PFLAG Tahlequah is here to stay

J. Rachel Green, President of PFLAG Tahlequah. Photo provided.

by Sara Ritsch
Staff Writer

Tahlequah, Oklahoma gained a chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) last November, and since then have made their town a safer, more welcoming place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth. Their mission is to meet with families of these LGBTQ individuals and strengthen their bond, spreading understanding through education and support.

PFLAG is a national organization whose vision is of  “a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression,” according to their official website.

Their mission is to support families, allies and people who are LGBTQ, to educate about the unique issues and challenges facing those who are LGBTQ and to initiate advocacy in the communities to change attitudes and create policies and laws that will achieve full equality for people who are LGBTQ.

For the Tahlequah chapter, president Rachel Green says there is – of course – a large need for support and education in their area.

“We have young people who are coming out and parents who are needing support, needing someone to talk to, needing education,” she says. “For example, a family and a young person come in for mediation and we talk to them about how some things that were said [to the daughter or son by another person] could be harmful. We support our young people and support the family that comes to us and asks for help.

“In this case, the family supported the child tremendously. Someone had said something that they probably thought was harmless but had really affected the young person, who took it home to their parents, talked about it and came to PFLAG. We did a little bit of education,” Green explains.

“It’s exciting in that we are starting to be able to support and be visible. More people know we’re here and we’re able to do some educating.” She anecdotes, “Someone said to me, ‘Everybody’s starting to call you the PFLAG Lady,' and I said, ‘Oh, I guess that’s what I’m gonna be now.’ And that’s OK.”

PFLAG Tahlequah is “absolutely” open to more than just LGBTQ youth and families. “Anyone in this area would want to belong. We’re open to anyone that would like to come and be a part of it. The more that we [gay and straight] are a community, the more knowledge and understanding we will have.”

PFLAG is an 18 and up organization, but they welcome with open arms any minor who comes with their parents or guardians. “Obviously, we’re not going to leave a child on the street if we are aware of their homelessness. We will do something; we just may have to work through a different entity. There are a lot of loving people on the PFLAG board and many are in other organizations, so we’ll find support.”

The primary thing PFLAG teaches families and institutions is, well: “The bottom line is, we want an end result of families being able to come closer together, of communities being safe places through knowledge and understanding, and of being able to support our LGBT members of the community with allies that are going to help them feel safe, know their rights and to just be someone to step forward and say, ‘We love you here. And we will look out for you here.’”

PFLAG Tahlequah meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month at the LGBT-inclusive Unitarian Universalist Church in Tahlequah. “They are extremely welcoming,” says Green.

Although their meetings are few and they do not yet have a permanent home, they are always open to possibilities. “We are willing to offer whatever anyone would want; we would happily go into schools to talk about LGBT youth – churches, faculty development, health agencies – but it hasn’t happened yet.”

She adds, “We’re just getting started.”

The Gayly – June 29, 2016 @ 12 p.m.