Until February of this year, Brian Burke was an ordinary father with a gay son. He’d known Brendan was gay for three years, loved him and supported him, but gay advocacy wasn’t his mission. If anyone was going to change the world, it was Brendan. Read more »

On September 26, PFLAG NYC will join with thousands of New Yorkers to stand up for fairness and equality by marching across the Brooklyn Bridge in the 7th NYC Wedding March. PFLAG NYC is a community partner of the the march, rally and community festival organized by Marriage Equality New York (MENY) to raise awareness about the inequality faced by same-sex couples and their families. Read more »

New York Governor David Paterson signed the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) into law on Wednesday, September 8. The legislation protects students from bullying and harassment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, as well as other protected categories, including race, gender, religion, and disability. Read more »

Denial of Marriage to Same-Sex Couples is Unconstitutional

U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, released his decision this afternoon in the closely watched case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger. The case tests the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8, which was passed in November 2008 and overturned same-sex marriage in California.

According to the decision, Proposition 8 is unconstitutional under both the due-process and equal-protection clauses of the U.S Constitution. Read more »

Claire Buffie won the 2010 Miss New York Competition on June 26 in Albany on a platform of speaking out as a straight ally for equal rights for LGBT people. Claire is a member of PFLAG NYC, an active volunteer speaker in the & Welcome for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Students">Safe Schools Program, and a member of the board. Read more »