This statement denying the possibility of choice was passed in 1989 but officially repealed on October 28, 2000, as a result of over a year of intensive email correspondence between Gayle Madwin and Frank Aqueno of QueerByChoice and the PFLAG National office, as well as one to one email correspondence between Gayle Madwin and representatives of virtually every PFLAG chapter in the United States. We're glad to see it finally repealed, and we hope to see a new statement issued within a few months which will specifically indicate that all opinions and experiences with regard to choice or lack thereof, and biological causes or lack thereof, should be treated with respect by all PFLAG chapters.
PFLAG Former National Position Statement(repealed 10/28/00)We who are friends of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered persons have learned that they come from families from all corners of the earth, from every culture, religion, and ethnic group. Their sexual orientation is neither chosen nor something they are taught to be. There is no pattern to the kinds of families they come from, whether they had dominant or submissive mothers, weak or strong fathers, single parent homes or "model" families. We who are parents have learned to be free of any burden of guilt for our children's sexual orientation, and we recognize their expression of love as natural for them, and moral. We view the rejection of a gay child by his or her family as a tragedy. We share this stance with you because we are members of a close-knit family who are pro-family in every sense, and we affirm 'traditional values'. We respect the truth; we recognize the reality of individual difference; we honor the right of each person to be who they authentically are. We love and affirm our children with pride and are committed to their entitlement to full civil and human rights. From PFLAG National |