PFLAG Alamance

Williams High School in Burlington is now officially home to the only Gay/Straight Alliance (G.S.A.) organization in the Alamance-Burlington school system.

The G.S.A. is a club that promotes tolerance and equality among the student population. Their goal is to educate students on LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) issues and what it really means to be this way.

The group raises money for gay rights organizations, hold vigils and has days of silence for those brave enough to speak out. But the G.S.A’s main goal is to bring everyone together, gay and straight, to a safe haven where everyone is equal and there is no judgment or bullying of any kind.

“(Williams is) a high school, so there’s enough bullying going around. Our goal is to ‘pave the way’ for acceptance and equality,” said senior Miranda Teran, one of the founders of Williams’ G.S.A., along with fellow seniors Yerson Padilla and Tambra Parsons.

According to Padilla, there were more than 100 people at the first meeting and 60 at the next. But despite the amazing turnout, the founders also said that starting the new organization has been a challenge.

“Everyone calls it the ‘gay club’ or the ‘fruit club,’ ” Teran said.

“There were rumors of a petition to end the club, but that would’ve been illegal,” Parsons added.

The founders have been trying to start this organization for more than a year and have finally achieved their goal.

When asked if the G.S.A. has been achieving the sense of friendship and equality they hoped for, Parsons said “the environment (at the meetings) feels friendly and everyone feels like they can talk to each other.”

The founders wanted to send a message to youth in the community.

“To the bullied, it gets better,” Teran said.

“In ninth and tenth grade, I was bullied a lot. I always let it get to me, but, because of my support system, I got through it. The G.S.A. is everyone else’s support system,” Padilla said.

To those who want to start a G.S.A., Parsons added, “gather a supportive group of people for a foundation.”

Williams’ G.S.A. meets every Wednesday in the school’s annex building, Room 104, after school. Adviser is Justin Seifts.

“This is a gay/straight alliance. Anyone can join. This is a judgment-free zone. We will love you and accept you,” Padilla said.

Maddie Lee is a senior at Williams High School and a Teens & Twenties writer.

The former New Mexico Gov. and perennially frustrated GOP candidate for president, who is currently flirting with the notion of a libertarian run for president, officially declared his support for gay marriage at a online town hall meeting. Johnson was previously more wafflely, with the old support of “civil unions” standby. Now he’s going for broke and saying he really is for gay marriage.

Johnson’s statement:

“As a believer in individual freedom and keeping government out of personal lives, I simply cannot find a legitimate justification for federal laws, such as the Defense of Marriage Act, which‘define’ marriage. That definition should be left to religions and individuals – not government. Government’s role when it comes to marriage is one of granting benefits and rights to couples who choose to enter into a marriage ‘contract’. As I have examined this issue, consulted with folks on all sides, and viewed it through the lens of individual freedom and equal rights, it has become clear to me that denying those rights and benefits to gay couples is discrimination, plain and simple.

“Certainly, religions and people of various faiths have the right to view marriage as they wish, and sanction marriage according to those beliefs. Just as government shouldn’t interfere with individual rights, government should not interfere with how marriage is treated as a ceremony, a sacrament or a privilege within a set of religious beliefs. However, when it comes to the rights of individuals and couples under the law, government’s promise should be to insure equal access to those rights to all Americans, gay or straight.

“For a very long time, society has viewed gay marriage as a moral and, yes, religious issue. Today, I believe we have arrived at a point in history where more and more Americans are viewing it as a question of liberty and freedom. That evolution is important, and the time has come for us to align our marriage laws with the notion that every individual should be treated equally.”

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Tips for Families During the Holidays

National PFLAG has adapted a piece by Mariana Caplan entitled When Holidays Are Hell…A Guide to Surviving Family Gatherings  to help parents and siblings make the up-coming holidays really welcoming for visiting LGBT family members.   It is reproduced below;

you are the friend or family member of someone gay…

• Get support for yourself. It is important to realize you are not alone.
• Take your time. Acceptance may not come instantly, but be honest about your feelings.
• Don’t be nervous about using the “correct” language. Honesty and openness creates warmth, sincerity and a deeper bond in a relationship. If you are not sure what is appropriate, ask for help.
• Realize that the situation may be as difficult and awkward for your GLBT loved one as it is for you.

Before the visit…

• Practice in advance if you are going to be discussing your family member’s sexual orientation or gender identity with family and friends. If you are comfortable talking about it, your family and friends will probably be more comfortable too.
• Anticipate potential problems, but do not assume the reactions will always be what you expected.
• Consult with your GLBT loved one when coordinating sleeping arrangements if he or she is bringing home a partner.
• If your family member is transgender, practice using the correct pronouns.

During the visit…

• Treat a GLBT person like you would treat anyone else in your family.
• Take interest in your family member’s life. He or she is still the same person.
• Don’t ask your GLBT family member to act a certain way. Let them be their natural selves.
• If your GLBT family member is bringing a partner, acknowledge him or her as you would any other family member’s partner.
• If your GLBT family member is bringing a partner, include him or her in your family traditions.
• Ask your GLBT family member about his or her partner if you know they have one

 

from the Huffington Post. June 14, 2011:

 

“ SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge on Tuesday upheld a gay judge’s ruling that struck down California’s same-sex marriage ban, saying his fellow jurist was under no obligation to disqualify himself simply because he was in a long-term relationship with another man.