Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 12:58:16 -0500 From: PFLAG Communications Subject: PFLAG News! New President...and Transgender Inclusion Greetings! Here are two wonderful news developments from PFLAG! Share them with your friends, families and local media!... 1) New President Takes PFLAG Helm 2) PFLAG Votes 'Yes' Overwhelmingly To Include Transgender in Mission (See http://www.pflag.org for these announcements and more!) For immediate release Contact: Janice Hughes 202-638-4200x225 New President Takes PFLAG Helm Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays this month named as its new president National PFLAG Board Member Paul Beeman. An ordained minister who lives in Olympia, WA, Beeman is the father of four--a gay son and lesbian daughter--and two straight children. In addition to serving as a United Methodist pastor for many years, Beeman also has a strong background in fundraising, marketing and journalism. He has served on PFLAG's board since 1994. Beeman, who was elected Sept. 12 by PFLAG's National Board of Directors, says he is eagerly looking forward to lead the group as it presses ahead nationally and locally in its fight for equal civil rights. "What a dynamic time this is for PFLAG," Beeman said. "With two years to prepare, will the year 2000 be a turning point for welcoming lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered persons into full equality in our society? I believe it can be!" "PFLAG is all about being able to give kids back to their parents," Beeman emphasized. "As with slavery and women's rights, barriers to equality will eventually fall in our communities of faith and in our whole society. It will happen as we family members tell the stories of our children and families and explain their commitment to stable family relationships," he said. Beeman also hailed PFLAG's tremendous growth in membership over the last few years. "Our influence in more than 420 communities across all 50 states is the result of so many members in countless rural towns and big cities across the country-working on the frontlines of change." Among his goals are to assure safe space for all children in school and at worship and to enhance the education of the majority of middle Americans who don't yet understand how natural homosexuality truly is. Beeman will be working closely with PFLAG Executive Director Kirsten Kingdon, who is based in the group's national office in Washington, DC. Beeman strongly praised his predecessor, Nancy McDonald, who during her two-year term represented PFLAG in Washington, DC, in giving testimony before the U.S. Congress and meeting with federal officials, as well as criss-crossing the country to speak out for lesbian and gay loved ones and their families. McDonald, an education consultant, is based in Tulsa, OK. Paul and Betty, his wife of more than 40 years--who helped launch the PFLAG Olympia, WA, chapter--are also grandparents. PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons, their families and friends through support, education and advocacy. 1101 14th St. NW, #1030 Washington, DC 20005 202-638-4200 www.pflag.org (more) _______________________________________________________________________ For immediate release Contact: Janice Hughes 202-638-4200x225 PFLAG Votes 'Yes' Overwhelmingly To Include Transgender in Mission Members of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays voted overwhelmingly earlier this month in favor of a proposal to include transgendered people in the organization's mission statement. The near unanimous vote, which came during PFLAG's Sept. 12 annual meeting in San Francisco, followed a recommendation by the group's national Board of Directors last May to amend the group's bylaws to include transgendered people in its mission statement, which covered lesbians, gays and bisexual people. "This is just one more important step forward to say that all sexual minority children deserve equal civil rights in this society," PFLAG Executive Director Kirsten Kingdon said. "We're reaching out to members of the transgendered community, recognizing that they and their families and friends must deal with many of the same issues faced by lesbian, gay and bisexual persons and their loved ones," said Kingdon. PFLAG is based in Washington, DC, and has more than 420 chapters in all 50 states. While the vote formalizes PFLAG's support for transgendered persons, the organization has long welcomed transgendered persons and their families into its fold for support and has a special outreach network which has been working to educate PFLAG members and others. PFLAG's Transgender Special Outreach Network, began when several active PFLAG members, including transgendered persons and parents, met at a PFLAG conference three years ago. Since then, the network has grown to include chapter coordinators in more than 170 local chapters. It has also written, published and distributed over 12,000 copies of its popular booklet, "Our Trans Children," and runs a telephone help line. PFLAG member and network chair Mary Boenke said the group looks forward to helping more chapters continue to work towards providing the same kind of critical support, education and advocacy on behalf of transgendered persons that they have always provided for lesbian, gay and bisexual persons. 1101 14th St. NW, #1030 Washington, DC 20005 202-638-4200 http://www.pflag.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you would like to be removed from PFLAG's Action Alert email list, please send an email, subject line "unsubsribe" to info@pflag.org. Thank you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~