in PFLAG France National’s Love Takes Justice event Washington DCWednesday night with American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten CaliforniaDemocratic U.S. Congresswoman Barbara LeeLGBTQThe political climate ahead of the presidential election has become increasingly hostile towards the community, Transgender Both award recipients used their platforms to call for action on behalf of their people and reflected on the importance of solidarity and resilience.
In the interview lawyerPFLAG leaders, including CEO Brian K. Bond and incoming Board Chair Edith Guffey, spoke about the challenges ahead and the important work that needs to be done to counter fear and misinformation, especially around transgender rights.
Weingarten, who received the PFLAG Flag Bearer Award, Republican A former president-like figureDonald Trump And his running mate, Ohio US Senator J.D. Vance condemned their divisive rhetoric: “Donald Trump has a connoisseur’s eye for chaos and fear,” she said. lawyerWeingarten emphasized that Trump and Vance have used fear and division to gain political power. “He has this mentality that the way to gain power is to create fear and chaos and otherize people,” Weingarten said, adding that this approach is particularly LGBTQ+ YouthIn remarks that resurfaced in 2021, Vance argued that Weingarten, who is in a blended family with children from his wife’s previous marriage, had no right to influence his children’s education, saying, “If she wants to brainwash and destroy the minds of our children, she should keep her own mind and leave ours alone.” LGBTQ+ Rights arguments have been widely criticized as misogynistic and disrespectful of modern family structures.
From left: Randi Weingarten and Brian K. BondChristopher Wiggins (The Advocate)
A passionate advocate of inclusivity educationWeingarten also addressed the rise in censorship in schools where LGBTQ+ books and curriculum are being targeted. “Book bans are unfairly targeting books that feature LGBTQ+ characters. They’re erasing our history,” she said. Weingarten spoke about the importance of continuing to share LGBTQ+ stories because visibility is essential to greater understanding. “Transgender people, queer people are in every school, every parish, every supermarket, every neighborhood,” she said. “We need to find that special sauce, that comfort, that safety to share our stories and make them real for people. That’s how we win.”
CaliforniaDemocratic As the recipient of the PFLAG National Champion of Justice Award, Senator Lee had the opportunity to reflect on his decades of LGBTQ+ rights advocacy. In his acceptance speech, Senator Lee spoke about how his mother shaped his understanding of equality. Senator Lee grew up in El Paso, TexasLee explains how her mother Lesbian She was a friend (now 100 years old) and made sure her children treated everyone with respect. “She could love whoever she wanted to love,” Lee remembers her mother telling her — a principle that has guided her career as a fighter for justice.
From left: Rep. Barbara Lee and Randi WeingartenChristopher Wiggins (The Advocate)
Lee has been a staunch supporter of the LGBTQ+ community throughout his career as a state and federal legislator. He reflected on key moments in the work to repeal the discriminatory “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that barred gays, lesbians and bisexual people from serving openly in the military. Despite being a longtime opponent of defense spending, Lee once voted in favor of the defense budget to ensure the policy’s repeal.[Gay former Massachusetts Rep.] Bernie [Frank] “Barbara, your vote is key to repealing the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy,” Lee told the crowd, explaining the difficult but necessary decision.
Mr. Bond, who introduced the two award winners, said: lawyer Bond spoke about the challenges ahead, particularly in getting the American public to better understand transgender people. “Our job is to humanize who we are, to tell our stories safely, and to change the hearts and minds of every single one of our neighbors,” she said. She emphasized the need to meet people where they are, especially in smaller communities where LGBTQ+ people may feel isolated. “We have 360 ​​chapters across the country, including really small communities like Floyd. Virginia And Jennings Louisiana” Bond noted that while the upcoming election is crucial, the work of PFLAG and its “Love Votes” campaign will continue beyond November, he added. “Whether we win or lose, the fight for equality is not over,” he said.
Guffey, who will succeed Susan Thronson as chair later this month, also shared his thoughts: lawyer As for ways to counter misinformation and fear surrounding transgender people, Guffey said: “There’s so much ignorance out there,” said Guffey, who has a non-binary child, noting that many people assume they don’t know any transgender people. “But if people get to know transgender people as people, not as labels, it’s harder to marginalize them.” She added that PFLAG’s role is to help people understand that transgender people are just like everyone else: “They’re your neighbors, they’re your kids’ friends, they’re just regular people.”
From left: Edith Guffey and Susan ThronsonChristopher Wiggins (The Advocate)
Guffey, who will be the first Black woman to serve as PFLAG’s board chair, expressed her commitment to deepening the organization’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion at a time when other organizations have shied away from such efforts. “We’re deeply committed to DEI because the future is diverse and we need to reflect that in our work,” Guffey said. She also emphasized the importance of reframing PFLAG’s mission as one that centers on justice. “Love is justice and love is voting,” Guffey said. “We want to reaffirm that advocacy for justice is at the core of who we are.”
Weingarten delivered a powerful warning about the importance of the upcoming election: “We need to vote as if our lives depend on it, because they do,” she said.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
