OUR PURPOSE
Beginning the Journey
A group of loving, friendly people is on a wonderful journey
toward understanding and acceptance of lesbians, gays, bisexual
and transgendered persons. These people have a support group
that meets here in Tucson every month.
If you have a friend or relative who is (or might be) gay, lesbian,
bisexual or transgendered, and you would like help to understand this
person, you will find a rewarding experience at our support meetings.
Talk with someone who has been there.
What We Are About
PFLAG provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and
gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and
respectful of human diversity.
We meet every month as a support group. In these groups every
individual is at a different stage in the journey to understand the
nature of sexual orientation. We share our experiences, what we have
suffered or enjoyed, and what we have learned.
All of us have homosexual friends and acquaintances. In most cases
we don't know who they are, and when we do find out, we may not
know how to respond. It is particularly hard if the gay or lesbian
person is a member of your family or a very close friend.
Those who have attended several PFLAG support meetings are pleased
to discover that each and every one of us, straight or gay, goes
through almost the same steps as we better understand homosexuality.
The Coming-Out Process
When a family member realizes that he or she is homosexual and
"comes out", it may take years to feel free to come out to
friends and family, or it may never happen. The learning and
growing experience accelerates rapidly if you go to PFLAG support
meetings. After a while, happiness is being able to say
"I don't have to hide anything from anyone".
Many gay and lesbian people also attend PFLAG meetings to get
a better understanding of what their family members are going
through. Their participation is very helpful to the parents
and family of other gays and lesbians.
Understanding and love grow rapidly, and every meeting feels
like a victory.
If a son or daughter has come out to you, or if you would like
help in coming out to your family or friends, come to a PFLAG
support meeting. We can also be of help if you are out but are
not well received by family or friends. Our meetings are
confidential, so you should not fear being "outed" by attending.
Not to be Cured but to be Understood
PFLAG people do not consider that homosexuality should be "cured",
nor is there a way to do it.
Sexual orientation for men is either heterosexual or homosexual,
with a few in between, known as bisexual. In women there is
more of a continuum from heterosexual to homosexual. There is no
evidence that people can move from one category to another.
Neither is there evidence that "poor parenting" causes children
to change sexual orientation, nor does "proper parenting"
affect sexual orientation. One parent with a gay son commented:
"I find it very comforting to be associated with a group of loving,
caring parents who also have homosexual sons and daughters."
Other PFLAG Chapters
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is
a national support, educational and advocacy organization.
PFLAG was founded in 1981 by 25 parents. PFLAG is now very
strong and speaks for many thousands of others. PFLAG affiliates,
like the one here in Tucson, are located in over 425 communities
throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and five other
countries. PFLAG is a tax-exempt non-profit organization that
is not affiliated with any political or religious institution.
If you would like to contact PFLAG, or want the address of the
chapter in another community, call PFLAG Tucson, (520) 575-8660 and
leave a message, or contact us at
pflagtuc@pflagtucson.org. Other Arizona PFLAG
chapters are listed on this web site. If you want the address of PFLAG in
another city, you may also contact PFLAG's national
headquarters in Washington.
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