Dear PFLAG Supporter, As we wrap up a year full of ups and downs, and look ahead to what promises to be a year with many challenges, our team is reflecting on kindness, intentionality, and how we choose to be in the world. Just like allyship, kindness is a verb; an active choice we make in our daily lives to give to others. We’re going to be having difficult conversations: at holidays, with our community, and in our legislature. We don’t have a lot of control over how those conversations go, but we can choose to be intentional about how we show up and the impact that has on others goes further than we often see. PFLAG National has developed resources about How to Ally for the Holidays and Going Home for the Holidays, which can support you, your chapter members, and PFLAG families, but I want to acknowledge that this year’s holidays may be more divisive than in years past and allyship needs to be stronger and different than it may have in prior years. For instance, if you have an LGBTQ+ family member, keep in mind that they may not want to talk about their identity and its marginalization at holiday gatherings. Depending on what your holiday gatherings may look like, you may also want to abstain from attendance or figure out ways to protect yourself and your family. In this holiday season, self-care is more important than ever. Check out Trevor Project’s Holiday Self-Care Tips (geared toward LGBTQ+ youth but applicable for everyone!). You may also want to read GLSEN’s compilation of advice from LGBTQ+ students. We know this topic will be coming up with your chapter members at support meetings. Please feel free to share these resources with them as your community discusses navigating this difficult time. Important Note: This is the last Leadership email we’ll be sending out in 2024. We will not be sending Leadership Matters next week or Leadership Learnings on December 31st. We hope you’re all able to spend quality time with your loved ones, rest, and get ready for 2025. We’re so grateful for all you do! |
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