Important reminders for straight parents in discussing LGBT issues with children
A good national resource for straight parents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning children is PFLAG. They offer local support
No one knows exactly how sexual orientation and gender identity determined. However, experts agree that it is a complicated matter of genetics, biology, psychological and social factors. For most people, sexual orientation and gender identity are shaped at any early age. It is never anyone's "fault" if they or their loved one grows up to be LGBT.
No. There have been people in all cultures and times throughout human history who have identified themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). Homosexuality is not an illness or a disorder. Being LGBT is as much a human variation as being left-handed - a person's sexual orientation and gender identity are just another piece of who they are. There is nothing wrong with being LGBT - in fact, there's a lot to celebrate.
No - and efforts to do so aren't just unnecessary - they're damaging. Religious and secular organizations do sponsor campaigns and studies claiming that LGBT people can change their sexual orientation or gender identity because there is something wrong. The Center believes that it is our anti-LGBT attitudes, laws and policies that need to change, not our LGBT loved ones.
It's seldom appropriate to ask a person, "Are you gay?" Your perception of another person's sexual orientation (gay or straight) or gender identity (male or female) is not necessarily what it appears.
Yes! LGBT people can and do have families. Same-sex couples do form committed and loving relationships. In the United States many same-sex couples choose to celebrate their love with commitment ceremonies or civil unions, although these couples are not offered the rights and benefits of marriage. More and more LGBT couples are also raising children together, although state laws on adoption and foster parenting vary. And of course, many LGBT people have the support of the loving families they were born into, or the families that they have created with their other friends and loved ones.
This is a difficult question for many people. Learning that a loved one is LGBT can be a challenge if you feel it is at odds with your faith tradition. However, being LGBT does not impact a person's ability to be moral and spiritual any more than being heterosexual does. Many LGBT people are religious and active in their own faith communities. It is up to you to explore, question and make choices in order to reconcile religion with homosexuality and gender variance. For some this means working for change within their faith community, and for others it means leaving it.
Resources for Parents:
San Francisco LGBT Community Center Programs and Services
Today the Center has active partnerships with over 70 community organizations. We host over 100 programs weekly and serve to over 9,000 individuals monthly. We provide leadership that brings the community together to work on issues of civil rights, public policy and community activism, tackling problems of discrimination, homophobia and disenfranchisement. Whether the occasion is a community celebration or mourning, such as passage of marriage equality or the murder of 15-year-old Larry King, the Center is the one place that the entire community gathers for support.
Direct programming is designed to serve those community members most in need, including youth, job seekers, children and families, city newcomers, women and the transgender community. We have successfully piloted ground-breaking programs in economic development, health and wellness, and youth services. These services help ensure the survival of many members of the LGBT community, including those least able to find acceptance in mainstream culture. Programs areas include:
San Francisco LGBT Community Center Youth Activities
Youth Resources
About Soiree 7, LGBT Community Center Fundraiser
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen and help the San Francisco LGBT Community Center celebrate its seventh anniversary with Soiree 7! Enjoy a three-ring inspired evening of performances showcasing San Francisco's diverse community in support of an important San Francisco institution.
Event: San Francisco LGBT Community Center presents Soiree 7
Date: Saturday, March 28, 2009
Hours: 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Location: Terra Gallery, 511 Harrison St. (@ 1st St.), San Francisco
Featuring: Performances by Boylesque, Bus Station John, Candi Gurl, Fauxnique, Fou Fou Ha!,
Glamamore, Hoku Mama, Honey Soundsystem, House of Salad, Juanita, and more. Plus live and silent auctions, DJs and dancing, drinks and gourmet morsels.
Tickets: $150 (all proceeds benefit the Center)
Available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/55239 or by phone at (800) 838-3006.
