WASHINGTON, June 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two of the nation's leading advocates for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) families and their parents and friends, are urging members of their community to invite their straight friends and allies to accompany them to Gay Pride celebrations throughout June.
The Family Equality Council and PFLAG National (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) said Pride presents a unique opportunity to share a positive celebration of the LGBT community and to initiate conversations with straight friends and allies about important issues including marriage equality and family recognition.
"Think of the many straight friends, neighbors, members of our church and co-workers who are part of our lives, who we share a carpool with, or who we stand with on the sidelines of our kids' soccer games," said Family Equality Council Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler. "Although these folks are close to us, recognize our relationships or support our families, we often don't share the other parts of our lives with them. Pride celebrations are the perfect opportunity to show them why we take pride in the diverse fabric of our community. It's also a chance for us to begin the conversations with them about why we need their active and continued support on our issues - marriage, humane adoption and foster care laws and anti-bullying policies in our schools."
PFLAG National Executive Director Jody Huckaby added, "Through our Straight for Equality work, we see first-hand — in business settings, healthcare facilities, faith communities and more — how the voice of a straight friend or ally can directly impact the life of an LGBT person. In order to help straight friends become strong allies, we need to share not only the realities of day-to-day discrimination and how it can affect LGBT people and their loved ones, but also take public pride in our lives, our experiences, and our families."
Huckaby and Chrisler offered some tips for extending the invitation to straight friends and allies including:
Keep it Casual: Extend the invitation as you would an invite to your home. You wouldn't pressure a friend to say yes, so keep the conversation casual and the invitation friendly.
Plan the Fun: Your friends may love your company, but they might feel anxious about being a part of a large LGBT gathering. Choose the aspects of a Pride celebration that will be most appealing to them. Whether it's a parade, a booth, or a family picnic, every Pride offers a wealth of events that cater to the kind of experience you would like to have with your friends.
Set Expectations: Pride celebrations are generally family-oriented these days. A few parades still include folks wearing adult-themed costumes, so talk ahead of time about what they can expect to see and do during your local celebration.
Go with a Group: Anything is generally more fun when you go with folks you enjoy and feel comfortable around. So invite a few straight friends, two neighbors or a group of co-workers to make the experience more enjoyable.
Make it a Day: Combine Pride with a backyard BBQ or just stop by the event on the way to another activity. Keep the emphasis on fun.
Open a Dialogue: Offer to answer their questions about what Pride is, why it's celebrated and how it started as a fight for equality. Use the opportunity to talk about our community's ongoing efforts to secure protections for our loved ones and why we need the support of our straight friends and allies.
Take No for an Answer: Avoid judging your friends if they decline the invitation. You might feel uncomfortable attending their church service if you're of a different religion, but you would still respect their faith. Sometimes it's the thought that counts.
Family Equality Council Family Equality Council is America's foremost advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender family equality. We represent the one million LGBT families raising two million children in the United States and are working to ensure full social and legal equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families. To learn more, please visit www.familyequality.org .
PFLAG National (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) is the nation's foremost family-based organization committed to the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Founded in 1973 by mothers and fathers, PFLAG has more than 200,000 members and supporters in more than 250 chapters throughout the United States. To learn more, please visit www.pflag.org .
Straight for Equality is a project of PFLAG National. It was launched in 2007 to invite, educate, and engage straight individuals to have the discussions necessary to move equality forward for their gay, lesbian, bi, and transgender friends in simple, nonpolitical ways. To learn more, please visit www.straightforequality.org .
CONTACT: Steve Majors, Family Equality Council, Steve.Majors@familyequality.org, +1-202-664-0079, Liz Owen, PFLAG National,LOwen@PFLAG.org, +1-202-467-8180