Editing PFLAG (section)

==History==
[[File:Jeanne Manford marching with her famous sign in a Pride Parade in 1972.jpg|Jeanne Manford marching with her later famous sign. Reactions to this sign led Manford to create a support group, which evolved into PFLAG.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=HOW ONE MOTHER'S LOVE FOR HER GAY SON STARTED A REVOLUTION|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|last=Schulz|first=Kathryn|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/04/17/how-one-mothers-love-for-her-gay-son-started-a-revolution|date=April 17, 2023|pages=42–49|access-date=2023-04-27}}</ref>|thumb|right|250px]]
The organization was founded by [[Jeanne Manford]] and her husband after their son, a gay man and gay rights activist, was beaten at a protest.<ref name=mortyobit>{{cite news|last=Lambert|first=Bruce|title=Morty Manford, 41, a Lawyer And Early Gay-Rights Advocate|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/15/nyregion/morty-manford-41-a-lawyer-and-early-gay-rights-advocate.html|access-date=10 September 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=15 May 1992}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Lii|first=Jane H.|title=Unlikely Supporter of Gay Rights Recalls Pivotal Night|newspaper=The New York Times|date=3 November 1996}}</ref> On June 25, she participated with her son in the [[NYC Pride March]], carrying a hand-lettered sign that read "Parents of Gays Unite in Support for Our Children".{{sfn|Marcus|2002|p=173}} Manford soon founded the organization as "a bridge between the gay community and the heterosexual community".{{sfn|Marcus|2002|p=175}}

The first formal meeting of Parents of Gays (later PFLAG) took place on March 11, 1973, at the Metropolitan-Duane United Methodist Church in Greenwich Village (MDUMC – later the  Church of the Village). Approximately 20 people attended. Rev. Ed Egan of MDUMC (1971–1977) was one of the founding members of "Parents of Gays." Parents of Gays continued to meet monthly at MDUMC until at least 1984. 

The organization spread through regional chapters. In 1976, PFLAG LA had their first meeting of 30 parents. Following the 1979 [[National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights]], representatives from these groups met for the first time in Washington, DC.

By 1980, PFLAG, then known as Parents FLAG, began to distribute information to educational institutions and communities of faith nationwide, establishing itself as a source of information for the general public. In 1981, members decided to launch a national organization. The first PFLAG office was established in Los Angeles under founding president Adele Starr.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews38_51/page3.cfm |title=Seattle Gay News - Page 3 - PFLAG pioneer Adele Starr dies at 90 - Friday, December 17, 2010 - Volume 38 Issue 51 |publisher=SGN |access-date=2015-06-09 |archive-date=2015-09-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916054659/http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews38_51/page3.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1982, the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Inc., then representing some 20 groups, was incorporated in California and granted nonprofit, tax-exempt status. In 1987, PFLAG relocated to Denver, under President Elinor Lewallen. During this time, PFLAG began advocating for lesbians and gay men in the military, where they were still formally banned under the [[Don't Ask Don't Tell]] rules. PFLAG expanded to new communities in this time, including rural areas.

In 1990, following a period of significant growth, PFLAG employed an Executive Director, expanded its staff, and moved to Washington, DC. Also in 1990, PFLAG President Paulette Goodman sent a letter to Barbara Bush asking for Mrs. Bush's support. Bush's letter was inadvertently given to the Associated Press, leading to significant controversy for its perceived support of PFLAG.<ref>Evans Rowl, Robert Novak: "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1990/05/25/bush-and-the-gay-lobby/d64ebb2a-7a59-4b26-8891-afbb7f8cfc65 Bush and the gay Lobby]. ''[[The Washington Post]]'', May 25, 1990</ref>

PFLAG later expanded its advocacy to include bisexual and transgender people.<ref>{{cite web|title= History|url= http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=267|access-date= 2012-04-09|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100617013027/http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=267|archive-date= 2010-06-17}}</ref> In particular, in 1998, [[gender identity]], including [[transgender]] people, was added to the mission of PFLAG after a vote at their annual meeting in San Francisco.<ref name="community.pflag.org">{{cite web |url=http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=398 |title=PFLAG National |publisher=Community.pflag.org |access-date=2015-06-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620050818/http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=398 |archive-date=2012-06-20 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://community.pflag.org/page.aspx?pid=267 |title=PFLAG: Policy Statements |publisher=PFLAG |access-date=2010-06-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617013027/http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=267 |archive-date=June 17, 2010 }}</ref>
PFLAG was the first national LGBTQ organization to officially adopt a transgender-inclusive policy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://community.pflag.org/page.aspx?pid=380 |title=PFLAG National |publisher=Community.pflag.org |access-date=2015-06-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514141130/http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=380 |archive-date=2012-05-14 }}</ref> In 2002, PFLAG's Transgender Network, also known as TNET, became PFLAG's first official "Special Affiliate", recognized with the same privileges and responsibilities as regular chapters.<ref name="community.pflag.org"/> In 2013, TNET was replaced by the Transgender and Gender Nonconforming (TGNC) Advisory Council.

In 2004, PFLAG/Chicago was inducted into the [[Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame]] as a Friend of the Community.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?page=inductees&todo=year |title=Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame |publisher=Glhalloffame.org |access-date=2015-06-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017032241/http://www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?page=inductees&todo=year |archive-date=2015-10-17 }}</ref>

[[File:Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), Plaque.jpg|thumb|The plaque unveiled by Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation in 2013 at Church of the Village]]
In 2013, Jeanne Manford was awarded the [[Presidential Citizens Medal]] by then [[Barack Obama|President Barack Obama]].<ref>{{Citation|last=KL Anderson|title=President Obama Awards the Citizens Medal to Jeanne Manford, Queens, NY, 2/15/2013|date=2013-02-15|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQgFUyvqa-w |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/tQgFUyvqa-w| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|access-date=2017-08-10}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 2013, a bronze plaque was installed at [[The Church of the Village]] in [[Greenwich Village]], memorializing the first meeting of PFLAG at the church.<ref name="gvshp.org">{{cite web|last=Berman |first=Andrew |url=http://gvshp.org/blog/2013/06/24/pflag-historic-unveiling-on-a-beautiful-day/#sthash.dbQ5i74j.dpuf |title=PFLAG Historic Plaque Unveiling On A Beautiful Day |date=24 June 2013 |publisher=Gvshp.org |access-date=2015-06-09}}</ref> The plaque reads,<blockquote>In 1972, Queens schoolteacher [[Jeanne Manford]] walked alongside her gay son, activist Morty Manford, at the 1972 Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade, carrying a sign that read 'Parents of Gays: Unite in Support of Our Children.'<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/15/nyregion/morty-manford-41-a-lawyer-and-early-gay-rights-advocate.html|title= Morty Manford, 41, a Lawyer And Early Gay-Rights Advocate ... |newspaper= The New York Times |date= 15 May 1992 |access-date=2020-09-07|last1= Lambert |first1= Bruce }}</ref> The overwhelming response to that simple act led Jeanne, her husband Jules, and early pioneers of the LGBTQ equality movement to create a support group for LGBTQ people, their parents, family, and friends. The first meeting of that group - now known as PFLAG - took place on this site in March 1973. Placed by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation ''in partnership with PFLAG members everywhere, in honor of the legacy of love that began here''.<ref name="gvshp.org" /></blockquote>In 2017, PFLAG celebrated the 45th anniversary of founder Jeanne Manford's famous march with her son, gay-rights activist Morty Manford.