COLAGE Speak OUT Campaign, Spring 2007

Are you a youth or adult with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender parent/s ? Do you want to help raise visibility and awareness about people with LGBT parents? Do you use any online forums for networking or blogging?

We want you to participate in the first-ever COLAGE Speak OUT Campaign!
Blogging for LGBT Families Day
Friday, June 1st, 2007.

COLAGE is the only national organization working with children, youth and adults with one or more LGBT parent/s. Our Speak OUT Campaigns engage our membership to use their voices to raise visibility and impact change. We have chosen this campaign to encourage our members to utilize online forums in which they participate as a means for raising visibility and awareness about children of LGBT parents.

Through our first-ever Speak OUT Campaign, COLAGE aims to increase the number of youth and adults with LGBT parents who participate in this impactful event. “We know that when we speak out about our true experiences, share the blessings and challenges of having families deemed “different�? by the rest of society, and talk about the ways in which we and our families are not equally validated or protected, we have a unique and powerful ability to impact change.“ shared Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director. “Furthermore, particularly for youth and young adults, the internet, online social networks, and blogs are becoming increasingly influential mediums of communication and we recognize that by being out as people with LGBT parents online we can continue to transform society.�?

What is Blogging for LGBT Families Day?
We are looking for at least 30 youth and adults with LGBT parents to participate in the 2nd annual Blogging for LGBT Families Day. It’s easy to participate- on June 1st, 2007 post a journal entry, essay, article or creative piece to your favorite online form. Just make sure that your piece explicitly talks about having an LGBT parent.

Over 130 bloggers participated in last year's Blogging for LGBT Families Day. They included lesbian moms, gay dads, adult children of LGBT parents, members of the transgender community, LGBT individuals without children, and straight allies. Countries represented included the United States as well as Australia, Canada, and the UK.

What should I write about?
You can write about any topic related to having LGBT parents that you like- serious, political, humorous, sentimental… anything! Use your post to “come out�? about having an LGBT parent, to share a story about your family, to talk about myths and truths about having LGBT parents, or provide your insight as to what its like to have an LGBT parent. You can write about current legislation such as ENDA (The Federal Employee Non Discrimination Act) or the Uniting American Families Act which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by adding “permanent partner" next to “spouse" and provide the same immigration procedures for same-sex partners as currently exist for immediate relatives of United States citizens. By highlighting these or other pieces of legislation you can talk about the ways your family does receive the same rights and respect as other families or encourage your online friends and family to take further action.

To participate in this Speak OUT Campaign there are just 5 easy steps!

1. Send an email to Meredith@colage.org letting us know that you plan to participate.

2. Start developing your post for Blogging for LGBT families day. Let COLAGE know if you want any help developing or editing your post.

3. On June 1st, 2007 post your entry to any online forum:
a. MySpace
b. Facebook
c. LiveJournal
d. Blogs
e. Etc.

4. Send COLAGE a copy of your article and a link to your post (when possible) by emailing Meredith@colage.org. Also send an e-mail to lgbtfamilies@mombian.com with the permalink to your post. (If you know how, you may also add the tag “blogging for lgbt families day” to your entry.)

5. Visit http://www.mombian.com on June 1 to read what other members of the LGBT community and allies have written for this event.Celebrate that you are joining with COLAGErs across the world to educate our families, friends, and communities about the experiences of youth and adults with LGBT parents.

For more information, support with this project, or any questions, contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director at 415-861-5437 x102 or Meredith@colage.org.

Together we will make change!

The COLAGE Speak OUT Program is a national network of youth and adults with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender parent/s who are committed to raising awareness and making change. Members of Speak OUT participate in media activism, public speaking, legislative advocacy, creative expression and more. To learn more or to sign up, click here!

Blogging for LGBT Families Day was created by Mombian: Sustenance for Lesbian Moms - a blog offering a daily mix of parenting, politics, and diversions to strengthen and sustain lesbian moms in all their varied roles. The associated Mombian Resource Directory for LGBT Parents contains over 500 links to information on starting a family, raising children, LGBT politics and law, blogs, forums, and offline groups for LGBT parents, and much more. This year the event is being sponsored by the Family Pride Coalition.