Education
Documents - Articles - Reports
The Key is Education
In America there are millions of families whose gay daughters and sons are victims
of social, political, and economic oppression. We, as friends and relatives of these
children, are committed to helping them by working for basic human rights, liberties
and opportunities for them to which they are entitled. Through reading and association
with others like our-selves, new windows of understanding have been opened to us which
have enriched our lives; we want to bring this understanding to others.
Must Read Documents
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Read This Before Coming Out to Your Parents
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Parents Live in Closets Too
As Parents of Gay, lesbian or Bisexual Children . . .
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We've learned that our children are as unique as any
other children. |
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We've learned to be free from the guilt of having produced
a child who is different. |
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We've learned to recognize our children's expression of
love as honest and moral. |
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We want to help the parents. For most parents, it is a
difficult and painful experience to learn that their child is gay. Parents often react
with feelings of guilt, denial, shame, anger and a sense of complete failure. We know how
they feel because we felt the same way. We want to help them see their children as we now
see ours. |
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We help the children. The children often feel helpless,
not understanding their own parents' reactions. We reach out with support, to meet, listen,
suggest, reassure and help bridge the communication gap between patents and gays. |
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We strive to enlighten. While society has given all of
us misinformation about homosexuality, we must not allow these distortions to go
unchallenged and to continue to interfere with the relationship within families. |
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We are committed to teaching society that our daughters
and sons are healthy, normal, productive and loving family members. |
Our Children Are . . .
| Gay people are everywhere |
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Lesbians and gay men come from every kind of family,
culture, nation, religion, and ethnic group. |
| Gay people are healthy |
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Both the American Psychiatric Association and the
American Psychological Association have recognized that homosexuality is not a mental
or emotional disorder. Lifestyles of gay persons cannot be lumped into one category any
more than heterosexual lifestyles. Gay persons establish stable, long-lasting relationships,
work, shop, watch TV, vote, and pay taxes. |
| Gay people are part of a family |
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One of every four families has a gay member. Our gay sons
and daughters have parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles,
nieces, and nephews whom they love and care for. |
| Gay people are responsible employees |
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Our children are teachers, doctors, politicians,
ministers, clerks, artists, athletes, accountants, city planners ... our children are
found in all types of careers and professions. |
| Gay people are by nature homosexual |
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Homosexuality is not chosen. No one mows how human s
exual orientation is determined. In discussions with thousands of families, we found
that: The gay child is often aware of his/ her sexual orientation or gender identity
at a very early age. None of the children were influenced or taught to be gay by
any person. fu homes where gay persons try to become heterosexual, attempts eventually
fail, often leading to tragedy for other members of those failed unions. Being gay is
not just a stage youngsters go through. |
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