PFLAG
Chapters Donate Fresh Views of
Families to Libraries
PFLAG Chapters nationwide are donating copies of a groundbreaking book to local libraries about the truth of
gay and lesbian people and the journey often faced by families and friends.
The book, Straight Parents, Gay Children: Keeping Families Together, urges everybody to love, accept,
and speak out on behalf of, gay and lesbian loved ones.
The donation is part of an effort to help create "safe spaces" for all people and their families across all
communities. People searching for information on the topic often go first to their local libraries.
Youth, in particular, will search for any sign that they are not alone. One of PFLAG's top priorities is to make
sure that "safe spaces" exist, particularly in light of the high rates of suicide among gay and lesbian youth, who
often internalize society's negative attitudes about homosexuality and are targets of hate crimes.
Straight Parents, Gay Children is a personal account by a father who comes to understand that his life is
enriched by the fact that his daughter is lesbian. Author Bob Bernstein is a former vice president of PFLAG,
which is made up of moms, dads, uncles, aunts, grandparents and others in more than 400 chapters across the
U.S.
"Quite literally, millions of American parents need this book before it is too late...," Keith H. Brodie, M.D., past
president of the American Psychiatric Association and President Emeritus, Duke University, says about
Straight Parents, Gay Children.
"In our national epidemic of youth suicides, many deaths could be prevented if mothers and fathers, friends and
counselors were prepared to counter the legal stigma our society has placed on homosexuality," Brodie noted.
The 200-page book, published by Thunder's Mouth Press (New York, NY) , includes an introduction by Robert
MacNeil of the MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour, who has a gay son. And there are dozens of pages of fascinating
details about the personal journeys of several parents who bravely paved the way for the present-day PFLAG.
The book is being given to local libraries nationwide by hundreds of PFLAG Chapters, thanks to a generous
donation.
PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian and bisexual persons, their families and friends
through support, education and advocacay. Serving nearly 70,000 members, PFLAG affiliates are located
nationwide and abroad.
PFLAG
1101 14th Street, N.W., Suite 1030
Washington, D.C. 20005
(202) 638-4200
Fax: (202) 638-0243
E-mail: info@pflag.org
Web: http://www.pflag.org
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