PFLAG Olympia WA Blog

Documentary screening at Tacoma's Main Library captures the narratives of LGBTQ young people

2012-07-09T16:11:00.002-07:00

Put This On The {Map}, a video documentary project capturing the narratives of LGBTQ young people in Washington State will be shown at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 16 at the downtown Main Library's Olympic Room (1102Tacoma Avenue South). The free screening, sponsored by the Tacoma Public Library in partnership with the Tacoma Rainbow Center, will be followed by a discussion with the film's directors / producers Megan Kennedy and Sid Jordan Peterson (courtesy of Humanities Washington's Speakers Bureau). The film is appropriate for teens and adults.

Research indicates that queer and transgender young people are more than four times as likely to have attempted suicide in the past year than their peers, as well as face an increased risk of harassment at school, drug and alcohol use, and of being the victims of physical violence. Queer and transgender youth are also over-represented in the juvenile justice system and in systems of state care, where policies and practices often don’t meet the most basic safeguards. Educators, health providers, service organizations, and state agencies often lack confidence and competency to help or to address structural issues related to gender and sexuality.

From stories of getting beat-up in a schoolyard to being picked up as a runaway, viewers learn that LGBTQ youth exercise courage daily. In an open and welcoming atmosphere, the film provides audiences with a local look at critical issues and examines the changing dynamics of gender and sexuality in Washington.

About the filmmakers.
Sid Jordan is a Canadian-American documentary filmmaker with a background in human rights law, organizational development, and community organizing. Utilizing media to generate dialogue about contemporary issues, Sid’s work seeks to create an essential link between art, education, and community wellness. Sid has trained on topics of gender and sexual diversity for government agencies, community organizations, hospitals, cultural centers, corporate groups, and centers of faith.

Megan M. Kennedy, M.A., L.M.H.C., is a youth and family therapist and Sexual Minority Mental Health Specialist positioned at Youth Eastside Services (Bellevue, WA). Kennedy provides consultation and in-depth training around youth gender and sexuality nationally. As a media-maker, therapist and educator, Kennedy has presented at universities, government agencies, hospitals, community organizations, cultural centers, and centers of faith.

More information: www.tacomapubliclibrary.org or telephone the library at 253.292.2001

Meetings update

2011-11-14T11:36:00.001-08:00

Yesterday's meeting of PFLAG-Olympia was great. Our meeting rooms were overflowing. We were pleased to welcome four new people who had never before been to a PFLAG meeting, and our guest speakers from SAGE Olympia, Anna Schlecht and Kelly Cavenah, were warmly welcomed and gave an informative presentation.

For those who don't know, SAGE Olympia is the local chapter of the national service and advocacy organization for GLBT elders.

Next month our meeting will be our annual winter pot luck celebration and white elephant gift exchange. We can promise you it will be great, great fun. All area GLBTQ people and their family and friends are invited. For more information visit our website at http://pflag-olympia.org/.

He’s coming back! Steve Schalchlin in concert for PFLAG-Olympia

2011-07-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

New World Waking!
a musical insurrection for peace.
A Benefit Concert for PFLAG-Olympia

Featuring Steve Schalchlin (composer/lyricist) of The Last Session and The Big Voice: God or Merman? on the piano and singing with guest stars Saul Tannenbaum and Friends: Lauren O'Neill & Christina Collins, plus musical theater students from South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) in a true life theatrical concert reality experiment.

“Schalchlin's gospel tinged pop tunes exert a rare emotional pull ... a fierce drive overtakes the tunes melodic strains. It's life taking hold again - hope rising on powerful wings." ~ Los Angeles Times critic Daryl H. Miller

Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 8:00PM

The Black Box Theater in SPSCC's Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts 2011 Mottman Road SW; Olympia, WA

Tickets - $20 and $10 for SPSCC students. Buy tickets at 360-753-8586 Purchase tickets online https://tickets.washingtoncenter.org/Online/

More information:
http://www.pflag-olympia.org/SteveSchalchlin-OlyWA-07-11/index.html

A local public television station and an PFLAG-Olympia screening of the documentary "Two Spirits" - Sexuality, Gender, and the Murder of Fred Martinez

2011-06-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

The documentary "Two Spirits" explores the life and death of a boy who was also a girl and the essentially spiritual nature of gender.

Fred Martinez was nádleehí, a male-bodied boy with a feminine nature, a special gift according to his Navajo culture. Martinez was brutally murdered at 16 in Cortez, Colorado in 2001. "Two Spirits" interweaves the tragic story of a mother’s loss of her son with a revealing look at the largely unknown history of a time when the world wasn’t simply divided into male and female and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders.

The Navajo believe that to maintain harmony, there must be a balanced interrelationship between the feminine and the masculine within the individual, in families, in the culture, and in the natural world. "Two Spirits" reveals how these beliefs are expressed in a natural range of gender diversity, and examines the Navajo concept of nádleehí, “one who constantly transforms,” and tells compelling stories about traditions that were once widespread among the indigenous cultures of North America. The film explores the contemporary lives and history of Native two-spirit people.

“Riveting.” ~ LA Weekly

“A gorgeous, moving, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting story, the kind of film that opens the mind and heart so wide they can never close as tightly again.” ~ Martha Beck, Oprah magazine columnist and bestselling author

“TWO SPIRITS is a beautiful film, one that poignantly conveys the pain that Paula Mitchell suffered when she lost her child to hate violence. Fred Martinez was murdered simply because he dared to be himself, and the violence against young people like him must stop. We will never be the society we hope to be until we replace hate with understanding, compassion, and acceptance. This very powerful film is an important step on that journey.” ~ Judy Shepard, President of The Matthew Shepard Foundation

“A rich and textured work that provides a focal point for many important conversations on campus. It’s very moving to see the reactions, and the appreciation of so many people who feel that a deep aspect of their reality has been acknowledged and valued.” ~ Ann Braude, Director of the Women’s Studies in Religion Program and Senior Lecturer on American Religious History, Harvard Divinity School

"Two Spirits" is a production of Say Yes Quickly Productions, Henry Ansbacher, executive producer; Riding the Tiger Productions, Lydia Nibley, director, co-producer, and co-writer; and Just Media, Inc., Russell Martin, co-producer and co-writer -- with Darrin Navarro, editor; David A. Armstrong, director of photography; and Ron Eng, supervising sound editor and sound designer.

TWO SPIRITS screenings:

Monday, June 27: INDEPENDENT LENS: TWO SPIRITS will be broadcast on PBS' KCTS TV, Channel 9 (Seattle, WA) at 10 p.m..

Sunday, July 10: PFLAG-Olympia will show the film "Two Spirits" and have a discussion afterward. Due to the length of the film we will shorten the introductions, announcements and social time. Our meeting starts at 2 p.m., the film will be shown at approximately 2:45p.m.. Please join us!

More information:

TWO SPIRITS
http://www.twospirits.org/

Facebook: TWO SPIRITS: Sexuality, Gender, and the Murder of Fred Martinez
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_104028070497

Additional Resources from the producers of the documentary TWO SPIRITS:
http://twospirits.org/additional-resources/

Independent Lens| TWO SPIRITS Discussion Guide:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/two-spirits/resources/two-spirits-discussion.pdf (pdf format)

Families United Against Hate: Fred C. Martinez Jr. ~ Cortez, CO
http://www.fuah.org/fuah_cortez.html

PFLAG-Olympia
http://www.pflag-olympia.org

Capital City Pride honors PFLAG

2011-03-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

Anna Schlecht and Tony Sermonti representing Capital City Pride honored PFLAG at our monthly meeting this past Sunday. They presented us with a beautiful plaque thanking us for our years of service to the GLBTQ community and to Pride, and they recognized some of the people who have worked with us over the years, beginning with the founders and charter members.

Honored were Paul and Betty Beeman - founders. Paul was a long time president of the chapter and they both ran the newsletter and help line for years.

Charter members or early active members who contributed to the formation of PFLAG-Olympia were recognized, including:
David Kindle
Lori Kovell
Stella Warren
Mary and Frank Fairchild
Terri Yount (a past treasurer)
Steve and Nancy Thompson
Penny Merrill - took over as president after Paul stepped down, in L.A. now
Virgil Clarkson - charter member and current board member

Also recognized were:

Mike Walsh - former president, volunteered to help serve pancakes in the park every year and worked on our safe schools programs
Shirley Pearson - spearheaded a couple of fundraising auctions, served on speakers panels and served on the board for years, organized and served pancakes in the park at Pride every year - with her family
Brianne Pearson - Shirley's daughter, our first youth board member, served on speakers panel
Jeff Loyer - served as a past treasurer and president, has been responsible for storing and transporting tent and tabling materials for Pride and other events, helped raise money for PFLAG and Pizza Klatch, represents PFLAG on Pizza Klatch organizing committee, worked on our safe schools programs
Betsy Loyer - responsible for getting snacks at the meetings for a number of years
Donna Doyle - currently responsible for snacks and for organizing and cataloging library materials, tabled at many events
Catherine Dawdy - current treasurer, set up data base, helped organize library materials, does chapter's Facebook admin
Gabi Clayton - board member, speakers panel, established our website, newsletter editor
Alec Clayton - chapter president, newsletter editor, website, speakers panel
Lynn Grotsky - board member, helped start Pizza Klatch and represents PFLAG on Pizza Klatch organizing committee
Bill Donner - current secretary of the board
Kristin Stewart - current board member, helps table at events, speakers panel
Kathryn Coffman - current board member and does chapter's Facebook admin

Only Virgil Clarkson and David Kindle among the charter members were able to be present at Sunday's meeting. We were told that Stella Warren has passed away, and others were not able to attend. We know there are probably some other charter members whom none of the present members knew, and we regret that we may have missed some and that we don't have archival records from the earliest years of the chapter.

Thank you, Anna, Tony and Capital City Pride.

Community get-together

2010-10-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

The program at our next meeting of PFLAG-Olympia will be a community get-together. It will be a casual and friendly meeting at which representatives of local GLBT and allied organizations will have a chance to promote their groups and where we can all talk about how to more effectively network.

If you are a representative of a GLBT or allied organization in the Olympia area and have not received an invitation, please contact us at info@pflag-olympia.org or president@pflag-olympia.org.

The meeting will be at the usual time and place: First United Methodist Church, 1224 Legion Way, SE, Olympia, from 2-4:30 p.m.

There's more information on our website .

Transguys Calendar

2010-09-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

New charity project offers hope, support for the Transgender community

A new calendar project to benefit transgender men is currently under way – and they need your help! Born from one person’s desire to help her friend raise money for sexual reassignment surgery, the 2011 Transguys Calendar Project is a labor of love designed to provide financial assistance to transgendered individuals who need help funding sexual reassignment procedures.

The calendar will feature twelve gorgeous female-to-male models at various stages of transition. 100% of the proceeds from calendar sales will be donated to transgender individuals in need of financial assistance for medical costs associated with transitioning.

According to Project Coordinator, Maegan Beard, the goal is to raise at least $10,000 in the first year and to continue the effort annually to help as many people as possible. “Eventually we’d like to be able to expand the project to include an annual Transgirls calendar as well to benefit people transitioning from male to female,” Beard says. “My ultimate goal is to turn this project into a charitable foundation and provide a central resource for people looking for help with funding trans medical costs – everything from hormones to binders and other devices.”

Volunteers are already lining up for the 2012 edition, and in a few short weeks the project has garnered nationwide support from individuals, corporations, celebrities, and LGBT organizations. Calendar pre-orders and donations are currently being accepted through the group’s website, www.theTcal.org. Advertising space on the calendar and website will contribute to printing costs, and sponsorship and volunteer opportunities exist for interested individuals and organizations worldwide.

Contact:
Maegan Beard
hey_meg@hotmail.com
113 Radford Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Ph: (828) 243-5350

2010-09-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

Our PFLAG Candidate Forum on Sept. 12 was exciting. Candidates and some of their supporters pictured here are: Chris Reykdal (State Representative 22nd. District), Debbie Mealy (Sheriff), Steven Drew (County Assessor), Karen Valenzuela (County Commissioner #3), Shawn Myers (Treasurer), Hillary Hunt, representing her dad (Sam Hunt, 22nd District). Thank you to these candidates for taking the time to talk to our LGBTIQQTSA Community! And to the ones who marched with us at the Parade!!! Thanks to Gloria Aton for taking the picture.

GLBTQQ AUCTION

2010-08-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2 PM
for Thurston County High School Support Groups known as Pizza Klatches

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING ITEMS, SERVICES OR MONEY

This is one of the most fun and relaxed auctions ever. So, the Pizza Klatch Board has decided to do it again. The auction raises money to continue the highly successful GLBTQQ Support Groups at local high schools.

Here’s the great news: We don’t need tons of money. We need enough to buy pizzas for the seven weekly groups at four Thurston County high schools and enough to give a stipend to the facilitators. We’re talking about $7,000.

Here are a variety of ways you can help …

1.      DONATE MONEY (anywhere from $10-$1,000 will help). Make a check out to “PFLAG Olympia” and in the memo section write “pizza”. Send it to: PO Box 12732, Olympia, WA 98508-2732

2.     ATTEND our relaxed and totally fun Auction at Lynn Grotsky and Lisa Brodoff’s house on Hick’s Lake (2419 Carpenter Rd. SE, Lacey), Saturday, September 11 at 2 pm. Lynn and Lisa will supply appetizers and other food to eat. Come yourself, and if you can, bring a friend or two. The auction will be both silent and live.. (Please try to RSVP so Lynn and Lisa have an idea of how much food to make.) Questions? 360 412-1319 or email them at lynngrotsky@gmail.com. There is no cost to attend the auction. (Consider bringing a dessert with you that we will also auction off.

3.      DONATE ITEMS and/or SERVICES yourself (see attached pages for ideas and a donation form) and, if possible, get 2 or 3 others to donate too. If possible, please donate in the next few days and email us back the form. This helps us be more organized!

4.      Forward this email to others who you think might enjoy the auction or who might like to donate money or an item to support the high school GLBTQQ support groups.

THANK YOU! More info and donation forms on the Pizza Klatch website.

Pizza Klatch (High School LGBTQ support groups) is a partner and supported by PFLAG, Stonewall Youth, PiPE, St. Benedict's Episcopal Church and Olympia, Tumwater and North Thurston School Districts.

The Laramie Project 10 years Later - may we never forget

2010-08-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to South Puget Sound Community College to see “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later.” I went as a critic; my review will appear in The Olympian and The News Tribune next Friday. I also went as a member of PFLAG, because PFLAG is tabling the event. And I went as one might go to the grave of a loved one because “The Laramie Project” is a memorial to Matthew Shepherd and to all victims of anti-GLBTQ hate crimes, and we lost our son to anti-GLBTQ violence in 1995, three years before Matthew’s death. Our son Bill was 17.

On October 6, 1998 Matthew Shepard was beaten and left to die tied to a fence in the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. He died six days later. A month after the murder members of Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie and conducted interviews with the people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play “The Laramie Project.” The “characters” in the play were the actual members of the Tectonic cast talking about their experiences and the citizens of Laramie they interviewed. Every word was taken directly from the transcripts of their interviews.

Ten years later, Moisés Kaufman and members of Tectonic Theater Project returned to Laramie to find out what has happened over the last 10 years, resulting in this new play.

As a critic, I thought the play was too didactic. Kaufman should have edited out much of the lecturing that was done by the Tectonic cast members and the citizens of Laramie. But as a human being living in a world that is still far from safe for people who are not members of the privileged majority – meaning not only gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals and transgenders but also racial and ethnic minorities and those whose religion or culture is different than the so-called norm – I believe the lessons implicit in the production are important and the events depicted should never be forgotten.

It is not my purpose to review the play here. Rather, I want to make a few remarks about the implications of the play. The major questions posed are can Laramie be seen as representative of the whole country – in other words, are they just like us, and have we progressed in our attitude and our laws since Matthew Shepherd’s death. Cast members and the people of Laramie repeatedly bemoaned the fact that after 10 years the federal government had still not passed federal hate crimes legislation that includes GLBTQ persons as a protected class. They pointed out that hate crimes have not lessened but have increased, and like a town full of ostriches a large part of the population of Laramie has embraced a kind of popular cover-up of the crime saying it was a drug-induced robbery gone sour and not a hate crime at all.

Since the play was first presented we have at least made one improvement. Federal hate crime legislation has been enacted into law and signed by President Obama. The bill was named after Matthew Shepherd and James Byrd Jr., a black man who was chained to the back of a pickup truck in Jasper, Texas, and dragged to his death. My wife and I were lucky enough to be on the guest list at the White House for the celebration of the signing of the hate crimes law. While there we talked to Matthew Shepherd’s family, his parents, Judy and Dennis, and his brother, Logan. For them as for us the events of more than a decade ago are as fresh as if they happened yesterday. It was a proud and momentous occasion, but not necessarily a signal of major advances in civil rights. There is hope, however. Just this week a federal judge overturned as unconstitutional the dreaded Proposition 8 in California, which outlawed same sex marriage. But the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which does for the nation what Prop 8 did for California, is still the law of the land; gays still cannot serve openly in the U.S. military; hate crimes have not abated in the least, and every time GLBTQ rights have been put to the vote anywhere in the United States the majority of voters have voted against our rights. We still have a long way to go.

The play included an interview with one of the murderers, Aaron McKinney, who complained that after 10 years Judy Shepherd should just "shut the fuck up." Let us hope Judy Shepherd will never shut up.

- Alec Clayton

The Laramie Project 10 years Later

2010-07-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

Be sure to see "The Laramie Project: Ten Years later" at South Puget Sound Community College.

What is the "Laramie Project?"

A month after the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, the members of Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie and conducted interviews with the people of the town. From these interviews they wrote the play The Laramie Project, which has become one of the most performed plays in America in the last decade. The company later made the play into a film for HBO. The play and the movie combined have been seen by more than 50 million people around the world.

Why did they want to return in 2008?

The murder of Matthew Shepard had such seismic impact on this small town in America, that the company wanted to try to observe what, if any, were the long lasting effects of such a crime. How does a town look like 10 years after an episode of this magnitude? Have the attitudes changed? The mythologies? Has change occurred that's concrete and lasting?

For those reasons, the group returned to re-interview past participants, conduct new interviews with Laramie residents and most dramatically, interview Judy Shepard and Aaron McKinney (Matthew Shepard's murderer).

SPSCC Production

The South Puget Sound Community College is doing a student production under the direction of Don Welch. The show runs August 5-7 and August 12-14 at 8:00pm and August 8 and 15 at 2:00pm at the Kenneth J Minnaert Center for the Arts at SPSCC campus. Doors open at 7:00 pm, and PFLAG-Olympia will be tabling at the event before each performance except the Aug. 8 matinee when we'll be having our annual picnic in Priest Point Park.

Picnic update

2010-07-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

What are you bringing to the picnic?

Here's what we have so far:

Gloria - cake
Catherine - potato salad
Virgil - condiments, ice soft drinks
Alec & Gabi - corn tortillo casserole
Bill - cheese & crackers, finger foods selection

http://pflag-olympia.org/picnic.html

Our annual picnic Aug. 8

2010-07-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! It's time for our annual picnic. It a pot luck picnic in Priest Point Park kitchen #3 (see our website for a map)from 1-4 p.m. Everybody's invited. Bring friends and family members.

Nobody has to bring food, but if you can, please do. We will not be using the grill, so we ask those who bring food to bring dishes that don't have to be cooked -- casseroles, desserts, snack food. To avoid the possibility of everybody bringing the same thing, we ask that you let us know what you're going to bring and we will post a list on our website of who's bringing what and what we need. That way you can check to see what others are bringing. We'll update the list immediately when we get notices from you.

For starters, we will need covered dish meals of any kind -- pasta, salads, etc. -- desserts, bread or rolls, disposable dishes, silverware, and napkins.

If you have questions or want to let us know what you can bring, email webmaster@pflag-olympia.org or newsletter @pflag-olympia.org and watch this blog and the website for updates.

Note: The picnic takes the place of the regular monthly meeting.

Anyone and Everyone

2010-07-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

Please join us at the next meeting of PFLAG-Olympia for a screening of the film "Anyone and Everyone."

"Anyone and Everyone is a moving and beautiful portrayal of the love between parents and children, and the work some parents are willing to do for the sake of that love."
--Bent Lens Cinema

"... a moving documentary of American families' most heart-wrenching and heartwarming moments."
--Keith York, KPBS Director of TV Programming

Connected by having a son or daughter who is gay, parents across the country discuss their experiences in the documentary "Anyone and Everyone." In it, filmmaker Susan Polis Schutz, depicts families from all walks of life. Individuals from such diverse backgrounds as Japanese, Bolivian, and Cherokee, as well as from various religious denominations such as Mormon, Jewish, Roman Catholic, Hindu, and Southern Baptist, share intimate accounts of how their children revealed their sexual orientation and discuss their responses.

The parents also talk about struggling with the pain of their sons and daughters dealing with not being accepted by relatives or friends, and being ostracized by religious congregations.

PFLAG-Olympia meets every 2nd Sunday at First United Methodist Church in Olympia. Our next meeting is Sunday, July 11 from 2-4:30 p.m. We will start the film at approximately 3:15. (It's 57 minutes long; that will leave us about 15 minutes for a post-film discussion.) Guests are welcome to attend the entire meeting or just come for the film and discussion. For more information, visit out website at www.pflag-olympia.org. For more on the film visit http://www.anyoneandeveryone.com/

Pride events

2010-06-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

We hope you will stop by the PFLAG booth at the Capital City Pride festival Saturday, June 12 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Come and march with us behind the PFLAG banner in the Pride Parade Sunday, June 13 and join us again at our regular PFLAG-Olympia meeting Sunday after the parade from 2-4:30 p.m. when our guest speakers will be representatives from Gender Alliance of South Sound.

Yes, Pride is a two-day event this year.

Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in Sylvester Park

1 p.m. - headliner entertainment by Kimya Dawson
2 p.m. - Captain Smartypants, the comedic ensemble from the Seattle Men's Chorus

Other local and regional entertainers, food and information booths all day in the park

Sunday family picnic in Sylverster Park 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Parade from the Capital to the park starts at noon.

PFLAG meeting from 2-4:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 1224 Legion Way SE in Olympia
Introductions, announcements, group discussion, snacks and social time from 2-4:30, program featuring guest speaker Rachel Welkin (and probably others) from the Olympia chapter of Gender Alliance of the South Sound from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

www.pflag-olympia.org

Play about homophobia opening in Olympia

2010-02-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

Prodigal Sun Productions in Olympia is producing "Stop Kiss" by Diana Son.

Here's the description from Wikipedia:

"It focuses on the touching story of friends-turned-lovers, Sara and Callie, who are assaulted for kissing. The story is centered around a hate crime that is a direct result of homophobia.

"Sara and Callie are walking through New York City's West Village, when they share their first kiss. This leads to a vicious attack by a angry bystander, in which Sara is horribly injured. She falls into a coma, which becomes one of the major subjects of the play. George, Callie's good friend, tries to help with the situation, but there is little he can do. Peter, Sara's boyfriend from St. Louis, comes to help nurse her back to health. Throughout Stop Kiss, relationships are explored, formed, and even ended. Diana Son elaborates on the depths of human emotion and compassion in this play.

"The story is told out of chronological order: alternating scenes take place respectively before and after the assault, which is not shown onstage."

The show features Raychel Wagner as Callie, Katie Driscoll as Sara, Dennis Rolly as Detective Cole, Brian Jansen as George, Jon Tallman as Peter, and Bonnie Vandver as Mrs. Winsley.

What: Prodigal Sun Productions presents the play STOP KISS by Diana Son
Directed by Elizabeth Lord
When: February 12-13, 18-21, 25-27, 2010
Special "Pay-what-you-can" performance Thursday February 18.
Showtime: 8:00 PM for all dates.
Doors open at 7:30.
Where: The Midnight Sun Performance Space 113 N. Columbia St. in downtown Olympia
Tickets: $12.00 available at the door night of show, or online: www.buyolympia.com/events
Pay-what-you-can on Thurs. February 18th.

More info: go to www.prodigalsunproductions.org or telephone 360-250-2721

Correction: date of PFLAG meeting

2010-02-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

If you saw yesterday's post about the showing of Brother Outsider at the next meeting of PFLAG-Olympia, please note there was an incorrect date. It will be Sunday, Feb. 14 -- that's Valentine's Day.

More info on the PFLAG-Olympia website

Brother Outsider

2010-02-09T08:01:00.000-08:00

We are really, really excited to show "Brother Outsider" at the next PFLAG meeting this Sunday, Valentine's Day, Feb. 14 from 2-4:30 p.m.

About Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin -- A leader in the Civil Rights movement who was kept under wraps primarily because he was an openly gay man, Rustin was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King and the prime organizer of the March on Washington. This film is a fascinating look at the life of a little known but very important leader. There will be a short discussion after the film viewing.

Our usual meeting format will be adjusted to allow for time for the film and discussion.

The viewing of this film is part of a larger diversity outreach project. about which there is more information in the January-February newsletter.

Note: Our usual meeting room, The Gathering Room, is being used by the church so we will meet in room 221-222 down the ramp to the right as you enter the front door. Watch for signs.

PFLAG meets at First United Methodist Church at Boundary and 5th Ave., Olympia.
--

Brother Outsider

2010-01-13T11:11:00.000-08:00

Here's a heads-up on a special program planned for our February PFLAG meeting scheduled for Sunday, February 14, 2-4:30 pm.

Brother Outsider

We will show the wonderful film Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin. A leader in the Civil Rights who was kept under wraps primarily because he was an openly gay man, Rustin was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King and the prime organizer of the March on Washington. This film is a fascinating look at the life of a little known but very important leader. There will be a short discussion after the film viewing.

Our usual meeting format will be adjusted to allow for time for the film and discussion.

The viewing of this film is part of a larger diversity outreach project. about which there is more information in the January-February newsletter.

Location and directions for PFLAG meetings on the website at www.pflag-olympia.org.

Good news

2009-12-12T19:00:00.000-08:00

To: HeartBeat, PFLAG Olympia
From:Gery Gerst, Olympia
Re: Welcoming Statement Adoption by the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd on North Street
Our congregation, after almost a year of deliberation, prayerful consideration and education forums has voted overwhelmingly to adopt and publicly display, as an expression of its mission and vision, the following affirmation of welcome:

A Welcoming Congregation. Here's the announcement sent our way by Gery Gerst:

The Lutheran Church of The Good Shepherd welcomes all people,
• the poor and the rich, the young and the old,
• people who are single, married, blessed, divorced, separated, partnered, or widowed,
• people of all abilities,
• people of all sexual orientations and gender identities,
• people of all nations and ethnic backgrounds.
No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

We are now listed on the Reconciling in Christ roster of congregations on the Lutherans Concerned website: http://lcna.org/zricdetail.asp?ContactID=8406
We will next move to place the welcoming logo and affirmation in readily viewable places, and more importantly strive to fully practice our welcoming of all, as the affirmation states.
Sincerely,
Gery Gerst for the Reconciling in Christ task force at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

President Obama tells the story of PFLAG

2009-10-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

President Obama shared the story of PFLAG as "the story of America" in a speech on October 10, 2009.

PFLAG National Blog: Janice Langbehn Hospital Visitation Case Dismissed

2009-10-21T15:08:00.000-07:00

A federal court in Miami threw out the case of Janice Langbehn, a lesbian denied the right to visit her dying partner in a Florida hospital, saying that no law required the hospital to admit visitors.

Langbehn, a Washington state resident, filed the suit against Jackson Memorial Hospital after Lisa Pond, her partner of 17 years, died there in 2007. Pond suffered a brain aneurysm prior to a Caribbean gay cruise with their three children, and a hospital social worker refused to let Langbehn visit her dying partner, allegedly saying that Florida was “an antigay state.”

The court ruled in favor of the hospital, according to The Miami Herald, in a decision that Langbehn’s attorney called “extreme.”

APPROVE Referendum 71 on the Nov. 3rd Washington State ballot.

2009-09-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

From Aberdeen to Zillah there are registered domestic partners in Washington State.

PFLAG-Olympia is one of the coalition partner organizations that endorses Washington Families Standing Together.

This coalition of community partners is committed to working together to protect Washington’s families and has formed a coordinated campaign to help keep the law from being repealed.

Opponents of civil rights for LGBT people in Washington State have qualified Referendum 71 for the November 3rd 2009 ballot. The referendum seeks to repeal the domestic partnership bill which was passed by our legislature and signed by the governor.

Now we will have to VOTE Approve Referendum 71.

This election will be held with mail-in ballots only, and those will be mailed out in October. People will be mailing them back before November.

Please be sure you are registered (and your friends and family members are) and that you vote to APPROVE.

Please help us with this. When you talk to people, please say "Protect all Washington families and vote Approve on Referendum 71 to affirm to retain our recently passed Domestic Partnership law.

For more information see http://www.wafst.org/

Thank you!

Picnic preparation

2009-07-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

We have to start planning now for the annual PFLAG-Olympia picnic.

First, mark your calendar: Sunday, Aug. 9. 1-5 p.m.,Priest Point Park, Kitchen #3

It's potluck, but we need to coordinate somewhat to make sure we don't have 40 desserts and no main course dishes.

We're trying something different this year. Rather than grilling burgers and hot dogs, we're asking people to bring things that don't have to be grilled, such as crock pot dishes, casseroles, pasta, salads, etc. Plus breads and desserts.

Plus, we will need paper plates, plastic forks, napkins, soda -- and somebody needs to bring a big ice chest with ice to keep the drinks cold.

Please let us know what you can bring. E-mail Alec at president@pflag-olympia.org. On the website I will post a list of what we need and what's been promised, and update it as often as needed so you can see what's needed.

Please help us out to make this the best picnic ever. And don't forget to invite your friends and family.

Gay plays

2009-06-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

Two of Olympia's community theaters are presenting gay themed plays this summer.

First, Olympia Little Theater is doing the outrageous comedy "The Little Dog Laughed."

Here's the info on it from their press release: "If you like to laugh, if you like outrageous satire... don't miss "The Little Dog Laughed" said Liz Smith doyenne of Hollywood gossip columnists about Douglas Carter Beane's 2007 Tony and GLAAD (www.glaad.org) award nominated play, opening June 5th at Olympia Little Theatre. The play all Broadway was talking about in 2007 has come to town!

The show runs June 4th through 21st at Olympia Little Theater with shows Thursday through Monday at 7:55pm and 1:55pm Sunday. Tickets are $10-$12 and available at Yenney Music Company, 1404 Harrison Ave NW, Olympia, 360-943-7500 (cash & checks only), on-line at www.buyolympia.com/events (Credit cards only, add 10% service charge.) or at OLT on the night of the show (when available) 1925 Miller Avenue, Olympia, WA 98506 360-786-9484 www.olympialittletheatre.org

Regular Performance dates: June 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 20 at 7:55pm:
June 14, 21 at 1:55pm.

There will be a special benefit performance for Capital City Pride Friday June 19, 7:55pm. Contact CCP www.capitalcitypride.net for tickets.

Next, Theater Artists Olympia presents "Romeo and Juliet" done with a fresh, intriguing perspective: the title roles are played by two young men. The director, Chris Cantrell, has emphasized that this is not a "drag show," but a serious production. According to TAO' publicity, "He is handling it with the utmost sensitivity and care."

Where: Minnaert Performing Arts Ctr, 2011 Mottman Rd SW, Olympia (South Puget Sound Comm College)
When: June 25 - July 11 at 8:00 p.m. (Wed.-Sat.) / July 12 at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $12 at door or buyolympia.com / Pay What You Can on 7/8
Info: olytheater.com or 360-357-3471