A Letter From The President

From the August 2003 Newsletter

 Bob Dorr, PFLAG Omaha

 Posted on August 1, 2003

Whew! What a string of gay-rights victories: The Supreme Court’s striking down of state sodomy laws in Lawrence vs. Texas, giving respect to homosexual relationships. Canada’s legalization of same-sex marriage. Confirmation of the first openly gay Episcopal bishop in the U.S. Wal-Mart’s expansion of its anti-discrimination policy to cover gay workers.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is expected to rule soon on a case involving eight same-sex coupes arguing their right to marry. Most court watchers on both the left and the right expect the court to rule in favor of the couples, which would make Massachusetts the first state to legalize gay marriage. In Vermont, same-sex civil unions are legal.

President Bush and the Vatican have come down on the other side. Responding to them, Columnist Maureen Dowd wrote, "Last time I checked, we had separation of church and state, so I don’t know why the president is talking about sin, or why he is implying that gays who want to make a permanent commitment in a world full of divorce and loneliness are sinners."

In my view, there has been a gradual, but substantial, shift in attitudes that helps explain this summer’s tidal wave of advances. In Omaha PFLAG’s tiny corner of the world, we truly believe we have helped change attitudes.

Working together, PFLAG and GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) make 40 or so speaking-and-panel appearances a year. We show audiences the faces of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender folks, as well as the faces of parents of glbt sons and daughters.

On Saturday, Sept. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, we will conduct training for new panel members and speakers at First United Methodist Church’s Mead Hall. If you are interested in coming, and haven’t already indicated your interest, please call Betty Dorr at 333-7064.

A new person has responsibility on GLSEN’s end for organizing our Speakers Bureau appearances. D. Moritz, an icon of the gay-lesbian movement in Omaha, is stepping aside. In addition to her Speakers Bureau coordination, D. has been a major force in establishing Gay-Straight Alliances in Omaha high schools. The National Education Association has given her a national award for her gay-rights work.

However, she has taken the position of assistant director for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and ally programs and services at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is moving to Lincoln.

She will be succeeded by Joseph Price, a Speakers Bureau presenter and panel member. He is an administrator at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Betty and I visited PFLAG’s Proud Horizons youth support group recently to express thanks to Kristin Williams, who is leaving as a Proud Horizons adult facilitator. Kristin has additional demands resulting from her promotion to development director by Omaha YWCA. She and her partner, Erin Porterfield, are raising a 10-month-old son.

At the Proud Horizons meeting, two dozen youths shared their favorite recollections of Kristin. She was described as a good role model and a caring listener. At the end, Kristin told the youths, "I have received 10 times as much from you as I have given you."

Jeremy Johnson, southwest Iowa case manager for the Nebraska AIDS Project, has joined Dave England and Tony Vincent on the team of adult facilitators. With Kristin’s departure, Proud Horizons is seeking a female facilitator.

An important part of each PFLAG meeting is telling our stories and listening to the stories of others. New people come to those meetings who need a place where they can safely tell their stories to folks who understand.

A few days ago this letter arrived in PFLAG’s post office box from a mother whose daughter two days earlier "dropped a bomb" by telling her mother she was a lesbian. "I love my daughter deeply and have no intention of turning my back on her or slamming the door in her face as she fears but know I need some help with this."

We want to help. Our next meeting is at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 11, at First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass St., (Mead Hall, west end of building). Come at 6:30 p.m. for coffee and socializing.

We also invite you to consider taking part in:

--The annual Nebraska AIDS Project benefit walk at Elmwood Park on Sunday, Sept. 7. Come at 11:30 a.m. to register. The three-mile walk begins at noon. Make a contribution of at least $25 to walk.

--A candlelight vigil conducted by Metropolitan Community Church at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, at Gene Leahy Mall for Selena Alverez-Hernandez, a transgender person who was murdered in Council Bluffs on July 31.

--A training session on dealing with the media at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8, at First United Methodist Church’s Mead Hall. The three-hour session will be conducted by Calvin Fleming, a regional media manager for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

More information on these events can be found on our community news page.

Bob Dorr, president