A Letter From The President

Meredith Bacon to Give Update

 Bob Dorr, PFLAG Omaha

 Posted on February 21, 2006

How are things going? Dr. Meredith Bacon gets asked that question a lot these days. At Omaha PFLAG’s March 9 meeting, we’ll find out.

Dr. Bacon, a University of Nebraska at Omaha political science professor, is a transgender person who is transitioning from male to female. Her story has been told in The Omaha World-Herald, in People Magazine and other media outlets.

We will begin with coffee and socializing at 6:30 p.m., followed by support time at 7 p.m. and the program at 8 p.m. The place, as always, will be Mead Chapel at the west end of First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St.

THIS YEAR’S PRIDE PROM will be May 20 in the fellowship hall of First United Methodist Church. The 2005 initial-year turnout of 111 youths from eastern Nebraska and western Iowa amounted to a huge success, giving us hope that 200 young people will come this year.

Starting this year the annual prom will be dedicated to the late Tom Mahony. Dave England, lead facilitator for Proud Horizons, explained: “Tom and his wife stood by their gay son as he testified about harassment he endured at an Omaha school. This family was instrumental in the Omaha School Board including sexual orientation in the district’s anti-discrimination policy. Tom passed away last year.”

By action of our board, Omaha PFLAG is giving $250 toward Pride Prom expenses. If you would like to make a personal donation, mail a check payable to Proud Horizons to: Proud Horizons, 2912 Lynnwood Dr., Bellevue, NE 68123.

OMAHA PFLAG NEVER HAS PAID any fee to use our meeting space at First United Methodist Church. That policy will continue. However, the church has asked us to make a donation if we are able. Our board has voted to donate $50 a month for local expenses in FUMC’s budget.

Omaha PFLAG will save money soon when we convert to an electronic newsletter. Some of our members and supporters then will receive the newsletter by clicking a link emailed to our members and supporters each month. The printed newsletter still will be mailed to those preferring to receive it that way.

WE NEED MORE PEOPLE in our pool of panelists for Safe Schools presentations. Panelists tell a little bit of their own life stories and then respond to questions from the audience. Most audiences are college classes.

Many of our panel appearances come during the day, making it difficult for those with daytime jobs. Some are in the late afternoon or evening hours. We try to have balanced panels: a gay man, a lesbian, a transgender person and a parent of a GLBT person.

In my own experience, you will have more fun and gain more satisfaction from speaking on panels than almost anything you do. If you think you would enjoy doing this, please email Betty Dorr at: bobcdorr@ cox.net

Or email Suzy Adams at: suzy1224@yahoo.com

Recently I asked members of a panel to stand rather than sit when they told their initial stories, and that seemed to help us get a little better connected to the audience. We will be urging panel members to stand if they feel comfortable doing that.

D MORITZ GAVE US a lot to think about, mixed with her unique brand of humor, at the February PFLAG meeting. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, D has the mind-blowing title of Assistant Director for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Programs and Services.

She told us how top UNL officials, especially Chancellor Harvey Perlman, stood up to a few state legislators who wanted to remove the funding that pays D’s salary and expenses. Her work is greatly needed. A survey showed that among straight and gay students interviewed, 74 percent said anti-gay attitudes continue to exist at UNL.

KATHY ENGLAND will succeed Barb Johnson as our telephone Help Line coordinator. Kathy, a former Omaha PFLAG president, has a wealth of knowledge about PFLAG and about questions that callers might ask.

The Help Line is a critical part of our mission. We have seven phone volunteers, each checking our Help Line two or three times one day a week to retrieve recorded messages and return the calls. Barb takes calls herself one day a week, and she makes certain the other six days are covered.

Barb Johnson is the type of person who never gives up in trying to help someone. Kathy England is the same type of person.

Bob Dorr, Omaha PFLAG president