A Letter From The President

About Being Yourself’

 Bob Dorr, PFLAG Omaha

 Posted on July 19, 2005

Dr. Meredith Bacon, in a recent newspaper article, expressed great joy over her decision to change from male to female and remain married.

“This is not about sex,” said Meredith, who has taught political science at the University of Nebraska at Omaha for 29 years. “It’s about living in truth and being yourself.”

His love for his wife, Lynne, is profound. “I cannot imagine living my remaining years without her.”

Lynne, a teacher at Creighton Prep, said in a letter to her church and to the Prep faculty: “You will no doubt wonder why I chose and continue to choose to remain in such a relationship. The answer is simple. I married my best friend and soul mate, and so did he.”

The story of Meredith Bacon’s ongoing transition from male to female was told with great sensitivity on July 17 by World-Herald Columnist Michael Kelly. The article began on Page 1 of the Living Section and took up nearly an entire inside page.

Transgenders—born with the body of one sex and the psyche of the opposite sex--are full partners in PFLAG. That hasn’t always been the case. In 1998 PFLAG became the first national organization to include transgender people in its mission statement.

In 2002, PFLAG’s national board took a further step, declaring that our organization will not work to pass any equal-rights legislation that leaves out transgenders.

Omaha PFLAG now includes transgenders in our public appearances. Four transgender persons are in the pool of PFLAG-GLSEN Safe Schools panel members who tell their stories to audiences of future teachers and others. In addition Omaha PFLAG has a contact person, Chris Curtis, who is available to anyone needing information or help on transgender and intersex issues.

Transgenders still are America’s most invisible group. They have become a little more visible because Omaha PFLAG members Meredith and Lynne Bacon had the courage to go public and tell their story.

Come to PFLAG’s Aug. 11 meeting to hear representatives of three GLBT groups tell about the neat things they do. At this writing, we are not certain which groups will present the program.

As always, we will gather at 6:30 p.m.to socialize. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. with support time followed by the program at 8 p.m. Our meetings are at First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St., in Mead Hall at the building’s west end.

After four years as an adult leader of our Proud Horizons youth support group, Tony Vincent has decided to step aside. He also will leave the PFLAG board. “I look forward to adding some more free time in my busy life,” he says.

Tony has been a superb leader and role model for our young people. He leaves knowing that Proud Horizons is in the good hands of “a terrific group of caring facilitators who do a great job with the youth.”

Tony will be succeeded on the PFLAG board by Abbey Hardy, another Proud Horizons facilitator. Abbey is a fourth-year Creighton University Medical School student who will specialize in obstetrics and gynecology.

Raised in Ft. Collins, Colo., she says about her chosen profession: “I adore helping take care of people and empowering them with knowledge about their bodies.”

Abbey always looks forward to the weekly Proud Horizons meetings. “The teens are so incredible. They teach me so much about life and they amaze me constantly with their strength and insight.”

PFLAG has joined coalitions both locally and nationally that are mobilizing public support for the idea that President Bush should nominate a fair-minded, centrist U.S. Supreme Court justice as Sandra Day O’Connor’s successor. As this is written, President Bush hasn’t named his choice.

Barbara Johnson represents Omaha PFLAG on a broad-based coalition of local groups. You will be hearing more about this in the days and weeks ahead.

This year’s Pride Players benefit for PFLAG, GLSEN and Proud Horizons will be at 8:15 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, in the Hitchcock Theater at the Rose Center for the Performing Arts, 20th and Farnam Sts.

At 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, we will stuff envelopes with ticket-sales fliers and raffle tickets. We will do that at First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St., in Mead Hall (west end of building). If you can give an hour or so to help, please join us there.

Bob Dorr, Omaha PFLAG president