PDF - Toronto Pflag

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
November 2011 Newsletter #12
www.pflagtoronto.org
[email protected]
PFLAG TORONTO VISION
PFLAG Toronto is a charitable organization that
speaks for a more accepting Canadian society
by providing support, education and resources to
all people who wish to grow in their
understanding of sexual and gender diversity.
PFLAG Toronto actively assist in the recognition
and growth of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, intersex,
queer and questioning persons, and their
families and friends, within their diverse cultures
and societies.
Ernie and Pam
Next Support Meeting
Wednesday
November 2, 2011
7:30 p.m.
Kimbourne Park United Church
200 Wolverleigh Blvd.,
Toronto, ON M4C 1S2
Happy Halloween
A message from your President
October, 2011
This week I put on gloves when I went out walking and any
day now my scarf will be on too. In our neighbourhood
there are lots of pumpkins sitting on front steps waiting to
be carved, and that cobwebby stuff is already around some
front porches to add to the spooky feeling of Hallowe’en.
Our family always enjoyed Hallowe’en – or Gay Christmas
as our son refers to it! My husband carves multiple
pumpkins – including one with a friendly smile so we don’t
scare off the youngest visitors.
Kids seem to enjoy being just a little bit scared; so long as
they know someone is close by to help or support them if
needed.
Recent news of teen suicides has brought to mind the
thought of how scary life can be for some of our youth, who
are bullied to the point of taking their own lives.
This week Rick Mercer’s Rant went viral. He spoke out
about the need for things to get better NOW. He spoke out
about the devastating number of LGBTQ youth who take
their own lives. He ranted about a system which doesn’t do
enough to identify and deal with the bullies.
He drew attention to the sad reality that LGBTQ youth have
few positive role models to look up to.
Rick Mercer and Brian Burke marched with our youth in
Pride this year. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, like Rick
Mercer says in his Rant, all the gays in public life came out
and became positive role models for our LGBTQ youth?
Elsewhere in this newsletter you will read an article from
Marla who saw The Normal Heart at Buddies. Some of us
are attending a performance on Tuesday evening, Nov. 1st
join us if you can - the Play closes on Nov. 6th. Marla says it
is worth seeing!
The PFLAG Toronto calendar is always full – see where we
have been recently and where we will be going soon with
our programmes of outreach and support. – Page 7.
Hands across the ocean – read about our time visiting with
FFLAG U.K. Chair of the Board on her visit to Toronto on
Page 7.
Jim Callaghan, our editor, emailed the members of the
Board and said, “send in a short bio and attach a head shot
picture – we’ll put it in the November newsletter as a way of
putting faces to the names of our Board Members”. Meet
some of the Board on Pages 5 and 6.
Michael and I enjoyed our time at the Norman Bethune GSA
meeting yesterday, and with their permission we are
adding a picture of us with two of the student organizers
and their supportive teacher.
His Rant was on YouTube, Facebook, everywhere. He was
written up in the newspapers; and he spoke on the radio.
The public responded both positively and negatively.
For me, his words came at a time when I knew some high
school students would be happy to hear them.
Yesterday Michael Ain and I made a return visit to Norman
Bethune Collegiate Institute, where we had given an antihomophobia/anti-bullying presentation at a whole school
assembly in April. A group of students, with the support of
a teacher decided to launch a GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) in
their school. Yesterday we were there to help them ‘kick
off’ their first GSA meeting.
We watched Rick Mercer’s Rant – it was very well received!
To a group of students who are trying to do something
positive in their high school; who are creating a Positive
Space where everyone feels safe and supported, Rick
Mercer was indeed a positive role model and they
appreciated his message (see page 8).
Michael and Irene flanking teacher Ray with two student
organizers of their GSA.
Yours in Pride,
Irene Miller
Brian Francis
Brian’s 2nd book
Brian Francis was instrumental in Mary-Jo and I getting together with his parents,
Doreen and George in 1995. Doreen and George, Mary-Jo and I, and three other
couples started PFLAG Sarnia-Bluewater, an international PFLAG group with
members from Ontario and Michigan. PFLAG Sarnia-Bluewater continues to hold
meetings to this day.
Brian is a good friend of ours. Brian is a strong supporter of PFLAG Toronto.
We had the pleasure to be at the Sept. 7 book launch of Brian Francis’ second book
Natural Order at the Gladstone Hotel. Brian’s first book Fruit placed second in the
Canada Reads competition in 2009.
In Brian’s words “It may be of particular interest to PFLAG parents. Natural Order
tells the story of a senior woman trying to come to terms with her son's death from
AIDS 25 years ago. She kept his illness and sexual orientation a secret, but now that
she's in the final stages of her life, she tries to find redemption.”
The book has received some great praise. More info about it can be found here:
http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385671538
I loved Natural Order. It is the kind of book that you can’t put down until you have
finished it.
Jim Callaghan
PFLAG Toronto Board member
PFLAG TORONTO --- VOLUNTEERS WANTED … CAN YOU HELP OUT?
PFLAG Toronto will be holding an evening for current and interested volunteers on
Monday, November 9th, starting the evening with light refreshments at 6:30. The meeting
will be held in the basement of the church at 200 Wolverleigh Blvd. (near Coxwell &
Danforth).
If you have been thinking of volunteering with us, or would like to learn more about how
you can help, please contact me at either my personal email at [email protected]
or through the PFLAG Toronto email at [email protected]. If you are planning to
attend, please respond to either of these email addresses so that we know the number of
people to expect.
Our needs are many. If you have any interest or skills in fundraising/ marketing/
advertising/ promotions/ public relations/ event planning/ research/ telephone
support/ office support/ research or any other skill we may use, please consider helping
out.
Thank you very much for your continued support of Toronto PFLAG.
Marla Green
Volunteer Coordinator
PFLAG Toronto
A MUST-SEE: THE NORMAL HEART
I had the opportunity to see the play “The Normal Heart” last week, and I’ve been raving about it ever
since! It’s playing at the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre until November 6th, located at 12 Alexander
Street (416) 975-8555.
The play takes place in New York in the mid-1980s, during the very beginning of the AIDS crisis. The
story focuses on relationships and the fact that this new disease is being ignored (and the disease
denied) because it is seemingly affecting “only” the gay population. The actors are phenomenal, and this
is a deeply emotional, moving piece of theatre.
The Toronto Star reviewed it last week and awarded it 4 out of 4 stars. They said “…this is more
brilliant work from one of the most reliably interesting and challenging theatre companies in
town…..The Normal Heart will break your heart.”
It was the best money I have spent in a long time! Treat yourself to a play you won’t soon forget.
Marla Green
PFLAG Toronto
This month and next we will profile the PFLAG Toronto Board
members
embers so you can get to know them.
Irene came to PFLAG Toronto five years ago to volunteer
after she became aware that for some LGBTQ individuals
family support was withdrawn on their coming out. To help
one young man cope in such a situation, Irene and Gary
joined PFLAG to learn how to offer support and help keep
families together. Irene has been President of the charity
since JJuly
uly 2010. Extremely proud of both her straight and
gay children she enjoys being a full
full-time
time volunteer for
PFLAG Toronto and is happy to call herself a proud
Toronto PFLAG mum!
Irene Miller
President
Gary Miller
Treasurer
Marla Green
Volunteer Coordinator
Gary has been a member of PFLAG Toronto for five
fiv years
and currently fills the role of Treasurer for the charity. He
is the proud father of a gay son and straight daughters
and came to PFLAG Toronto as a result of seeing how
some friends of his children were being negatively treated
and wanted to assi
assist
st in the change that is needed in our
collective societies. Gary, a C.A., has held CFO
positions in several international organizations
organiz
and after
retiring began a part-time
time teaching career at Seneca
College.
Marla joined the Board in the Spring of 2011 as Volunteer
Co--ordinator. She came to PFLAG Toronto for support
five years ago. She is the mother of an only child...a gay
son...who came out at the age of 14. After receiving
much
much-needed support for a few months, she decided to
continue attending monthly meetings as
someone who could offer support to others. She has her
own freelance business, works part
part-time
time for a non-profit
non
organization for children living in poverty, and has an
extensive history of volunteering in her community.
Jim Callaghan
Board Member
Ernie Lacasse
Board Member
Jim Is married to Mary-Jo and is the father of four
children, two straight daughters and two gay sons. When
their oldest son came out in 1991, they attended PFLAG
in Brampton, a 3 hour drive from their home in Sarnia.
They also attended PFLAG in Detroit. In 1995 they helped
to start PFLAG Sarnia-Bluewater. After their move to
Toronto, Jim joined the board of PFLAG Toronto to help
create PFLAG Canada. Jim was the president of PFLAG
Canada for two years. Jim’s current duties on the PFLAG
Toronto board include editing the newsletter and
organizing the annual bowling fundraiser. Jim is retired
after 40 years as a College Mathematics Professor.
Ernie served PFLAG Toronto as bookkeeper from early 2002
to 2004. He has continued with the board since then as a
board member at large. Ernie currently looks after the PFLAG
library which involves purchasing, lending out and retrieving
of books. He is always looking for suggested titles to add to
the library, the only criteria is that all of the books relate to
PFLAG and LGBT issues. Ernie is a gay man who 'came out'
30 odd years ago. In January 2001, he met the man who is
now his life partner. According to Ernie, they do have one
major problem in their relationship – his partner lives in
Oakland, California while Ernie lives in Toronto.
PFLAG Toronto
FFLAG, U.K.
We recently had the pleasure of spending some
Active in the Community during October 2011
time with Sue Allen, Chair of Trustees, FFLAG
U.K., and her husband Bob, whilst they were
Monthly Support Meeting
visiting Toronto. After a day at the ROM, and a
On the first Wednesday of every month our
visit to our Village, including a visit to Priape
volunteers continue to welcome new people
on Church Street and the AIDS memorial, we
into our PFLAG family.
enjoyed sitting down over dinner and talking
about our families; what the climate is like
Our support meetings are attended by youth
with regard to ‘coming out’ in Britain and
and adults in the LGBTQ community, as well as
Canada; whether there is widespread
family members and friends who are looking
acceptance and support for LGBTQ individuals
for support.
across the U.K., and what life is like as a
volunteer in Bristol, England and Toronto,
Schools
Canada.
Early in October PFLAG Toronto presented two
workshops in a High School in partnership
It soon became apparent that there were more
with Empowered Student Partnerships.
similarities than differences to the support we
offer, although it would seem our outreach into
Further to our Whole School Assembly
schools is more prevalent than in the U.K. The
Presentations in April 2011 at Norman
time passed very quickly with conversation
Bethune Collegiate, PFLAG Toronto was
non-stop, and soon we were at the end of a day
invited to ‘Kick Off’ their first GSA meeting on
during which friendships had been made and
October 26th .
the distance between us minimized by the
sharing of common experiences and shared
Community Groups
goals.
Made a presentation to a Police Hate Crime
Team as part of a Diversity Awareness
With World Pride in London, England in 2012,
Workshop.
they are very excited about having the world
on their doorstep! I want to hear all about it,
October 20th, co-hosted a Workshop for a
as we are counting down to World Pride in
Foster Parent Agency focusing on raising
Toronto in 2014!
children who may be LGBTQ.
October 20th, attended the 40th Anniversary
celebration of Pink Triangle Press.
October 27th, attended Pride Toronto’s Annual
General Meeting.
Bev Belanger, Sue Allen, Bob Allen,
Irene and Gary Miller
Rick Mercer’s RANT
For anyone who doesn’t know, Rick Mercer stars in The Rick Mercer Report, a weekly
TV show on CBC. One part of his show is called the RANT where Rick talks about some
issue. In the October 25 show his RANT was concerning what we could do to about
bullying and teen suicide. Rick came out in 2003.
If you haven’t seen it and would like to, you can click on the link below.
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/The_Rick_Mercer_Report/1233563683/ID=216123
4079
THANK YOU
This month PFLAG Toronto would like to express a special thank you to Denis Leblanc and to
all of Priape's Head Office in Montreal, and store in Toronto.
Priape has pledged a significant contribution to PFLAG Toronto, to help us combat Youth
Bullying and assist is in our work with Teen Suicide Prevention.
PFLAG Toronto is greatly appreciative of generosity like this, and thankful for Priape's
commitment to bettering the experience for LGTBQ youth.