notice many changes with GenXY. For locals in Western North Carolina you will also begin to see massive advertising on community boards as well as your mailbox advertising several new and exciting programs we will be offering.

OK, that's all! See you at the picnic for sure, right?

Next Meeting (Location Change!!)

2009-05-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

Hey PFLAGers!

Our next meeting is upon us. This Thursday (May 21st) at 7 p.m. at ETSU.

The building has changed for the summer.

We are meeting in #302 Sam Wilson (the one with the oval tables, nice chairs, and cool tvs).

Hope to see you!

Big stuff being planned including

The picnic!

The Blue Plum!

Oh, and check out Jaime Combs latest news with nice words about us and picture of our 1 year anniversary award received by our own Kerry Holland!

Be sure to follow updates on Twitter.

We are also setting up a Myspace account.

More news to come. Don't forget the meeting Thursday 7 pm #302 Sam Wilson!

Nine Year Old Leads Gay Marriage Rally

2009-05-18T18:41:00.001-07:00

Did you hear about this? A nine year old boy, Ethan McNamee, started his own rally in support of equal marriage rights. Here is the news story:

And his speech on the courthouse steps:

Here is an article about him in the Denver Post:

The idea first came to Ethan thanks to his neighbors, a lesbian couple he described as "the nicest people in the world." He didn't think it was right they aren't allowed to get married.

From there, Ethan resolved to support gay couples. He approached Mindy Barton, legal director for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Colorado, to gain support.

"He already had a lot of it figured out," Barton said. "There was no doubt Ethan was going to put together a rally on the steps of the Capitol."

The only question for Ethan was how to get a permit, which he couldn't do himself because he is so young. Instead, it was filed under the name of his teacher, Kyle Kimmal.

Kimmal said Ethan is a very driven kid, but still just like any other third-grader.

"He can do something like this, but he has trouble keeping a backpack together," he said.

Via

PFLAG South Atlantic News

2009-05-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the news from PFLAG South Atlantic. Jaime visited our chapter last month and had wonderful encouragement for us including an award! Jaime is pictured below on the right with our chapter president, Kerry Holland!

Thanks, Jaime! You are the tops!

Fellow PFLAGger’s,

I hope that everyone is finally enjoying some warmer weather and making summer plans. I encourage you and your local PFLAG chapters to make plans to participate in any area Pride Celebrations and Parades. You will find excellent opportunities to meet wonderful people and also to get the word out about the work that you are doing with PFLAG. Hopefully you will see some of the impact from the work that PFLAG and other groups are accomplishing.

We have a lot to celebrate with our chapters and the work that they are doing and also we can celebrate the fact that marriage equality is being embraced by another state, legislation is being presented for justice to those who perpetrate crimes against us and I believe that we will see schools actively seek ways where students don’t have to suffer in silence from harassment and bullying. We cannot rest until there is full equality and equality will not be attainable without YOU!

Speaking of celebrating, Tri-Cities PFLAG (east Tennessee) is celebrating their First Anniversary. Kerry Holland (president) and John Shuck have provided EXCELLENCE in leadership and Tri-Cities PFLAG is a thriving chapter with energetic members who want to make a difference and are active in that pursuit.

Recently I had the honor of speaking, along with David and Joan Parker, at East Forsyth High School in Kernersville, North Carolina. This is the first year for their GSA and the group was so inquisitive and SOOO polite. How pleasant it is to see such accepting young people in high school, this is a club that would never have been allowed to form when I was in high school and to this day my high school STILL doesn’t have a GSA.

I also recently had the joy of presenting Catherine Carmichael with a plaque honoring her dedication for the last 18 months as PFLAG Asheville’s president. Catherine has recently resigned after serving tirelessly to PFLAG and the LGBT community in Western North Carolina. One of the most recent programs and most successful programs of PFLAG Asheville is Youth OUTright, a dynamic group of young people which was started through PLFAG and is now their own independent entity. Please view their website http://www.youthoutright.org/.

I would love to hear from your chapter. The South-Atlantic Region covers the states of Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky. Fortunately I have been able to visit chapters in Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina. If you would like a visit don’t hesitate to call or e-mail me and we will get a time set up.

Jaime Combs
PFLAG Regional Director
South Atlantic Region
(865) 755-1362

http://pflagsouthatlantic.org

Blue Plum!

2009-05-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

This is from Stacey!

Hi All Affiliated with PFLAG!

It's the time of year again for the Blue Plum Festival in Johnson City. We would like to have a PFLAG table at the festival again, like last year. I have volunteered to organize this effort. Given last year's success, I thought I would organize volunteers in a similar way... For those of you who couldn't be involved last year, we set up a table under the gazebo in Majestic Park, downtown Johnson City. Volunteers affiliated with PFLAG sat at the table, two at a time, for two hour blocks throughout the two days. We distributed equality stickers, PFLAG brochures, and other materials to people who stopped at the table. This year the festival is Friday, June 5th and Saturday, June 6th, from 11am-11pm on each day. So, each day the first time block would be 11-1, and follow suit. It also would be great to have some additional help setting up and taking down the table.

We also will need to borrow some supplies, such as a table & umbrella or canopy of some kind. Ideally we will get the spot in the park under the gazebo -- that really was a good set-up last year, and protective from the elements. However, it's not a guarantee that we can get that, so if any of you have a table or two as well as canopy we could borrow for the couple of days, we would be greatly appreciative.

Other things involved in this preparation include: getting brochures printed, ordering some supplies (e.g., skittles to have bowls of at the table -- rainbow colors!!), and purchasing some minor things like bottles of water for the volunteers.

Please email if you would like to be a volunteer to be at the table and/or if you would be willing to help out with the other needs. In your email, please indicate which day(s) you are available and the specific blocks of time (see below), and/or which of the other tasks you might be interested in being involved. Also in your email include your contact numbers so that I can reach you if necessary.

Thanks so much! It was very fun last year and I anticipate another great year at Blue Plum!
Stacey

Friday, June 5th
11am-1pm
1pm-3pm
3pm-5pm
5pm-7pm
7pm-9pm
9pm-11pm

Saturday, June 6th
11am-1pm
1pm-3pm
3pm-5pm
5pm-7pm
7pm-9pm
9pm-11pm

Speak Up Now on TN Hate Crimes Bill

2009-05-10T15:55:00.001-07:00

False information is being spread about the hate crimes bill before the Tennessee legislature.

We need folks to speak out now. It goes before the state senate on Tuesday. This is from Chris Sanders of the Tennessee Equality Project:

Justice for All: Vote Yes SB0253

Opponents of extending hate crime protection to the LGBT community are spreading untrue messages: that if the Hate Crimes Bill passes in the Tennessee legislature, it will:

* Prevent pastors from preaching from the Bible, and
* Sexual deviants will have more rights than “you and me.”

What does the Hate Crimes Bill really do? The bill will allow latitude in sentencing for judges and prosecutors who are trying cases involving hate crimes. This bill is specific to crimes committed against individuals because of gender identity or expression.

Even if this bill does not impact you or one you love, do not stand by and do nothing. Let lawmakers know the truth. Be proactive! Send members of Senate and House Judiciary Committees a message of truth.

Here is how you can send your message today. It will take all of 15 seconds. Thanks!

Good Neighbors in Maine

2009-05-06T18:09:00.001-07:00

Maine legalized marriage equality today!

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Legislators in Maine and New Hampshire have voted in favor of gay marriage.
Maine Gov. John Baldacci (bahl-DAH'-chee) quickly signed his state's bill Wednesday. But New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch hasn't indicated what he'll do.
Both governors are Democrats.
If New Hampshire's bill becomes law, Rhode Island would become the sole holdout on gay marriage among the six New England states.
Iowa also allows it because of a court order. California briefly had gay marriage, but voters later banned it.

Some famous guy once said: "Love your neighbor as yourself." The folks in Maine thought that was a pretty good idea.

Here is Maine Poet Laureate Emerita, Kate Appelton, with a fitting poem for the day:

Neighborliness

In Maine we're used to it, it's still
the custom to look out for the neighbors, a habit
handed down from the start
of the earliest fishing villages, of the first
long strings of hundred-acre farms
stretched along ridges, each one usually
just called, "The Road."

On that road,
if a man fell sick, or a widow
was facing a hard winter, it was neighbors
who filled the woodshed, the neighbors
who shared meat when they butchered If a house
burned down, the whole neighborhood
turned out to help build another. When a storm
threatened anyone's cut hay, it was everyone
who hurried over to help get it safely
into the barn. And the helping
goes right on: this fall I heard
of someone who had to put a whole paycheck
on an old debt, and then found a hot dinner
waiting on the step when he got home from work
every night for a month -- but no one
ever admitted a thing.

In Maine
we have a way of looking out
for one another. When the great ice storm
struck us last year, the grocery stores
were full of extra heaters left there
for anyone to borrow, and the whole state
was busy with jeep cans of water and stacks of wood,
making sure we were all alright, that everyone
would pull through.

In Maine
we are glad to be part of a land
that remains so beautiful under its green skin
of woods and open fields, that is glitteringly
bordered by thousands of miles
of breaking waves, and that is lovely,
too, with an unbroken tradition
of concerns, with the kind, enduring grace
of its neighborliness.

PFLAG Picnic!!!

2009-05-06T10:21:00.000-07:00

Dear PFLAGers! In celebration of the one year anniversary of PFLAG tri cities, we are having a picnic. The date has been set for Saturday May 30th. We have reserved the pavilion at Riverpark Campground located at 3937 Highway 81 South in Jonesborough.

This is the same location that many of you will remember from our picnic last Autumn.

We will cook around 5:30-6:00 and have a bonfire later on in the evening. Feel free to bring lawn games or plan to play in the river. The park is open to us for the entire day, so feel free to come early and stay late. You may want to bring a lawn chair for your own comfort.

We are asking everyone who wants to attend to please send a quick e-mail to pflagpicnic@gmail.com By letting us know how many people you are bringing with you, we will be able to purchase an accurate number of hot dogs and hamburgers. We are also asking everyone to bring a covered dish to share and your own beverage of choice.

For those who may be wondering, alcohol is permitted at this campground. Please consider responding before May 25th so we will have time to prepare. Everyone is welcome and feel free to bring your family or friends with you.

Rachel Maddow Interviews Judy Shepard

2009-05-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

Update on the federal hate crimes legislation and why it is important. And yes, Matthew Shepard was targeted because he was gay.

Visit the Matthew Shepard Foundation website.
And Matthew's Place.

WNC Rep. Foxx: Hateful Words a Crime Against Everyone

2009-04-30T06:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Keith Olbermann, there's no need for me to parse Rep. Foxx's (R-NC) statement on the floor of the US House, yesterday, in reference to the Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes Bill.

The video below shows her as she makes the statement. The entire clip is worth the watch, but if you want to go directly to the statement, it is about 2-1/2 minutes in.

Hate Crime Bill Advances

2009-04-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

This is from Chris Sanders at the Tennessee Equality Project:

HB 0335, which adds gender identity and expression as a sentencing enhancement factor to our current hate crimes statute, passed the House Criminal Practice and Procedure subcommittee today. This is a very important piece of legislation that was introduced by Rep. Jeanne Richardson (D-Memphis) on behalf of the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition and supported by TEP.

A big thanks to everyone who contacted your legislators and the members of the committee about the bill. Next week it advances to the full House Judiciary Committee.

This is a very positive move for the discussion of hate crimes in our state.

Thanks Chris, and thanks to all of you for encouraging your legislators! Please keep at it!

Beyond Ex-Gay

2009-04-22T12:23:00.001-07:00

Now this is one powerful story. I wish every LGBT young person and friend and family member of an LGBT person in North East Tennessee could see this video.

This is Peterson Toscano, Ex-Gay Survivor. He shares his reasons why he spent 17 years and $30,000 trying to change who he is.

See BeyondExGay.com

Check the FAQs!

Might as well give a plug. PFLAG Tri-Cities exists for support, education, and advocacy. Join us!

via church geek

Act on Hate Crimes Bills Today

2009-04-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Tennessee Equality Project reminds us that Wednesday is a big day for hate crimes legislation at both the federal level and in Tennessee.

Take action at the Federal Level here.

And for Tennessee's citizens here.

Day of Silence, Ethan's Story

2009-04-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

Ethan Bryant, who was mentioned in Elisa's story, offers his interpretation of the day below!

This was the first year that I decided to participate in the Day of Silence. I had never gotten the chance to before.

Originally I had just planned on being quiet all day and perhaps showing anyone my little flyer if they asked what was going on. But I met Elisa outside holding a piece of posterboard and decided to join her. We shared Borchuck Plaza with a group of Jehovah's Witnesses and for a while, we were in an invisible contest with them over who could give out the most flyers. (It was not deliberate...on our part, at least).

Many people were content to take flyers, read them or throw them away, and just move on with their day, but there were a few who decided to take it upon themselves to clue us in on some information as though we had never heard it before.

Elisa had made two posters, and I made a sign in honor of Angie Zapata. We were asked to relocate later by someone who worked in the University Office, and paperwork/bureaucracy later, we moved from Borchuck to the space outside the Amphitheater.

During our time outside we had encounters of varying good and bad degrees. There was a man who gave us this note (and it is full of spelling errors):

"By Being a Christain I Love you Butn't The sin of Homosexuality It is my Hope's that you give yourself a Chance in this Life to accept the Truth of God and His Inttention For you."

He included his email address, which I have withheld here for his own safety, as well as a footnote: "I'll Help you Any of You Any Way I can." He gave me a free Smart Water.

One man, after reading our flyer, blatantly shouted at us, "There's no bullying on this campus - I've been here for nineteen years and I've never seen it!" He was more than happy to discuss our "whiny, complaining asses" with the Jehovah's Witnesses that were no more than five feet from us.

Two individuals, one female and one male, challenged our DoS demonstration. The female said that she was definitely against homosexuality and the male asked what justification we had to tell people to "not hate." He said it was like him telling us to "not love."

Some other negative things were people trying to trick me into accidentally speaking, tearing up flyers in front of our faces, making sure we saw them crumpling up the print-outs we gave them, rolling their eyes at us, outright laughing, calling DoS a joke, and telling us that our demonstration is pointless.

There were notes showing positive support such as:

"I want to let you know that I'm gay and observing the Day of Silence. Thanks for the support!"

"I support LGBT and the Day of Silence. ....So does my girlfriend."

One female was kind enough to give me a hug and thank me for being brave enough to stand up for myself and what I believe in.

One male stopped people in front of me and asked if they hated me. He wanted to know if I wanted people to agree with my sexuality and my beliefs (of course, I couldn't verbally answer, so I nodded). He said that he agreed with stopping the hate so long as I agreed it should extend to race, which I also nodded to.

Several people had forgotten that today was the Day of Silence and a few (rather ironically) cheered me on by yelling positive cheers at me and giving a thumbs up. Individuals not affiliated with our demonstration supported us with physical gestures letting us know they were celebrating too.

All in all I think it was a very good experience. I think we have a long way to go on this campus as far as fighting for LGBT representation and equality but today was very definitely a good start.

Thank you, Ethan and Elisa! You are changing hearts and minds!

Day of Silence at ETSU

2009-04-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a story from LGBTieS member, Elisa Carbajo, regarding her experience participating in the Day of Silence at East Tennessee State University. Thanks, Elisa, for permission to share your story!

I don’t know what I was expecting to encounter while standing on the campus of ETSU today, but it definitely wasn’t this. Around 8:30am this morning, I set out with my poster, duct tape, t –shirt and flyers in an attempt to raise awareness of the serious injustices that many students have been facing. My poster read “STOP HATE…Do to others as you would what them to do to you. Luke 6:31.” The duct tape over my mouth read “Peace” and my homemade t-shirt had the same message as my poster.

Taken from dayofsilence.org, the flyers read:

“Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence (DOS), a national youth movement bringing attention to the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by anti-LGBT bullying, name-calling and harassment. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward building awareness and making a commitment to address these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to end the silence?”

The day’s occurrences were anything but ordinary, ranging from a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses and a so called “preacher” among many appreciative students.

I began standing in Borchuck Plaza on my own this morning and was pleased when a friend of mine, Ethan was kind enough to join me. By 9:30am, the Jehovah’s Witnesses had begun swarming around us. They began distributing some very interesting reading material, entitled “Who is God?” and “What We Learn From Mary.”

Next was a man who kindly approached me with a warm grin on his face and was happy to look at the flyer. But a few minutes later, he returned and informed me of this: “I don’t hate you, but I am a Christian” and he then proceeded to hand the flyer back to me. Maybe 20 minutes later he returned yet again, this time with two bottles of water and a hand written note. The note read: "By being a Christian I love you butn't the sin of homosexuality. It is my hope's that you give yourself a chance in this life to accept the truth of God and His intention for you." He also left his email address and ended with "I'll help you any way I can." He asked Ethan and I if we were going to remove the tape from our mouths to drink the water and when we refused, he walked away.

There were also a couple people that ripped up their flyers in front of my face. One stated she was against homosexuality and the other said that telling him to “stop hate” would be the same as him telling me to “stop loving.” Another man proceeded to raise his voice proclaiming, “There is no bullying on this campus- I have been here for nineteen years.”

Delightfully, there were several students that expressed their thankfulness to us in different ways. Whether it be a handshake or just a simple thank you. And at least three or four students asked to borrow some of my duct tape so they could also tape their mouths. Also a couple of homosexual students wrote us notes thanking us for what we were doing. I must say, I feel there was much more support for our cause then there was disagreement. The negative comments that were spoken to us stick out in my mind. However, I am very happy to know that I impacted some people’s lives today.

I would like to call to mind that today would have been Carl Walker Hoover’s 12th birthday. As you may recall, Carl committed suicide last week after being bullied at school. Carl and the many other young children affected by bullying ARE the reason why I stand for this cause. There is simply no reason for inflicting such pain on our fellow friends and family members. Carl and these other children will not be forgotten. My heart goes out to his family today and always.

And so I would like to say that today was a very eye opening day for me. I certainly experienced some hurtful as well as very as encouraging comments. Many people were glad to see Ethan and I standing up for something we believe in. One woman even offered me her pin that reads “Think. Live. Respect.” Going out there today, I definitely didn’t expect to reach as many people as I did. But I feel that many students were very understanding of this issue and seemed to respect my stance, whether or not they may have agreed. I truly support this cause and I think that Ethan and I have accomplished the first step to ending hatred on ETSU’s campus. I hope that students will remember this day all throughout the school year and learn to respect every human life. Many students, from middle school to college stood up today for this worthy cause. I commend every single one of them for their courage.

It was not easy for me to get out there today. But I’m so glad I did.
Peace.
Elisa Carbajo

For more information about LGBTieS, see their page on ETSU's site, visit the LGBTieS blog, follow LGBTies on Twitter, and see this article in the East Tennesseean.

Thank you, Elisa! We're proud of ya!

Day of Silence

2009-04-16T20:28:00.001-07:00

Friday, April 17th is The National Day of Silence.

The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Each year the event has grown, now with hundreds of thousands of students coming together to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior.

I'll be thinking good thoughts for these courageous students calling attention through their silence about bullying in our schools.

Show your support and Tweet the Silence tomorrow.

PFLAG Meets Thursday, April 16

2009-04-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities,

Our April meeting will be Thursday, April 16th at 7 p.m. at ETSU in Johnson City. #315 Warf-Pickel.

We will take time to remember Lee Davenport.

If you have something you would like to say or read, please do.

Did you know that PFLAG Tri-Cities is a year old?

I am so appreciative of this group and of what we have done. We are making a difference here.

This was in the Johnson City Press on the editorial page. It was from the NY Times, but the JC Press included it under its own banner, "As We See It."

Vermont Legislature First to Give True Equality

A lot has happened since 2000, the year Vermont led the country in becoming the first state to adopt civil unions for same sex couples. Among other things, Vermont came to see that civil unions are an inadequate substitute for marriage. Creating a separate legal structure to confer some benefits on gay couples falls short of granting true equality.

On Tuesday, the Vermont Legislature formally recognized that reality. Mustering one more vote than the two thirds majority needed, Vermont lawmakers overrode Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto of a bill that grants couples of the same sex the freedom to marry.

The vote gave Vermont another important first. Although three other states — Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa — now allow same-sex marriage, the new Vermont law, which goes into effect on Sept. 1, made Vermont the only state to achieve that progress through legislative action rather than a court ruling.

Coming less than a week after the crucial ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court that extended same-sex marriage to a state in the nation’s heartland, and with bills to follow suit under consideration in several other state capitals, the welcome move by the Vermont Legislature adds a vital sense of momentum and democratic duty to this civil rights struggle.

Things are changing, even in East Tennessee. We are part of that change. Thank you!

See you Thursday!

Jesus is on the Wire

2009-04-10T07:33:00.001-07:00

I just received this news:

“The Laramie Project” opens April 15 at Northeast State

A college student is attacked and left tied to a fence on a lonely western prairie – a murder that would thrust a quiet western town into the national spotlight.

The Moisés Kaufman play "The Laramie Project" ” staged by the Northeast State Technical Community College Theatre Department this month tells the story of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard outside Laramie, Wyoming, and how local residents dealt with a hate crime happening in their town.

Shepard, a 21-year-old gay student registered at the University of Wyoming, was tied to a cattle fence, beaten, robbed, and left to die on a bitterly cold night. Eighteen hours later, he was discovered by a cyclist, who first thought the figure attached to the fence was a scarecrow. Shepard was rushed to a local hospital where he died several days later from his injuries. Two local men were charged with and convicted of the crime.

Based on more than 200 interviews conducted over 18 months, the play weaves together the events leading up to Shepard’s murder, the aftermath and trial of the killers, and reactions from the people of Laramie. The cast takes on multiple character roles of those interviewed to reveal the underpinnings of homosexuality, religion, class, education, non-traditional lifestyles, and what the crime meant in the cultural landscape of America.

“The Laramie Project” is a deeply moving theatrical experience that explores both the savage darkness and extraordinary compassion of humanity. The play is being directed by Michael Brown. The production contains mature subject matter that may not be suitable for all audiences.

Performances are scheduled April 15-18 at 7 p.m. and April 19 at 2:30 p.m. All performances are being staged in the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts at the College’s main campus, 2425 Highway 75, adjacent to Tri-Cities Regional Airport.

Advance tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the Northeast State Business Office between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tickets at the door are $8 general admission, $7 seniors (55+), $6 for groups of 10 or more. Admission is free to Northeast State students with a valid student ID.

For more information or to make reservations, please call 423.323.0258 or e-mail.

Here is Peter, Paul, and Mary, Jesus is on the Wire.

(Thea Hopkins)
Run down church
Red clay
River covered
In a smoky haze

Sunday morning
The fire is out
Sunday morning
No one about

The earth is soft
This time of year
Boots get caked
From there to here

Down the road
Route 25
They found this boy
He was barely alive

Jesus is on the wire
So far away, higher and higher
Jesus is on the wire

They took him down
Off the fence
Cold as ice
Almost dead
They said that he
That he slept with guys
They said that he
Deserved to die

Jesus is on the wire
So far away, higher and higher
Jesus is on the wire

LGBT Support Group At ETSU in the News

2009-04-07T12:14:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I reported on the flyers of an LGBT support group at ETSU being taken down or defaced. The campus group, LGBTieS, held a meeting to discuss this and that meeting was reported on the front page of today's East Tennesseean, the campus newspaper:

In the classroom where Adam Levitt, the interim public relations and marketing coordinator of the LGBTieS hosted a meeting for the group, were people of all age groups.

The atmosphere appeared friendly and many people talked while waiting for the meeting to begin.

Not long ago Levitt created and distributed flyers for LGBTieS meetings in which two girls are holding each other affectionately with text that reads "I kissed a girl and I liked it!" New flyers with greater distribution is the result of LGBTieS attempting to build a bigger presence in the community in order to achieve more support and civil rights.

Levitt was disturbed to find a "serious and targeted effort on the part of some persons affiliated with our campus" to remove the flyers. A student informed Levitt that flyers in the music department were removed and replaced with one depicting a picture of a smiling banana with the words "I took down flyers and I liked it" written across it. The flyers have been removed from several locations, though, and on the third floor of Rogers-Stout, a flyer was found that recited 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 from the Bible, condemning "homosexual offenders" to eternity in hell.

As a response to this hostility, Levitt created simple, straight-forward flyers that quoted Bible scriptures of Jesus speaking about tolerance: "Do to others as you would have them do to you," Luke 6:31 and "Judge not, that ye not be judged," Matthew 7:1.

"The flyers are not meant to change people," Levitt said. "Only to ask for the LGBTieS community to be treated as people, people who deserve happiness, freedom and a sense of safety just as much as anyone else. The religious flyers are meant to incite introspection." It was stressed by Levitt that the flyers are not meant as an attack on Christianity, or any religion for that matter.

Fewer of the Bible scripture flyers have been removed, but the LGBTieS club information at the bottom of the flyers is being torn off in some cases, especially in the music department. Regardless, LGBTieS continues their campaign to advertise the organization at ETSU.

Joe Rhymer, a Tri-Cities organizer of the Tennessee Equality Project, and representatives of PFLAG Tri-Cities came to the meeting to offer assistance in deciding appropriate actions for the betterment of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

The group is well organized, with events such as public viewings of LGBT related films and the humorous yet challenging "Free Heterosexual Screenings" available at Wellapalooza on Wednesday, April 8 starting at 10 a.m. They also discussed ways to overcome apathy and gain more support from ETSU's administration.

Let's Hear It for Middle America!

2009-04-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

Here is the news:

DES MOINES — Iowa became the first state in the Midwest to approve same-sex marriage on Friday, after the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously decided that a 1998 law limiting marriage to a man and a woman was unconstitutional.

I am pleased for Iowans. But this state by state thing is tedious. We need a federal amendment granting equal rights for all people (including the right to marry).

Lee McKinley Davenport

2009-04-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

Services for one of our members, Lee Davenport, will be Friday at 1 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Bristol.

His obituary has been published at The Akard Funeral Home website.

The Emmanuel Cyber Chapel will also hold an on-line service for him Friday at 8 p.m. Go to this Facebook page for details.

We will take time to remember him, celebrate his life, and process our own grief at our regular meeting, Thursday, April 16th at 7 p.m. at ETSU, Warf-Pickel (bldg. #18), Room #315.

We are going to miss him. Our deepest condolences to his wife, children, family, and friends.

Peace be with you, friend.

Lesbian Minister, Lisa Larges, in the Advocate

2009-03-26T18:05:00.001-07:00

The Christian extremist right, which has increased its influence in mainline churches, must be countered.... While the Christian right is regrouping, reviewing the payout of its last homophobic spending binge, and wearing that deer-in-the-headlights look, now is the time.

Check this great piece from Lisa Larges in the Advocate:

Like a colonoscopy or head lice, the word Christian is a conversation killer among LGBTs. So I will admit up front that whatever it is you’re thinking right now about Christians -- hypocritical, antigay, anti-sex, anti-women, anti-choice -- you’ve got plenty of evidence to back you up. Let’s also say, while we’re still here in the first paragraph, that whatever the church or its representatives did to you -- whatever abuse, whatever violation of trust, whatever was said to make you believe that you were not a child of God in your whole beautiful queer self, whatever the silence in which you did not hear how infinitely and immeasurably God loves you -- whatever drove you out of the church is simply inexcusable. But unless our community changes the “God vs. Gays” paradigm, we will never achieve full equality. Nor will it be possible for so many of us to live out our truths. My truth, strange as it may be, is a calling to ministry. It’s also the truth of a lot of fierce and beautiful gay people I know, whose stories aren’t told often enough. (Read More)

The church should be ashamed of itself. Anyone with a smidgen of conscience would see the lives we have torn apart because of prejudice reinforced by mistaken religious dogma.

One at a time, individuals begin to see the truth. When they see the pain they have caused, the ignorance they have spread, the silence they have maintained in the face of abuse, they are ashamed. I feel ashamed for the times I allow my hetero privilege to speak for my conscience.

Most people have some sense of shame. Most people have a smidgen of a conscience to which human decency can appeal. Most people eventually can be won over when they can finally connect with the life of another human being. That is what is happening in the moderate Presbyterian Church. Slowly. Slowly. Dear God, is it slow. But with one single light bulb after another, people are seeing more clearly, at least in part. This latest voting on amendment B is showing that.

Except of the course for the right wing. The right wing has no shame. They want lgbt people and their children, parents, friends, family and allies to shut up completely. They are full of panic and bluster. They are driven by their rigid ideology. It becomes more extreme the more that ordinary people with conscience see how the church has been wrong in its treatment of God's lgbt children.

Thankfully, at least in the PC(USA), the right wing is becoming more and more of an isolated fringe full of sound and fury signifying nothing. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we become the church we are called to be. We need to make the political changes that will open the doors to full membership including ordination for all people.

When told to shut up, the faithful response is to speak out. We will keep coming back and offering the church the opportunity to see the light and to do the right thing.

A Refreshingly Positive Social Experiment

2009-03-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

Meeting Wednesday to Support ETSU's LGBTieS

2009-03-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

This is from Adam Levitt of LGBTieS on the campus of ETSU:

As many of you know, our campaign to advertise our organization on campus at ETSU has drawn mixed reactions. While the overwhelming response from the lgbt community and our allies has been quite positive, there has also been a serious and targeted effort on the part of some persons affiliated with our campus to either remove our posters entirely from view, or in the case of the latest released flyers, to remove our logo and contact information from the bottom half of them.

About a week ago, a student reported to me that in the music department, someone had taken down our original "I kissed a girl" flyers and replaced them with one depicting a picture of a banana smiling with the slogan "I took down [your] flyers and I liked it."

Then today, on the third floor of Rogers-Stout Hall, someone had taken the time to print out and post the following:

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. - 1 Corinthians 6.9-10"

I am urging all members and supporters of LGBTieS at ETSU to come out as you are able to the meeting next Wednesday so that we can collectively discuss these and other incidents around campus affecting the lgbtiq community at ETSU, and so we can begin to plan and coordinate an appropriate response to the increased negative reaction that we are receiving from some of our fellow students.

One reminder, for those of you who are concerned about safety and anonymity issues, "what happens at TieS, stays in TieS." We will not disclose without your explicit permission that you attended or participated in this or any other meeting we have, and we invite all of you, both students and guests, to come out and join us in helping to make our campus community a safer place for all students, but particularly for students who self identify as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, intersexed or questioning.

Our meeting next week will be held on Wednesday, March 25th at 7:15 pm in Rogers-Stout Hall room 125 here on the ETSU campus. For directions or for more information about the LGBTieS at ETSU, please contact us at lgbties at gmail dot com.

I hope PFLAGers will be able to attend and show support for this important organization on campus.

Act Now to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

2009-03-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

I received this from PFLAG National:

Tell Congress:
Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Dear Fellow PFLAGers,

By the end of today, two more service members will be dismissed from our armed forces under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

That’s right: Two people are fired by our federal government, every day, simply because of who they are, and who they love. Since the law’s inception, more than 12,000 men and women – including doctors, linguists, helicopter pilots and others – have been dismissed from the military. And as a retired Colonel, and a PFLAG dad, I find that number offensive. That’s why, this Friday, I’m heading to Washington to call on Congress to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and welcome LGBT Americans who want to serve.

I’ll be joining other veterans, activists and allies from around the country at the U.S. Capitol at noon on Friday, and I’m honored to be speaking on our country’s front lawn and to bring the PFLAG voice to the campaign for repeal. But, as we all know, creating real change requires all of us to work together. So I’m writing today to ask that you join me, either in person or virtually, on Friday afternoon.

If you are in Washington, D.C., please make plans to join me at the Capitol on Friday. Just click here to RSVP, and mark your calendars for noon. PFLAG executive director Jody Huckaby and others will be on hand to welcome you to the rally and bring you up to date on our efforts to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

If you cannot be in Washington on Friday, however, please email your Member of Congress and urge them to support repeal. Lawmakers are now considering The Military Readiness Enhancement Act – a bill that would end the prohibition on service by lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans – and they need to hear from their constituents about why this issue is so important.

To weigh in, and voice your support for repeal, simply click here to log onto PFLAG’s Online Advocacy Center and send a message to your elected representative. And remember, when you contact your Member of Congress, to highlight some of these important facts:

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is anti-family, anti-military and un-American. The law prevents countless families with LGBT loved ones from continuing their long traditions of military service, and in turn prevents our country from benefitting from the talents of LGBT Americans. Our military is stronger when qualified Americans who want to serve are allowed to do so, and our national promise of “liberty and justice for all” is strengthened when lesbian and gay Americans enjoy the freedom to serve.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" impacts not only more than 65,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans who are currently serving, but also their families, spouses/partners and children. Under the law, military families are denied the important benefits generally afforded to the loved ones of those who serve. Survivor benefits, military housing and the critically important support network provided by the Department of Defense are all off-limits to same-sex couples with a partner who is serving. Troops can put their careers in jeopardy simply by emailing three simple words – “I love you” – to a same-sex partner back home while deployed abroad. And the children of LGBT service members face unacceptable obstacles in receiving healthcare, education and other necessities that military families generally enjoy.

An overwhelming majority of Americans – eight in ten – support repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and a majority of service members, in a recent Zogby poll, have indicated they are ready and willing to serve with openly gay colleagues. Much has changed since 1993, when Congress last considered this issue, and there is a mountain of evidence to support repeal. As our country has moved forward in welcoming our LGBT neighbors, our men and women in uniform have also come to the unmistakable conclusion that open service only enhances our military’s ability to get the job done.

Respected military leaders support repeal. Some of our country’s most admired military leaders, including retired Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. John Shalikashvili and the first 3-star female Army General, Claudia Kennedy, have called on Congress to end the ban. Those who know the military best know that our national security is best served by recruiting and retaining the most qualified Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Be sure to identify yourself as a PFLAG member, and to specifically ask your elected representative to co-sponsor The Military Readiness Enhancement Act. Then, ask your friends, neighbors and family members to email and express their support for repeal, too.

Military families deserve to be treated equally under the law. LGBT Americans deserve an opportunity to serve our country. And our country deserves a fighting force that includes the best and brightest our country has to offer, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender troops, too.

Join me in calling on Congress to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The time has come to end this discriminatory law and break down the barriers that prevent our loved ones from proudly defending the country we love.

Thank you,

Colonel Dan Tepfer, USAF (Ret.)
PFLAG National Board Member
PFLAG Dayton Member