PFLAG National Blog: Speaking Out for Equality on the Global Stage

Clinton's strong condemnation of anti-gay discrimination comes on the heels of the announcement that the Obama administration plans to reverse the long-standing U.S. opposition to a United Nations proposal supporting equality for LGBT people.

According to The U.N. Dispatch, the United States recently voted in favor of the measure, after voting "no" on the 13-point proposal during the Bush administration.

The declaration, the Dispatch reports, is "to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular executions, arrests or detention." The resolution also, "...Recognizes that experiences of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance are aggravated and intersect with discrimination on grounds including sexual orientation and gender identity, and condemns all forms of discrimination and all other human rights violations based on these grounds."

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PFLAG National Blog: Speaking Out for Equality on the Global Stage:

Dignity, Dogmatism and Same Sex Relationships

BOOK REVIEW

Dignity, Dogmatism and
Same Sex Relationships
by Gilbert Rossing

Reviewed by Alec Clayton

Gilbert Rossing, known to local PFLAG members as Gib, has recently published a fascinating book titled Dignity, Dogmatism and Sam Sex Relationships (subtitled What Science and Scripture Teach us). This long title clearly maps out what the book is about.

Gib is a retired Lutheran minister who with his wife, Beth, has two gay sons and two straight daughters. When their sons came out, the Rossings had the experience shared by many PFLAG parents of learning about GLBTQ issues. As a scholar and theologian, Gib found himself struggling to understand apparent contradictions between what the Bible said about homosexuality — and more specifically the common ways many people interpreted scripture — and what his heart and scientific studies told him. In his book, he carefully examines these issues from both theological and scientific viewpoints and illustrates his commentary with personal narrative.

The facts are interesting, well researched and clearly presented, but they make for somewhat dry and academic reading. The dryness, however, is alleviated by the personal narrative.

We have two copies of this book in the PFLAG library (although as of this writing they are both checked out). They are also available at Orca Books and online at amazon.com (or Google Dignity-Dogmatism).

Celebrate Mother's Day with Steve Schalchlin and support PFLAG Olympia!

In his April 03, 2009 blog post: Personal Appearances., award-winning lyricist, composer, singer/songwriter and storyteller Steve Schalchlin wrote:

This whole new wave of personal appearances, culminating in the creation and design of a new live solo concert, began with a simple request. Gabi Clayton -- do I have to remind you who she is? -- approached me about going back up to Olympia, the place where I played the "Imagine" piano, to sing a new concert as a benefit for PFLAG-Olympia. Given the fact that I'll do anything, anywhere, for any PFLAG, my answer was yes.

So we are very excited to announce that Steve will be the very special guest at our Sunday, May 10th Mother's Day meeting.

Then he'll perform a very special benefit concert for PFLAG at Capital Playhouse at 7 p.m. Tickets are limited so get them as soon as possible before they sell out.

Lot's more information is posted on the PFLAG-Olympia website.

Please join us!

It's an absolutely fabulous way to celebrate
Mother's Day and PFLAG.