Donna Rodriguez
The panelists at the PFLAG Panel answered student’s questions, spoke of their personal experiences and gave advice to those who want to come out to their parents at the Great Hall on Wednesday.
PFLAG is an organization that began in 1972 when a mother, Jeanne Manford, and her gay son marched during the Pride Day parade in New York. As they marched others began to ask if she would talk to their parents which caused Manford to begin a support group.
The PFLAG panelists were Steve Krantz, regional director of PFLAG, Mel Schwartz, a PFLAG panelist, and Sylvia Weisenberg, board of director of PFLAG of LA.
Sylvia Weisenberg told her parents she was a lesbian when she was 18 years old. She told her parents after she had graduated from high school. Her fear of being kicked out of her home was what prevented her from telling her parents.
Mel Schwartz came out to her mom when she was 14 years old. Her mother cried that she wouldn’t get to be a grandmother but Mel and her partner are the parents of a 5-year-old girl. After coming out she lost some of her friends and family.
Schwartz’ father remarried and his new wife opposes gays. After her new half sister was born Schwartz wasn’t allowed to come into contact with them until her half sister got older. This “created a lot of distance.”
Steve Krantz has a son who is gay. When Krantz’ son came out he wasn’t upset of the fact that his son was gay but concerned for his safety. “Most places in this country and worst overseas victimize gays.”
Krantz said that PFLAG has three purposes the first purpose is support. This organization hosts meetings to support parents who have found out their child is gay. The second purpose is education. Panelists speak at schools, businesses and organizations. The last purpose is advocacy.
This organization also gives support for those who feel like they are alone.
“It’s easy to feel alone” said, Weisenberg. She even said that when gay kids feel this way they are at a higher risk of using drugs, runaway, be suicidal and even get pregnant.
“Wrap your mind around that one” said, Weisenberg while discussion lesbian pregnancies. Lesbian girls begin to have sex with boys to push themselves to become straight and end up getting pregnant.
When discussing runaways Weisenberg said that it is estimated that 55 to 60 percent of homeless youths are gay, lesbians and bisexuals.
She even talked about a case where a father tried to beat that gay out of his daughter. Some people actually believe that things like that would work. There are shelters, schools and TeenLine Hotline that help if they are in this situation.
Weisenberg told students that when they are planning to come out to their family that they shouldn’t do it on a holiday. Those who are ready to come out need to patient and be prepared to educate their parents. They should have facts, a book title and will need to become the adult.
They also spoke about the improper use of the word gay. Krantz talked about a time when his son wanted to get his nails done and he made a homophobic remark which made his son feel like he couldn’t come out to his parents.
Weisenberg had even admitted that at times she will need to stop at stores and tell total strangers “really that backpack is gay? That backpack likes that backpack?” in order to get her point out.