Straight For Equality

November is an important month for military families, including Military Family Appreciation Month and Veteran’s Day on November 11. At PFLAG National, we support our military families year round through our PFLAG Connects: Military Community, created in partnership with our friends at the Modern Military Association of America to support service members and their LGBTQ+ loved ones.

Join us live Thursday, November 2nd at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for our monthly episode of Something to Talk About Live! where we will discuss “Most of the Military Not Tracking Number of Families Relocated Due to Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws,” by Thomas Novelly and Konstantin Toropin which appeared on Military.com.

We are excited to welcome Cathy Marcello, Assistant Director of Programs at the Modern Military Association of America, and Becca Stewart, primary author of the PFLAG National publication At Ease: Support for Military Families with LGBTQ+ Children and Teens, as our guests.

October 11, 2023 is the 35th Anniversary of National Coming Out Day, a day meant to celebrate LGBTQ+ people living their lives openly, support those working to come out of the closet, and always center safety as LGBTQ+ folks make those decisions and plans. It is also an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be openly LGBTQ+ and how our understanding and expectations of coming out have changed over the years.

Join us live Thursday, October 5th at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for our monthly episode of Something to Talk About Live! where we will be discussing “Coming out isn’t actually over. Here’s why.,” by David Oliver which appeared in USA Today. We will be joined by members of the PFLAG staff for this conversation!

Youth-focused q***r media is often seen as a taboo, with representations of bisexuality+ being especially rare. But in 2023, shows like Heartstopper, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and more are showing us that bi+ representation in shows for younger viewers is possible.

Join us live Thursday, September 7th at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for our monthly episode of Something to Talk About Live! where we will be discussing “’‘I’m bi, actually’ | The disappointing biphobia at the heart of the Heartstopper fandom,” by Eleanor Noyce which appeared in Why Now. We are excited to have Mackenzie Harte, PFLAG National’s Learning & Inclusion Manager joining the conversation.

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/bi-media-for-youth/

STTA Live is moving from a weekly to a monthly format--our August 2023 episode is coming up on Thursday, August 10th!

On June 30, 2023 the Supreme Court of the United States issued its opinion on 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, ruling in favor of a website designer who claimed that Colorado’s nondiscrimination laws were a violation of her right to free speech. In the six weeks since then, stories about other businesses denying service to LGBTQ+ people, about LGBTQ+ people being fired for who they are, and about other forms of discrimination have popped up across the country.

Join us live Thursday, August 10 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for our monthly episode of Something to Talk About Live where we will be discussing “Homophobic Business Owners Are Having a Field Day Since Last Month’s Supreme Court Decision,” by Hila Keren which appeared in Slate. We’re excited to invite C.P. Hoffman, Senior Policy Council, at NCTE to join the conversation!

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/303-creatives-harmful-and-expanding-impact/

International Self-Care Day was established in 2011 to raise awareness about self-care by focusing on what it is, why it is important, and the benefits for individuals, families, and communities. It is now recognized by the World Health Organization as the culmination of Self-Care Month.

Join us this Thursday, July 27th at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for a rebroadcast of a previous episode of "Something to Talk About Live!" where we welcomed Rahim Thawer, psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, facilitator & public speaker, sessional lecturer, writer, and community organizer, to the conversation.

To learn more--and to check out our discussion questions in advance--visit https://straightforequality.org/discussion/something-to-talk-about-live-july-24-is-international-self-care-day.

July is Disability Pride Month, which marks the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is an opportunity to honor and uplift the stories of people living with a disability, including those who are LGBTQ+.

Join us this Thursday, July 20th for a rebroadcast episode of Something To Talk About Live where we discussed Dr. Robert T Muller’s article in Psychology Today, “Why Identifying as Q***r Can Be Harder for Those with Autism” with advocates Lydia X. Z. Brown and Kayley Whalen.

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/something-to-talk-about-live-lgbtq-identities-and-neurodiversity/.

The way we talk about various aspects of our identity changes all the time. For some people, changes like this come easily. For others, however, they may be slow to adapt or even resistant to change.

Join us this Thursday, July 13th for a rebroadcast episode of Something To Talk About Live, welcoming PFLAG National staff members to a conversation about the importance of shifts in language, inclusion, and how to be a better ally.

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/something-to-talk-about-live-you-guys-dude-and-hey-girl-hey-the-evolution-of-language.

The way we talk about various aspects of our identity changes all the time. For some people, changes like this come easily. For others, however, they may be slow to adapt or even resistant to change.

Join us this Thursday, July 13, at 4:30pm ET/1:30pm PT for a rebroadcast episode of Something to Talk About Live, where we welcomed PFLAG National staff to the conversation.

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/something-to-talk-about-live-you-guys-dude-and-hey-girl-hey-the-evolution-of-language.

For the last three years, Something to Talk About Live has brought audiences weekly shows focusing on themes of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, hosted by Jean-Marie Navetta (she/ella), PFLAG National’s Director of Learning & Inclusion.

Now, after 17 years at PFLAG National—and game-changing work conceiving of and founding PFLAG National’s Straight for EqualityTM program—Jean-Marie is off to examine new opportunities, so this week we are changing things up and moving her from the host chair to the hot seat.

Join us for this week’s episode of Something to Talk About Live, where we’ll talk to Jean-Marie about her work with PFLAG National; her passion for q***r history, literature, and culture; and the ways in which the work of inspiring new allies and bringing them into the conversation has changed over the years.

This is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/a-conversation-with-jean-marie-navetta/

Research consistently demonstrates that trans and nonbinary people make up a growing part of the gaming industry and gamer community. And these creators, developers, and players deserve to see themselves represented in the games that they play - and when they don’t, they may read gender-nonconforming identities into existing characters like Link from the Zelda franchise.

Join us this Thursday, June 22 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for Something to Talk About Live where we will be discussing “A Link Between Genders: Trans Joy and the Legend of Zelda", by Linda Codega which appeared on Gizmodo. We're excited to invite Mackenzie Harte and Angel Kearns from the PFLAG National team to join the conversation!

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/STTALive

After oral arguments in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis in December 2022, many LGBTQ+ advocates began to fear for the worst. The decision, which many expect will be issued this month, is likely to walk back many of the rights and protections that LGBTQ+ advocates have been fighting for, for decades.

Join us this Thursday, June 15 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for Something to Talk About Live where we will be discussing “Ahead of US Supreme Court ruling, study finds majority of Americans oppose LGBTQ discrimination", by Matthew S. Bajko which appeared in The Bay Area Reporter. We're excited to invite Shannon Minter, Legal Director at NCLR to join the conversation!

The LGBTQ+ community has used signs and symbols to find and build community for generations. From green carnations and hanky codes in the late 19th century, to the flags that many of us are familiar with today, being able to be seen and recognized is a key element of celebrating Pride.

Join us this Thursday, June 8 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for Something to Talk About Live where we will be discussing “LGBTQ Flags: The History and Symbolism of 21 Flags", by Liv McConnell which appeared in Teen Vogue. We're excited to invite Sara Kalman and Courtney Dronsfield from Sperry as our guests, along with members of the PFLAG National Learning & Inclusion team.

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/whats-the-deal-with-all-these-flags/.

Join us in celebrating LGBTQ Families Day, originally known as Blogging for LGBTQ Families Day, by posting on social media in celebration of LGBTQ+ families! What started as an event to help LGBTQ+ celebrate their experiences as parents and caregivers has now become a celebration of LGBTQ+ parents and caregivers throughout the US and is a wonderful way to kick off Pride!

Join us this Thursday, June 1 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for Something to Talk About Live where we will be discussing “The importance of social media when it comes to LGBTQ kids feeling seen“, by Amber Leventry which appeared in the Washington Post. We’re excited to invite Jackson Alder, Senior Digital Strategist at PFLAG National, and Dana Rudolph, founder and publisher of the award winning blog Mombian, to join the conversation!

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/june-1-is-the-18th-annual-lgbtq-families-day/.

Your mental health matters. And there are many things that we can all do to support and protect our own mental well-being. For some LGBTQ+ advocates and organizations, that has meant leaving Twitter for good and instead creating community and making more online spaces that are LGBTQ+ welcoming and affirming.

Join us this Thursday, May 25 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for Something to Talk About Live where we will be discussing “LGBTQ centers leave Twitter following removal of hateful conduct protections", by Chase DiBenedetto which appeared on Mashable. We're excited to invite Deborah Levine, Chief Program Officer at CenterLink and founder of Q Chat Space, and Dr. Angela Patterson, Head Writer and Editor at Springtide Research, to join the conversation!

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/building-a-resilient-life-through-online-support/. And to

Affirming and celebrating ourselves—especially when we are still learning, growing, and discovering who we are—can be tough. As we discover more about how we relate to the world around us it is easy to shy away from change, and forget to prioritize our needs. It is in those moments that the way we feel about ourselves, and the unconditional love of our parents, family members, friends, and allies can quite literally save our lives.

Join us this Thursday, May 18 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for Something to Talk About Live where we will discuss “How I nurtured my trans nonbinary child’s path — and learned to grow with him", by Rebecca Brenner which appeared in The Los Angeles Times. We're excited to welcome nonbinary activist and bestselling author of "How To Be You," Jeffrey Marsh, to the conversation!

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/affirming-and-celebrating-ourselves/

LGBTQ+ people under the age of 24, with at least one parent in the military, who have family support are more than 40% less likely to experience anxiety, depression, or to report a su***de attempt than those who do not have family support. Discussing and understanding what family support looks like and feels like for these young people, how providers can be more culturally competent, and providing support resources to LGBTQ+ families are paramount to ensuring more positive mental health outcomes.

Join us this Thursday, May 11 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for Something to Talk About Live where we will be discussing “LGBTQ Military Kids Attempted Su***de at Much Higher Rate Than Their Civilian Peers, New Research Finds”, by Patricia Kime which appeared on Military.com. We're excited to welcome Alleria Stanley, Becca Stewart, and Lindsay Teplesky to the conversation!

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/the-experiences-of-lgbtq-youth-in-military-families/

When discussing the intersection of religion and LGBTQ+ identity, Judaism is generally perceived to be among the more welcoming and affirming faith traditions in the US. There are countless organizations, including Jewish Q***r Youth and Eshel, working to support LGBTQ+ Jews and their families. However, the Jewish community is not monolithic, nor are the experiences of LGBTQ+ Jewish youth.

Join us this Thursday, May 4 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for Something to Talk About Live where we will be discussing “‘Where do I stand?’ Q***r Modern Orthodox teens navigate a changing world”, by Nathaniel Hain which appeared on Jewish Telegraphic Agency. We're excited to welcome Jaimie Krass and Rakhel Silverman from Keshet as well as Eve Berger and Alisha Pedowitz from Moving Traditions to the conversation!

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/may-is-national-jewish-heritage-month.

PFLAG Connects: Communities (PCC) provides a safe, virtual, moderated space where people with shared experiences can connect to share and find support. As of April 2023, this PFLAG program creates unique spaces for people of Latino, Black/African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Military backgrounds to offer support, build community, and facilitate learning.

Join us this Thursday, April 27 at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT for Something to Talk About Live where we will be discussing “An anti-discrimination educator on creating q***r spaces for people of color", by Daylina Miller which appeared on WUSF Public Radio. We're excited to welcome Laura Galeano, PFLAG Connects Manager at PFLAG National as well as Lupe Howell from PCC Latino Community, Stacia Kato from PCC AAPI Community, Cathy Marcello from PCC Military Community, and Kalima McKenzie Simms from PCC Black/African American Community to the conversation!

Learn more at https://straightforequality.org/discussion/as-we-wrap-up-volunteer-month-lets-celebrate-pflag-connects-communities/.