COLAGE News Blog

New COLAGE Chapter in Jacksonville, FL! Feb 29 08

New COLAGE Chapter in Jacksonville, FL

Join us for our Kick off Event - COLAGE Jax Opening Night!

WHAT? FREE pizza, sodas, and cake; fun games; Guitar Hero III tournament ; Tetris Worlds tournament; new friends and lots of fun!

WHEN? Saturday March 8, 4 - 6 PM

WHERE? 1140 S. McDuff Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32205

We would like to thank St. Luke's MCC for generously donating the use of their fellowship hall for this event.

What is COLAGE Jax? A brand new community group for children, youth and adults of all ages who have lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer parents and their families. If you want to learn more, come to the kickoff to get involved in the brand new COLAGE Jax! For more information visit the COLAGE website or email COLAGEJax@Yahoo.com.

New Report Demonstrates Schools' Lack of Support and Inclusion of LGBT Families Feb 28 08

LGBT Parents Involved in, Excluded from K-12 Schools; Children Often Harassed

GLSEN Report Demonstrates Schools' Lack of Support and Inclusion of LGBT Families

View the full report online here.

NEW YORK, Feb. 28 - The first comprehensive report on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families' experiences in education, released today by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, in partnership with the Family Equality Council and COLAGE, has found that LGBT parents are more likely to be involved in their children's K-12 education than the general parent population. These parents are more involved in school activities and more likely to report consistent communication with school personnel. In addition, both LGBT parents and children of LGBT parents often report harassment because of their family structure.

Current estimates indicate there are more than seven million LGBT parents with school-age children in the United States. Involved, Invisible, Ignored: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Parents and Their Children in Our Nation's K-12 Schools examines and highlights the school experiences of LGBT-headed families using results from surveys of LGBT parents of children in K-12 schools and of secondary students who have LGBT parents.

"Family and education are two of the most important aspects of children's lives," said GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings. "This report casts doubt on schools' inclusion of different kinds of families in our education system. LGBT parents are actively engaged in their children's education yet are often not accepted by school communities. Further, their children are often harassed in school simply because of the makeup of their families. All families in a school community should be valued and respected as equals."

Key Findings, Parents:

* LGBT parents are more likely to be involved in their children's education than the general parent population. Compared to data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), LGBT parents are more likely to attend a parent-teacher conference in the past year (94% to 77%) and more likely to volunteer (67% to 42%).
* More than half (53%) of parents described various forms of exclusion from their school communities: being excluded or prevented from fully participating in school activities and events, being excluded by school policies and procedures, and being ignored and feeling invisible.
* LGBT parents reported mistreatment from other parents in the school community and even from their children's peers at school – 26% of LGBT parents in the survey reported mistreatment from other parents and 21% reported hearing negative comments about being LGBT from students.
* Parents whose child's school had a comprehensive safe school policy that protected students from bullying and harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression/identity reported the lowest level of mistreatment and that there were no differences between the no-policy and generic-policy groups.

"I want my sons' school environment to give them the opportunity to learn without harassment, and I want to be a welcomed and integral part of their educational experience as they grow," said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Family Equality Council.""This report shows when schools have anti-bullying policies that are inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity, the rates of harassment are lowered dramatically. These policies and comprehensive diversity curricula are tools that can curb mistreatment and bolster participation from all families. Knowing what works is a start, but schools have a long way to go and much left to do in putting them to the best and fullest use for our kids."

Key Findings, Students:

* Nearly a quarter (23%) of students felt unsafe around other students at school due to others' negative attitudes toward people with LGBT parents.
* 42% of students said they had been verbally harassed at school in the past year because their parents were LGBT. Over a third (37%) of students reported that they had been verbally harassed because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation and nearly a third had experienced verbal harassment because of the way in which they expressed their gender (32%).
* Nearly a quarter (22%) of students said that a teacher, principal or other school staff person had discouraged them from talking about their family at school, and more than a third (36%) had felt that school personnel did not acknowledge their LGBT family (e.g., not permitting one parent to sign a student's form because s/he was not the legal parent/guardian). Furthermore, 28% said they heard teachers or other school staff make negative comments about LGBT families.

"Students with lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender parents face isolation, invisibility and alienation due to harassment, name-calling and bullying in their schools," said COLAGE Executive Director Beth Teper, who has a lesbian mother. "On behalf of the millions of people who have one or more LGBT parents, COLAGE urges students, schools and communities to learn about this important issue as the first step in building safe school environments for all. We also applaud youth with LGBT parents who act as educators and leaders every day when they navigate often unwelcoming schools."

For more information or media interviews, contact COLAGE.

COLAGE Announces the World Debut of Tru Loved Feb 24 08

COLAGE is pleased to announce the world premiere of the film, Tru Loved at the Sedona International Film Festival. If you are in the Sedona area, COLAGE invites you to attend the screenings.

The film will have two screenings:
Thurs., Feb. 28 at 4:25 p.m. - Harkins Theatre 1
Sat., March 1 at 2:30 p.m. - Harkins Theatre 5

The Harkins Sedona 6 Theatres are located at:
2081 West Highway 89A
Sedona, AZ 86336
(928) 282-2221
You can order festival tickets and passes online here.

In Tru Loved sixteen-year-old Tru (Townsend) is uprooted by her lesbian moms (Paul and Williams), from her comfortable gay-friendly home in San Francisco and moved to a conservative, suburban community in Southern California. Her only friend is a closeted football player (Thompson) - and even that friendship is jeopardized when Tru decides to start the school's first Gay-Straight Alliance.

During the production of the film last summer, COLAGE became a community partner of Tru Loved. Shared Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director, "Though estimates cite as many as 10 million youth in the United States have one or more LGBT parents, it is rare that we get to hear their stories. Tru Loved will offer a role model to millions of youth whose families are debated and attacked in our country while letting broader audiences catch a glimpse of the challenges and blessings that youth with LGBT parents experience every day."

The cast features Bruce Vilanch (Hairspray), Jane Lynch (The 40 Year Old Virgin), Jasmine Guy (A Different World), Marcia Wallace (The Simpsons), Alec Mapa (Desperate Housewives), Cand Najarra Townsend (Me And You And Everyone We Know). Notably, the film also features Morgan Early, a COLAGE Speak OUT, member in a small role. Morgan, the daughter of gay dads and lesbian mom wrote about her experiences on the set of Tru Loved in the Fall 2007 issue of Just For Us.

Stay tuned for more information about upcoming screenings and events co-sponsored by COLAGE and Tru Loved.

To learn more about Tru Loved, visit www.truloved.com.

Save the Date to make change in Florida Feb 20 08

ADOPTION LOBBY DAYS: MARCH 19 AND 20!

COLAGE encourages youth and adults with LGBTQ parents in Florida to attend the Third Annual Adoption Lobby Days hosted by Equality Florida and the Coalition for Fair Adoption. Florida is the only state that categorically bans gays and lesbians from adopting. This ban does real harm to families across the state and prevents the 4,000 kids in foster care from finding permanent and loving homes.

At COLAGE, we know that the voices of youth and adults who can dispel myths about what its like to have an LGBT family are crucial to making a difference on legislation that impacts our lives. If you are planning to attend Florida lobby days, please contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director for resources about how to use your COLAGEr story to raise awareness with elected officials.

On March 19 and 20 Equality Florida and the Coalition for Fair Adoption will be in Tallahassee meeting with legislators to talk to them about the harm this ban inflicts on our families. Sign up and/or get more information about Adoption Lobby Days!

Tennessee Anti-Gay Bills Filed- Fight Back! Feb 6 08

On January 31st, the adoption rights of LGBT parents as well as single and unmarried parents came under attack in Tennessee. In what could be the first of several bills with adoption restrictions filed before the deadline this week, SB3910/HB3713 filed by Senator Paul Stanley (R-Memphis) and Rep. John DeBerry (D-Memphis) would prohibit "any individual who is cohabitating in a sexual relationship outside of a marriage that is valid under the constitution and laws of this state from adopting a minor."

This bill was introduced just days after Representative Stacey Campfield of Knoxville filed a bill l that would prevent public elementary and middle schools from allowing "any instruction or materials discussing sexual orientation other than heterosexuality."

"When students aren't able to talk freely about themselves and/or their families, or learn about the broad spectrum of identity it promotes an environment of intolerance and alienation," commented Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director. "This bill, obviously founded in fear and hatred would make schools significantly less just and safe places for thousands of students in Tennessee who have one or more LGBT parents."

COLAGE stands behind the efforts of the Tennessee Equality Project as they lead the efforts to fight these hateful bills which in no way advances the best interests of children in TN.

On February 19th, the Tennessee Equality Project will host Advancing Equality Day on the Hill in Nashville. Youth and adults with LGBT parents, their families, friends and allies are needed to speak with state senators and representatives to raise awareness about this harmful and unnecessary bill. Learn more about Advancing Equality Day.

If you are a youth or adult with LGBT parents living in TN who wants to be involved in public speaking, media or lobbying to fight these bills, please contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director.

Action Alert for Indiana: Equality is a Hoosier Value Feb 6 08

Indiana Equality invites you to a rally on the state capital to fight against the state's recently re-introduced marriage inequality bill and to support House Bill 1076 the bias crimes bill being considered by the House of Representatives.

2/18/2008 from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Indiana Statehouse, North Atrium
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN
RSVP by: February 17, 2008 at 11:00 pm

For more information and to RSVP visit the IE website.

If you are a youth or adult with LGBT parents who is planning to attend, please let us know! Email Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director.