With Great Thanks to PFLAG's founder, Jeanne Manford

Anyone who has read me or listened to me over the years knows

of the enormous love and respect I have for the group

PFLAG (Parents, Friends, Family of Lesbians & Gays.)

It is one of the single greatest resources for all people

in the LGBTQ community, and one of the most effective

means of changing hearts and minds in this terrible

world we find ourselves traipsing through.

The founder of this group--one woman, Jeanne Manford--

passed away this last week, and her story and heart

deserves to be related. 

Please check out Rachel Maddow (below) for the most

poignant and evocative, all-encompassing tribute I think

anyone could have managed. (Thank you, Rachel!)

And Thank You, Jeanne.

Rachel Maddow Eulogy for Jeanne Manford

For more info on the group, helpful information about

coping with being gay in a hateful world, and access to support

groups in your area, please check them out here

PFLAG official website

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Rachel Maddow - David Bahati "Kill The Gays" Bill Sponsor - Pt. One

This is important stuff, and Rachel (as always) sums up an intricate and
complicated subject in a simple fashion, making it more easily digested.

The USA-grown homophobia which fueled and supports this bill and others
like it is ever-present as a threat against us.

Just this weekend, James Dobson attempted to make a (ludicrous)
connection between gay rights and the shooting of the children in Newton
on Friday. Dobson Shows Ass, Works Agenda After Tragedy

This is the sickness of what we face, and we owe it to ourselves to be
educated about them, even as they remain ignorant about us.

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Rachel Maddow: "Pray Away the Gay?"

Worth a look; a recent wonderful expose by Rachel Maddow,
but it's only the tip of the ice berg when it comes to these groups.

If you have been involved in a religious background or an ex-gay
ministry of any kind, please check the link below to reach more on
Ex-Gay ministries and information on surviving them.

I know from personal experience how difficult and frightening it is
to face your own feelings when others have programmed you to hate
them and yourself.

(Personally, I find that still clinging to the same religion that poisoned
and abused so many is an act of self-hate, but if these websites can
serve a stepping stone for people to realize the irreparable damage
done by such organizations, that's at least less abuse being suffered.)

Patience, Robert.

More on Ex-Gays and LINKS to Support


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