A Letter From The President

 Bob Dorr, PFLAG Omaha

 Posted on February 16, 2004

A national expert on transgender issues teaches, writes and lives in
Omaha. Dr. Wally Bacon, University of Nebraska at Omaha political science
professor, will speak at PFLAG’s March 11 meeting.

Wally will talk about a book he is writing, “The Politics of
Transgender Identity.” He will talk about transgender issues in
General - including how parents and friends play crucial roles in changing
perceptions of trans children.

Being transgender, Wally contends, is not a curse but rather a
blessing. He will talk about his experiences and interaction with hundreds of
transgender people.

Wally is a candidate for grand marshal of this year’s Pride Parade in
Omaha. He is faculty adviser for the UNO Gay and Lesbian Student
Organization and is a board member and vice president of Rainbow
Celebrations.

PFLAG will meet at is regular place, Mead Hall at the west end of First
United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St. Our meetings begin with support
time at 7 p.m. Our programs start at 8 p.m. Some of us gather at 6:30
p.m. for coffee and socializing.

*The Pride Players benefit performance on Jan. 30 produced laughter and
tears as well as insights into the difficulties faced daily by gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender teens. It was truly a success. Nearly
all 133 seats in the Hitchcock Theater at the Rose were filled. The
event raised a profit of $2,454 to be shared by Omaha PFLAG, by our Proud
Horizons youth support group and by Omaha GLSEN. Thanks to director
Brian Guehring and his fine troupe of 20 Omaha-area high school students.

*National PFLAG has started a National Scholarships Program for
graduating high school seniors entering higher education in fall 2004. It is
open to self-identified gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students
and to students who do not identify as GLBT but can demonstrate support
for, or involvement with, the GLBT community. There are nine
scholarships of $2,500 each and 14 scholarships of $1,000. Omaha PFLAG has
distributed 25 packets of application forms to Omaha-area public and private
high schools. Call 333-7064 to request application materials, or
download the necessary materials from www.pflag.org

*Two Equality in the Heartland conferences sponsored by Citizens for
Equal Protection will feature presentations by Calvin Fleming of the Gay
& Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and Heather Wellman of the Human
Rights Campaign. The first conference will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday,
March 27, at Trinity United Methodist Church in Grand Island. The second
will be at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 28, at UNO’s Alumni Center,
6705 Dodge St. For more information, contact CFEP, 398-3027, or Michael
Gordon, 714-3810. You can register online at www.cfep-ne.org

Bob Dorr, president