From: Heather Wright Subject: PFLAG Comes Out for Same Gender Marriage Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2000 11:12:25 -0500 March 1, 2000 Contact: Jay Heavner 202-467-8180 ext. 231 (DC) Mitzi Henderson 650-854-2598 (CA) PFLAG COMES OUT FOR SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE As the debate over same-gender marriage heats up in Vermont, California, and elsewhere, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) has redoubled efforts to support same-gender unions. At their most recent board meeting in January, the Board of Directors of PFLAG unanimously approved a policy supporting same gender marriage: "Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbian and Gays (PFLAG) believes that society at large benefits from an environment that supports committed stable relationships, including same-gender committed relationships, which provide mutual emotional, social, financial, legal and medical support. PFLAG, therefore, supports revision of federal and state statutes to extend to persons in same-gender committed relationships the right to marry with the full legal rights and benefits, as well as responsibilities and obligations." Paul Beeman, president of PFLAG, noted that the organization has been working for legal same-gender marriage since 1995. "This policy is no surprise to anyone," said Beeman, "considering our strong support of our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered family members and friends, but we wanted to state clearly where we stand." In California PFLAG chapters are fighting Proposition 22, also know as the Knight Initiative," which would single out same-gender couples for discrimination. To support the efforts in California, PFLAG's national office sent an organizing packet to all 39 PFLAG chapters there. PFLAG chapters throughout California are taking the lead in staffing hone banks and tables at shopping malls, as well as sending postcards to friends urging them to "join me in voting against Prop 22." They are registering voters and speaking in churches and synagogues, community groups, and public forums. PFLAG members are stepping forward to raise money to fight the initiative. A house party hosted by Dodi Goldstein, president of the Peninsula/San Jose chapter and a member of the national board of directors, raised $31,000. Newspaper advertisements in the gay press in San Diego featured three PFLAG moms playfully admonishing gay and lesbian people to register to vote. The ads quoted Bobbi Harwood, Delores Lesnick and Linda Bessmer of San Diego County PFLAG saying, "take our advice just this once and make sure you are registered to vote at your current address for the March 7th election." Mitzi Henderson, a major organizer of efforts in California and past president of national PFLAG, said, "As PFLAG families we know that the commitments make by our gay children and friends fulfill in every regard the definition of marriage. We are determined to defeat this attempt to deny recognition to their legal and moral status." # # # Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons, their families and friends. Serving over 77,000 members and supporters, PFLAG affiliates are located in 435 communities across the United States and abroad. 1726 M Street, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 467-8180 Fax: (202) 467-8194 E-mail info@pflag.org Web: http://pflag.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ to unsubscribe from PFLAG's Email Alert List, send an email, subject line "unsubscribe" to info@pflag.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~