14
Honoring Moms
Q-NOTES • MAY 10.2003
street to restaurants,
retail and grocery
• 2 miles to Carolina
Place Mall and
minutes to
SoutHPark and
uptown
• Lai^e floor plans
• Greenway with
biking and hiking
traUs as your own
backyard
• Lai^e bedrooms,
custom kitchens and
private screened
patios
• Pick your interiors
• You will love this
location
• Seller will j>ay
Mothers' Day Special:
Lesbian Moms
Lost in the annual Mothers’ Day avalanche
of Hallmark cards and FTD commercials is
one group of American mothers who really
deserve a day of recognition — America’s les
bian moms.
No group of women has faced the kind of
sustained, unabashed efforts to break up their
families lesbian mothers have encountered
from social service agencies and our courts.
These women have shown astonishing
determination and courage in fighting a sys
tem often determined to ignore the truth that
sexual orientation has nothing to do with
being a good parent.
America’s lesbian mothers have sacrificed
and often suffered heartbreaking losses to
keep their families intact. So the American Civil
Liberties Union salutes them, as a shining
Happy Two Mothers Day
example of what motherhood really means.
PFLAG Mother's Day - Father's Day
Congressional Outreach Project
PFLAG Moms launch first-time month
long advocacy for legislative protec
tion of their LGBT children
WASHINGTON, DC — On May I, PFLAG
mothers from all across the US converged on
our nation’s capital to personally deliver
Parents Friends of Lesbians And Gays’ e
message of inclusion and respect to u
their Congressional legislators. In
meetings with their representatives,
PFLAG moms shared compelling
photos of their loved ones to person
alize issues crucial to the LGBT com
munity — and underscoring that
prejudice and exclusion cause
real harm to real people.
The day’s visits
launched PFLAG’s Inaug
ural Mother’s Day -
Father’s Day Congressional
Outreach Project. “As the
nation’s foremost family
organization for social
change, PFLAG has organ- -
ized this national effort to
persuade our legislators to -Sp
honor their commitments
to their entire constituen-
cies, including millions of
lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender citizens they rep
resent," said PFLAG president Sam Thoron.
“This effort is central to our mission and reflects
our core values.”
The PFLAG Month of Advocacy kicked off
May I with an Inaugural Congressional
Reception. Th^ Month of Advocacy will last
until Father’s Day, June 15.
Rep. Lynn Woolsey of California, a longtime
advocate for equality and fair treatment for all,
and a mom, was honored with the PFLAG
2003 Courageous Mother Leadership Award.
Barbara Warner, past president of the PFLAG
Metro DC Chapter received the 2003 PFLAG
Outstanding Mom of the Year award.
PFLAG education and advocacy will contin
ue on the national and local level. Mothers
across the nation who did not travel to
Washington, DC met with representatives in
their home districts to educate them on the fol
lowing issues:
• The importance of clearly including our
transgender family and friends in federal civil
rights legislation — and in Congressional
office equal employment opportunity poli
cies. Mothers encouraged representatives to
sign an office Diversity Statement on the spot
and thanked the seven senators and 63
>«. representatives who had already
done so.
• PFLAG’s support for
family-friendly legislation
honoring the partnership
commitments of our loved
ones, including the Perma
nent Partners Immigration
Act and a bill recently
introduced by Senator
Joseph Lieberman ex
tending partner benefits
to Federal employees.
• The Judicial nomi-
nation process
Parents, Families
and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays
(PFLAG) is the
nation’s premier
grassroots organiza
tion committed to
the civil rights of
gays, lesbians, bisex
ual and transgender
(GLBT) persons.
Founded in 1973 by
heterosexual mothers and fathers, PFLAG has
500 chapters and over 250,000 members
throughout the United States.
Honor PFLAG and All Moms
Give the gift of PFLAG for Mother’s Day
This Mother’s Day, remember your mother,
grandmother, daughter, sister or friend...or all
PFLAG Moms... with a contribution to PFLAG
in her name.
For each Mom you honor with a donation
of any amount, PFLAG will send a tribute card
personalized with your name and a special
message of up to three lines.
With a contribution of $35 and higher,
PFLAG will also send your favorite mom a spe
cial PFLAG memento.
info: Parents Friends of Lesbions And Gays
www.pflag.org