Olympic Hurdler Colin Jackson Comes Out
The British athlete reveals that he is gay.
www.advocate.com/sports/2017/8/29/olympic-hurdler-colin-jackson-comes-out
Monthly Archives: August 2017
Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg reenact that oh-so-sensual scene from ‘Ghost’
Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg reenact that oh-so-sensual scene from ‘Ghost’
If you can’t stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen.
Tips for LGBTQ Parents/Caregivers to Address Back-to-School Nerves
Tips for LGBTQ Parents/Caregivers to Address Back-to-School Nerves
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Post submitted by Tony Bonetti; Welcoming Schools National Facilitator, Rainbow Families Director, and President-Elect, Loiederman Middle School PTSA, Kensington, MD
As summer draws to a close, my husband Matt and I, like many LGBTQ parents, are both excited and anxious for the new school year to begin. As our daughter enters middle school in a new school building with new staff and administrators, saying that my family is “anxious” is an understatement.
As parents, we have a responsibility to make sure our daughter feels respected and welcomed at her school to achieve her fullest potential. Here are some tips from my LGBTQ-headed family to yours for a smooth back to school process.
1. When Possible Be “Out” & Remain Visible
I always “come out” and stay visible with the staff, administrators and the school community. We speak about our family structure as a matter of fact. For me, it is important to demonstrate to my daughter that I am proud of our family and that we are no different than any other. I want my daughter to be able to talk about her dads without hesitation. My family lives in a fairly progressive, inclusive community which makes it safe for us to be out.
Of course, for some families, coming out as LGBTQ may not be possible after considering safety concerns for the whole family. Be conscious of the fact that children with LGBTQ families will have to come out as well, and it is important to talk with your child about this process for them. In speaking with teachers and staff, it is very important to emphasize to them that they should never “out” a child as being part of an LGBTQ family. This decision rests solely with the child when they are ready.
2. Be Informed & Educate Yourself
Since my daughter entered kindergarten, my husband and I have prioritized researching her school and district. We want to see if bullying, harassment and non-discrimination policies include sexual orientation and gender identity, if the the school celebrates the racial and economic diversity of students and staff, and if the school is a local leader in creating safe and inclusive learning environments. Collectively, these pieces of information can indicate how welcoming the school community is.
3. Cultivate Communication Between Your Child’s Teachers, Counselor & Administrators
In speaking with school community members, I discuss the language we use to talk about our family and answer any lingering questions school staff may have. It is important to me to connect with every adult my child may meet in the school, from the music teacher to the recess aides, so I ask my child’s teacher to make sure all school staff are inclusive of our family too. By providing school staff with my family’s context and the language that we use, we can work in tandem with staff to interrupt anti-LGBTQ bulllying to benefit not just my family but the whole school community.
4. Be Heard & Bring Your Voice to Your School’s PTA
I am an active member of my daughter’s school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA)/Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) and strongly encourage other diverse families that are able to do the same.
The PTA should be aware of protections, policies, and realities for LGBTQ students and staff. If the school or district lacks LGBTQ protections and policies, the PTA is an avenue to advocate for them to be implemented. The National PTA adopted a resolution regarding LGBTQ individuals as a protected class and provides strategies for inclusion of LGBTQ children and families.
5. Be a Change Agent & Work with Your School to Improve the School Climate
Encourage your school, or even your entire school district, to implement professional development to improve the school climate for all students. Professional development will foster a safe and welcoming school for your child and every child who attends the school in the future. Consider bringing Welcoming Schools workshops, on topics from preventing bullying to supporting transgender students, to staff as part of their professional development.
Ultimately, the most important thing is for your child to start the year off excited and ready to learn. Like you, I just want my daughter to able to thrive in the classroom and in life — and to do this she needs to feel safe, comfortable and welcomed at school every day.
Housed by the HRC Foundation, Welcoming Schools and Time to THRIVE are national programs to help LGBTQ youth succeed. Welcoming Schools provides professional development to educators and free resources to educators and families to support a respectful elementary school climate for all students. Time to THRIVE is an annual national conference that brings together K-12 educators, counselors and other youth-serving professionals to build awareness and cultural competency to better support LGBTQ youth.
A Gay Vampire King Marries in Palm Springs
Insurance provider slapped with class-action lawsuit after outing 12,000 patients taking HIV meds
Insurance provider slapped with class-action lawsuit after outing 12,000 patients taking HIV meds
Aetna apologized to patients for the error, placing the blame on an unnamed vendor.
Anonymous Letter Threatens to Burn Gay Couple’s Home, Kill Their Daughter
Anonymous Letter Threatens to Burn Gay Couple’s Home, Kill Their Daughter
A gay couple in St. Peter, Minnesota says they and their daughter have been threatened in an anonymous letter sent by someone they suspect lives nearby. The alleged letter, which is full of anti-gay slurs, calls the couple “filth” and says their daughter needs to “look out behind her back.”
The writer of the letter, which was published by the Mankato Free Press, also threatens to torch their home and says “a gun could be used to eliminate you.” An attorney representing the couple also published the letter to Facebook.
The Mankato Free Press reports:
St. Peter police are investigating the letter as a possible crime, Chief Matt Peters said. It isn’t part of a trend; there haven’t been any similar letters in St. Peter recently, he said.
The women say they were shocked to receive the letter, which was typed and mailed, and have no idea who wrote it.
“I have never, ever in my entire life felt unsafe in St. Peter,” one of the women said. “This is where I grew up. This is my home.”
The supportive response — including on Facebook, where a family member and the couple’s attorney posted the letter — have been heartening.
“If anything, it’s made me more proud to live in St. Peter,” she said. “Reading and hearing and seeing all the amazing things that people are saying and doing for us.”
The daughter’s school has also been made aware of the threats.
The post Anonymous Letter Threatens to Burn Gay Couple’s Home, Kill Their Daughter appeared first on Towleroad.
Anonymous Letter Threatens to Burn Gay Couple’s Home, Kill Their Daughter
Tools for LGBTQ Families as They Head Back to School
Tools for LGBTQ Families as They Head Back to School
While the first day of school is an exciting time for many, back to school can also be anxiety-inducing for both students and their families. This is especially true for LGBTQ parents who, in addition to bus runs and lunch money, have to worry about whether or not their children’s families will be seen and included in all aspects of the school experience.
As a former teacher and now Program Director of HRC’s Welcoming Schools, it saddens me to hear parents say that they don’t feel like they can fully participate in the school community or that they can’t talk to the teacher openly about their own family. To be sure, there are many schools and educators who are fully inclusive and welcoming of all types of families, but there’s much work still to be done. LGBTQ parents can be a part of changing school culture, and Welcoming Schools has resources to help them do just that.
There are many actions LGBTQ parents can take to support their children in elementary school. With your own child, it’s important to build resilience and pride, discuss different types of families, and practice with them how to respond to questions about their family. Take time at an open house or with a phone call to touch base with the teacher about how they address family diversity, name-calling, and bullying. In the larger school community, get involved — whether it’s volunteering in your child’s classroom, joining the PTA, or organizing a family program.
An essential component of improving the school diversity climate is professional development for teachers. If staff have questions, direct them to the Welcoming Schools website for our school resources. Ask the principal about training for teachers, and encourage them to request more information about our program — or do it yourself.
Please know that we at Welcoming Schools are here to support you. We know that families are children’s first frame of reference for their world, and that they need to know that their families matter. With your help, we can make great strides in making schools safe, inclusive and welcoming for your children and for all children.
Housed by the HRC Foundation, Welcoming Schools and Time to THRIVE are national programs to help LGBTQ youth succeed. Welcoming Schools provides professional development to educators and free resources to educators and families to support a respectful elementary school climate for all students. Time to THRIVE is an annual national conference that brings together K-12 educators, counselors and other youth-serving professionals to build awareness and cultural competency to better support LGBTQ youth.
110 Photos Show DTLA Getting Even Prouder, Part 2
110 Photos Show DTLA Getting Even Prouder, Part 2
www.advocate.com/pride/2017/8/29/110-photos-show-dtla-getting-even-prouder-part-2
The entire cast of “So You Think You Can Dance” tackle RuPaul’s “Call Me Mother”
The entire cast of “So You Think You Can Dance” tackle RuPaul’s “Call Me Mother”
“Jaded queen, shade machine, gangsta lean, best believe.”
