OC PFLAG Celebrates 30 Years

Orange County PFLAG is celebrating its 30th anniversary at the next general meeting, to be held on Wed., July 2, at 7:30pm, at First United Methodist Church, 161 S. Orange, in the City of Orange. The Orange County PFLAG chapter is one of over 500 affiliated chapters in the U.S.

How did it begin in Orange County? In 1977, Pat Paddock was taking a Human Sexuality class at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, taught by Mona Coates, when Pat’s son Steve told her that he was a homosexual. She struggled with the news; but, luckily, Mona was very supportive of gays and lesbians. Pat and Steve were asked by Mona to speak to her class about being gay and being the parent of a gay child.

Shortly thereafter, Pat read a newspaper article about Adele and Larry Starr, and their Parents FLAG support group in Los Angeles for parents who had gay children, and then met with them to see how they could help other parents. But Los Angeles was rather far, so Doug Farson suggested that she start a support group in Orange County . The result was the Orange County PFLAG chapter that came into being in April, 1978.

Orange County PFLAG now comprises about 120 household memberships with 150 individual members. From the time that Pat and Steve spoke in Mona’s class, the talks continued into what eventually became the PFLAG Speakers Bureau. Today, over 100 speakers serve on panels at high schools, colleges, universities, churches, synagogues, businesses and community groups at their request. This past year there were over 200 panels.

In the coming months, Orange County PFLAG, along with National PFLAG and the other local chapters will be devoting some of their energies to educating the public of the importance of voting against the “Limit on Marriage. Constitutional Amendment” that will be on the Nov. 4th ballot. The members of PFLAG believe that with their personal stories they can help others realize that society is better and stronger with stable, same-gender marriages that often provide loving homes for children.

The Orange County chapter of PFLAG holds its support group meeting the first Wednesday of each month.