Home

In 1972, Jeanne Manford started an international movement when she marched with her son Mortie in New York’s Gay Pride Parade. Enraged that her son had been beaten at a gay rights protest two months before while police did nothing, she carried a sign at the Pride march that said, “Parents of Gays: Unite in Support of Our Children.”

Jeanne Manford began a revolution of her own. After the parade she was approached by many gay and lesbian people begging her to speak to their parents. She saw a need and she filled it. The first PFLAG meeting took place in March of 1973 at a local church. About twenty people attended.

Over the next several years, PFLAG chapters began popping up all over the country. In 1979 leaders from these groups gathered in Washington DC. By the following year these groups were distributing educational information to the general public. When Dear Abby mentioned PFLAG in her advice column, the response was overwhelming; over 7,000 letters requesting information were received. In 1981 the national organization was formed, and in 1982 it was incorporated and granted non-profit tax-exempt status.

For a comprehensive look at the history of PFLAG and their growth and accomplishments over the years, please CLICK HERE.

We, the parents, families and friends of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, celebrate diversity and envision a society that embraces everyone, including those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Only with respect, dignity and equality for all will we reach our full potential as human beings, individually and collectively. PFLAG welcomes the participation and support of all who share in, and hope to realize this vision.

PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.

Build the capacity of our organization at every level so that we may have all the resources, in the form of information, people and funding, necessary to move forward in our work with the greatest possible effect.

II.

Create a world in which our young people may grow up and be educated with freedom from fear of violence, bullying and other forms of discrimination, regardless of their real or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation or that of their families.

III.

Make our vision and our message accessible to the broadest range of ethnic and cultural communities, ending the isolation of families with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender family members within those communities.

IV.

Work toward full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons within their chosen communities of faith.

Create a society in which all GLBT persons may openly and safely pursue the career path of their choice, and may be valued and encouraged to grow to their full potential in the workplace.

VI.

Create a society in which all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons may enjoy, in every aspect of their lives, full civil and legal equality and may participate fully in all the rights, privileges and obligations of full citizenship in this country.