New York's Pride March is where PFLAG had its beginning. In 1972, Jeanne Manford marched in the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade carrying a sign that read, "Parents of Gays: Unite in Support for Our Children."

The Pride March is the premier event demonstrating the size, strength, and diversity of our community. Last year, more than 300 groups and 50 floats took part in the march.

Julie Tarney, Author of My Son Wears Heels: One Mom’s Journey from Clueless to Kickass, Will Speak at PFLAG NYC Upper West Side Meeting in April

In 1992, Julie Tarney’s two-year-old child, Harry, told her, “Inside my head I’m a girl.” So begins Julie’s tale of what it was like to raise her son in a time when terms like “gender non-conforming,” “gender-creative,” and “transgender” were rare or nonexistent.

It was a time when there were no books to guide her and Google and the internet didn’t exist, so there was no easy way to find information or community.

Mainstream “experts” theorized that a “sissy” boy was the result of a domineering mother. Many PFLAG parents have been there and will empathize. Julie refused to believe it. Without role models and fearful of being judged as a mom who was making her son “too feminine,” Julie embarked on an unexpected parenting path. Read more »

Come join PFLAG NYC at the LGBT Solidarity Rally at Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village on Saturday, February 4 at 2 p.m. Stand up to protect the civil rights of our LGBTQ loved ones and stand in solidarity with immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees and every person whose civil rights and dignity are under threat. Read more »

We are pleased to announce that TRANSformation is going to be performed again on Saturday, February 4, at 7 p.m. at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, 2180 Third Avenue at 119th Street. Admission to this performance is free. This performance was requested by the New York City Council and is supported by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.

The November premier of TRANSformation was deeply moving and received glowing reviews. This special performance piece is an ensemble presentation of storytelling, readings, poetry, and other performances that bring to life the experiences of families with transgender and gender non-conforming children. It was created by PFLAG NYC and other families working with Houses on the Moon Theater Company. Read more »

The end of the year is upon us, which means that now is the time to donate to PFLAG NYC with a tax-deductible gift for 2016.

We are preparing to do so much in 2017 and need your support. We are excited to build on the strong momentum our programs have from this year:

• We are serving dozens of families every month at six monthly support gatherings. We have three general meeting locations across the city, and have expanded to three special groups. We have the TransFamilies Project for families with transgender children, Stepping Stones for parents and young gender-non-conforming kids, and the API Rainbow Parents for families from Asian background with particular language and cultural concerns.

Judy Sennesh Speaking with the Safe Schools Program

Judy Sennesh, founder of our TransFamilies Project, recently became the board chair of PFLAG NYC. As the end of the year approaches, she shared these reflections with the PFLAG NYC community. Please remember, donations from individuals are the largest source of support to keep our programs going and growing. Please donate today.
 

The headline caught my attention right away: “Gay and Lesbian High School Students Report ‘Heartbreaking’ Levels of Violence.” That’s how the New York Times reported on health among lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) high school students from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in August.

Sadly, the report confirmed much that I already knew: lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender young people suffer disproportionately from risks no parent wants their child to go through. It also confirmed for me that the work that we’re doing at PFLAG NYC is as needed and as life-saving as ever.

Family Acceptance Is Critical

It’s been 18 years since my middle-school age daughter came out as a lesbian. And 12 years since that same child told me she was male and needed to “transition” so her body could match her sense of self. I was barely aware of the transgender community and needed information and friends walking in my shoes. Read more »