Art by Brian Hofmeister pp 19-22 September 2019 | PFLAG Council of Northern Illinois Newsletter [email protected] SUBSCRIBE Monthly Open Doors President 2-5, National 5-6, Chapter News 7-12, Events 13-18, Book 17, Art 19-22, Theater 23, Film 24 President’s Column Affirming Places Matter… Your Advocacy Makes the Difference! It’s back to school and I am happy to see that there are more and more high schools and middle schools in the area that have clubs supporting LGBTQIA+ students and allies. This is great news for our children. These clubs, often called GSA’s a GSA for LGBTQ+ students and allies. If they do, (for gay / straight alliance or gender / sexuality be sure to congratulate and thank them for alliance) are great ways for schools to provide creating a safe and affirming environment for our students with a safe, affirming place to find students. If you want to get further engaged, just community, learn and grow. Studies have shown ask for the contact information of the GSA that just having a GSA in the school makes our advisor. It is nice to talk with the advisor, but kids feel safer, even if they don’t personally even better to support the students by being part participate. I was thrilled to learn that as of this of a future meeting. Consider offering to visit and year, all the high schools and middle schools in tell them about your story and PFLAG. If the my district have a GSA. GSAs started in high school does not have a GSA, consider asking if schools. But we are finding there is a very real there is someone in charge of the student clubs or need to engage our students sooner and there is if the school has anyone responsible for diversity great value in having GSAs in middle school. and inclusion. These would be the folks to talk to Does your HS and middle school have a GSA? about their plans to support a GSA and whether they know about resources that might help them. Encourage them to take action for form a GSA. Let them know why it is important to you. For Does your school more information about Safe Schools and GSAs, check out these great resources: PFLAG Safe have a GSA? Schools, GLSEN , Illinois Safe Schools Alliance , HRC Welcoming Schools. Please let us know about your experience at [email protected] I want to urge you to take a few minutes over the next week to find out. A quick google search of Having GSAs in our schools doesn’t just help our the schools in your area will yield the contact students to better fit in and have a more engaging information you need to find out. It may take a and productive educational experience. I am sure few searches and a few calls to connect with you know, affirming places help to save lives. At someone who can help. But it will be worth it. PFLAG, we are first focused on creating affirming Some key words to consider in your search might home and family environment, and this is most include: school name, district and the number, vital. But, the need for affirming space also GSA, directory, councilor, social worker, diversity, extends to our schools, workplaces, places of inclusion, liaison, advisor... Ask if the school has worship, and to our communities. September 2019 | PFLAG Council of Northern Illinois Newsletter 2 So, in addition to contacting your school, there transgender, we can all be allies for equality are lots of little things we can do to subtly (or not together! so subtly) identify ourselves as an ally. It can be something as simple as a safety pin or a button on Don’t forget, take a few minutes to call your local your bag, backpack, shirt or hat…. It can be a t- high school and middle school. shirt you wear or a poster in your home or office with an affirming message. It can be an HRC In Love and Solidarity, “Love Is Love” or PFLAG coffee mug or tumbler John you use. There are lots of ways to be visible as an ally. Please know that we also understand that not everyone is out in their life. It is a process and we are all at different points on the ally spectrum. Shop using Amazon So, do what is comfortable to you. Be kind to Smile and support yourself and take the time you need along your The PFLAG Council of Northern Illinois ally journey. Gay or straight, cis-gender or Click here. September 2019 | PFLAG Council of Northern Illinois Newsletter 3 PFLAG Chapter Opportunities! Congratulations to the newest PFLAG Chapter in Northern Illinois - PFLAG Bolingbrook will be meeting on the second Sunday of the month at 2 pm starting from October 13th at Friendship United Methodist Church 305 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. If you are interested in helping out or being added to their email list, please send an email to [email protected] PFLAG Aurora/Fox Valley - is looking for folks who want to help strengthen the chapter and build on their proud legacy of support for the LGBTQ community and allies in Aurora / Fox Valley. If you are interested in helping make a difference please contact Carmi Frankovich at Registration is still open for the 2019 PFLAG National [email protected]. Special thanks to Convention! Join PFLAG members and supporters Carmi for leading the charge with her positive energy. from across the country at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown from October 25 – 27, 2019 for two full PFLAG Chicago Español - There are preliminary days of skill building, networking, and preparing for discussions about interest in starting a PFLAG Chapter to primarily support Spanish speaking members. If you have 2020. interest in helping form this chapter in Chicago, please Visit https://pflag.org/2019nationalconvention to contact John Hickey at [email protected] register and to learn more. PFLAG Chicago / Hyde Park - There are preliminary discussions about interest in starting a PFLAG Chapter in the Make a Difference Today: Hyde Park area. If you have interest in helping form this chapter, please contact John Hickey at [email protected] Help Feed Hungry LGBTQ Youth! PFLAG West Dundee - Plans are also moving forward with Homeless LGBTQ young adults who find shelter at the plans to start a West Dundee PFLAG chapter. They plan to CRIB in Chicago count on PFLAG members to serve meet at St James' Episcopal Church, located at 516 up a hot breakfast and a hearty helping of Washington St, West Dundee, IL 60118. Planning meetings are on the first Saturday at 1:30 pm. Thank you Sharon for unconditional love and support on the first Sunday of leading this initiative. If you have interest in helping form every month. The CRIB, a partnership between The this chapter or want to be added to their email distribution Night Ministry and the Lakeview Lutheran Church, list, please contact Sharon Fu at provides 18 - 24 year-olds with a good night's sleep, [email protected] healthy meals, shower and laundry facilities, and a shared and affirming space. It is a gratifying Inquiries have also been made regarding starting Chapters in: experience to help our community members who Mt. Prospect, Evanston, Waukegan and Edgebrook in Chicago. Email [email protected] to be connected with struggle to meet the challenges of daily living. PFLAG's involvement in this important program has the folks who are looking into starting these chapters. become so popular that additional volunteers are now It is really great to see PFLAG chapters becoming accessible needed. Please contact Coordinator Peggi Nasti today to more families. We would love to see PFLAG more at 630-983-8511 or [email protected] for an accessible to ALL families. If there is not a PFLAG chapter opportunity to reach out and make a real difference in near you, and you are interested in forming a chapter in your our LGBTQ community! community, please contact John Hickey at [email protected] September 2019 | PFLAG Council of Northern Illinois Newsletter 4 PFLAG Supports Fahrenheit Chicago On Sunday August 25th PFLAG volunteers hosted a PFLAG informational table at Fahrenheit Chicago, a south-side pride event organized by our friends at Equality Illinois at the DuSable Museum of African American History. It is a beautiful museum and an educational experience. In addition to our table with other community organizations, we hosted a quick workshop letting folks understand what a PFLAG meeting is like and talking about how interested volunteers can start a chapter in their community. enthusiastic and energetic folks and hope see these connections blossom into more. It would be great to It was a gorgeous day filled with fun, making buttons see even more new PFLAG Chapters, making support and connecting with the community. We met lots of accessible to more communities in Northern Illinois. From PFLAG National The Department of Justice urges the EEOC to change its position and tell SCOTUS to rule that businesses can discriminate against transgender employees FEDERAL MATTERS without violating the law. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has maintained its Obama-era Students who said they were discriminated against position that businesses are banned from discriminating because of their sexual orientation or gender against LGBTQ+ workers because it’s a form of sex bias. identity were significantly less likely to get any relief from the Department of Education’s Office for The Department of Labor proposed a rule allowing Civil Rights under the current administration than “religion-exercising organizations” with federal they were under the past administration, according contracts to raise religious exemptions if accused of to a report released Monday.