Family Pride to host US conference

By Dave McElhill • September 5, 2006 - 0:00

Family Pride is speaking out against legislation aimed at the LGBT community

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Family Pride in the United States is attempting to buck the trend towards anti-gay and anti-homosexual family legislation.

American gay group Family Pride will be hosting Act OUT: the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Family Conference in Dallas this October to help LGBT-headed families and their allies.

"The need to advocate for LGBT families has never been greater: there were 15 anti-family bills during the last legislative session," said Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of Family Pride.

She told reporters: "Fundamentalists think nothing of filing legislation that harms single parents, non-biological parents, and even grandparents, in their zeal to stop gays from being parents. The truth is that according to the 2000 US Census 77% of the children in this country are being raised by someone other than their married mother and father."

Ms Chrisler concluded: "It's time we started protecting all families and all children."

Family Pride is aiming to help families across the US by providing training opportunities in areas such as advocacy, education, and community organising.

"Our goal for this conference is to pass along tools and information that will help LGBT-headed families secure equality," said Ms Chrisler, "our families will return home inspired and equipped with all they need to stand up for their families with confidence and pride."

The conference includes the presentation of research and information about LGBT-headed families gathered since Family Pride's Academic Symposium this past Spring.

It also has leadership training for youth and adults with one or more LGBT parents led by COLAGE (Children of Lesbians Gays Everywhere).

"We're looking forward to gathering in Dallas, which boasts the sixth-largest gay population in the United States but also has a long history of marginalizing and discriminating against our families," claimed Trina Olson, Family Pride's Program and Education Manager.

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