PFLAG Beaumont September Newsletter: News&Views Vol.2 Issue 21

Vol. 2 Issue 21

News & Views Insights The Monthly Newsletter of PFLAG Beaumont

Opinions and Anecdotes

By Calvin Jorden PFLAG Beaumont Treasurer We see it in some form every day. It is disturbing. It is discouraging. Yet it is the human condition and thus ours to contend with: the dominance of self interest over the common good.

Self interest is the root of racism — of tribalism. It undermines community.

It threatens peace. It builds walls rather than bridges. It hoards rather than shares. It initiates hostile takeovers rather than joint ventures. It causes need to become greed, desire become lust, fear become hatred.

Every one of us can do something to help someone else. We can stifle our own very human urge of selfishness and share. Every act of unselfishness towards someone else encourages them and others to be unselfish. Unselfishness requires courage — ___________Cont. Page 2 as Insights

A Message from PFLAG National: San Antonio PFLAG Steps Up For NAACP

PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

The intersection of sexuality, gender identity, and race is the focus of this work for many PFLAG chapters, and one chapter—PFLAG San Antonio—launched themselves into the center

of opportunity by supporting and participating in the 109th NAACP Convention earlier this month. This annual convention leads a national dialogueon civil rights advocacy through workshops, workshops, symposiums, trainings, and related activities.

____________________Cont. Page 2 as NAACP

Monthly Movie Pick: ‘The Man in the Orange Shirt’

By Jerry Thacker PFLAG Beaumont Vice President “The Man in the Orange Shirt” is a two part

movie that premiered on PBS’s Masterpiece Theater.

PBS proves provactivive with most of the characters gay and decpictions of romantic interludes barely mainstream TV appropri-

ate.

This two-part movie begins at the end of World War II. Army enliste Thomas March (James McCardle) and Michael Berryman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen)

discover their attraction for one another.

Thomas and Michael are about to be deployed apart from ___Cont. Page 3 as Movie

Inside _________ Insights

you to do the same, and together we can better provide for us, and invite courage to give away others to do the same something that we worked with us. This requires hard to acquire, with the accepting each other’s diffaith that we can work ferences, being concerned hard again to get more. for each other’s welfare.

This is the basis of I have written all this the human contract: I because this vital social will stifle my own fears contract is so fragile, and and selfish urges, trusting it is now under attack by

_________ NAACP Nearly 8,000 people—including NAACP members, civil rights leaders, local activists, volunteers, and business and political leaders— gather to explore and to share models of advocacy for strengthening communities. PFLAG San Antonio aided the conference with a generous donation, and participated by encouraging the goals of the convention and representing PFLAG’s mission while they were there.

The chapter was especially excited to attend a town hall entitled The State Of LGBTQ People Of Color In America. The discussion was led by a panel of experts that included Earl Fowlkes, president and CEO of Center for Black Equity; David Johns, Executive Director of the LGBT group National Black Justice Coalition; Angelica Ross, actress and founder of Trans Tech Social Enterprises; Marshal R. Bonner, Diversity, Inclusion & Equality Empowerment Speaker and Founder of Help Us Grow Spiritually (HUGS); Kierra Johnson, Deputy Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force; Rev. Irene Monroe; and Amiyah Scott, social media influencer, model and actress. Shijuade Kadree, senior director of Public Policy & Advocacy for the New York

those who would build walls, impose tariffs, separate families, allow discrimination, encourage hostility toward fellow patriots and lie because the truth is inconvenient.

Howard Ashman’s lyrics in “Beauty and the Beast” are so reflective of the attitude we see today: “We don’t like what we

City LGBT Community Center, served as moderator.

The panel conversation and subsequent Q&A presented issues facing LGBTQ people of color, especially black trans women, across the country, who face a much higher rate of discrimination and can often times feel ignored in LGBTQ spaces. Attendees were given an opportunity to hear often-times ignored voices and find out how they could help uplift them.

“This [discussion] gave us an opportunity to be right there within one of the communities we need to interact with, support, and learn about,” said Chad Reumann, President of PFLAG San Antonio.

Of particular interest was a conversation about the relationship between typically black religious enviroments and LGBTQ communities and the separation that occurs between them, an issue that is often approached with trepidation, but was given time and space at the convention.

Another issue that was discussed was the concept of preparedness vs. reaction. Often times, people are reactionary to issues; they only face them after injustices have occured. However, the panel discussed how instead of being reactionary, society should be prepared and take steps in order to insure the injustice would have never occurred.

PFLAG Beaumont Support and Education Every third Sunday 2 p.m.*450 N. 11th Street

don’t understand, in fact it scares us…save your children and your wives... kill the Beast!”

Let us recognize the danger, encourage one another, and let us call for the best from our leaders at every level. They must reflect the best that is in us.

The topic of reactionary vs. preparedness seemed to strike a cord with PFLAG attendees, as it is usually not a topic that is widely discussed. Chad says that while he know there is still a lot of work to be done, he is determined to show his support and educate others through his work with PFLAG. One of his major takeaways? “...listen and hear what people [want] to say.”

Christy Hotard Rosenfeld, advocacy chair of PFLAG San Antonio, was also in attendance and, despite only being with PFLAG for a short time, knew how important it was for the chapter to represent. Said Rosenfeld, “If we are going to educate [through PFLAG] we need to understand the entire spectrum of the LGBTQ community.” Both attendees emphasized how important it was to hear what the panel had to say, and to be part of the discussion on white privilege and using it to uplift the voices of people of color. Overall, PFLAG San Antonio leaders felt the convention provided an incredible platform for speakers to share their truths and for attendees to participate by learning and listening.

PFLAG San Antonio really lived the mission of PFLAG, educating themselves in order to help better educate their communities and advocate for all LGBTQ people, inclusive those of diverse identities.

_____________________Movie each other, but vow to reunite at the end of the war. The war ends, Michael finds Thomas in his art studio space above a storefront. The two of them drive to an abandoned cottage owned by Michael and have a love filled weekend. Things get complicated as Michael tells Thomas of the girl he has promised to marry. After some heated argument, Thomas begrudgingly agrees to be supportive and pose as the best friend. Michael’s bride Flora, played by Joanna Vanderham, becomes pregnant with Michael’s child. Still pregnant while looking for something in Michael’s desk, Flora comes across a collection of love letters between her husband and Thomas. Horrified, she tries to bury her feelings. She later confronts Michael and concedes to live a lie.

Meanwhile, Thomas has been locked up for public lewdness.

Thomas and Michael never get together after Thomas’ release.

Michael couldn’t muster the courage to mail a letter to Thomas that revealed his true love for him.

Cut to 60 years in the future. Flora has her grandson Adam, played

by Julian Morris, living with her and he is secretly gay and secretly a sex addict.

Flora decides to give Adam the cottage that belonged to her late husband. When Adam finds an architect to help renovate he also finds a man who wants to help him with his addiction and be a part of his life. Present day Flora is played by Vanesa Redgrave. Her performance is stellar, as is the rest of the cast.

Director Michael Samuels gives a real sense of time and place for each half of the movie. The sets and costuming of part one were brilliantly portrayed to take the viewer back to the 1940’s. Modern elements and vivid colors set the mood for the second part of the movie. The Man in the Orange Shirt is a movie for all people who have never seen the portrayal of gay life in the past or in the present.

Each era comes with it’s own unique set of challenges. “The Man in the Orange Shirt” or films like it are important to shed light on a subject a that too many shy away from.

More ations l e v e R w o b in a R

September 1955 The first known lesbian rig hts organization in the Unite d States forms in San Fran of s er ht ug cisco. Da Bilitis (DOB). They host private social functions, fear ing po lice raid s, ce threats of violen n io at in rim and disc s. ub cl d an in bars

September 11, 1961 e- The first US-tel ry ta en m cu vise d do lua ex os m about ho l ca lo a on ity airs or lif Ca in station nia.

September 6, 2005 - The California es legislature beco m ss the first to pa a bill allowing mar riage between same-sex co uples.

Governor Arno ld Schwarzenegger vetoes the bill.

eptember 20, 2011 - “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is repealed, ending a ban on gay men and lesg bians from servin ilm openly in the itary.

September 4, 2012 - The Democratic Party beco mes the first major US September 21, 1996 po litical party in - President Clinhistory to publicton signs the Dely support samefense of Marriage a sex mar riage on Act, banning fe drm fo of national plat eral recognition at the Democratic e same-sex mar riag National Convenand defining mar tion. riage as “a legal union between --retrieve d from e one man and on CNN.com d wo man as husban and wife.”

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