GLBTQ

ACT UP—Aids Coalition to Release Power.

(All information taken from the ACT UP NY website. http://www.actupny.org/indexfolder/NYC.html)

ACT UP was first formed in New York in March of 1987 as a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in anger and committed to direct action to end the AIDS crisis. ACT UP was founded so that real-world knowledge about the changes that needed to be made to end the crisis could be made known to the public and no longer ignored. ACT UP is run openly and democratically—because of the immensity of the task of ending the AIDS crisis, ACT UP declared every member a leader so that every member held the same amount of power within the organization rather than having a few members taking on leadership positions. Thus the ACT UP program has no president or Board of Directors. ACT UP is comprised solely of volunteers who attend general meetings on the first and third Mondays of every month. These Monday night meetings are described as heated, emotional, tedious, frustrating, extremely confusing and overwhelming especially for new members. Meetings are open to the floor because the organization is based on and around what their members have to say. This atmosphere often makes for very long meetings. These meetings are open—everyone is welcome because in one way or another we are all living with AIDS. Latest ACT UP Update: The Chinese Consulate in New York City demanded the release of AIDS activist Hu Jia, who disappeared one month ago, and an end to the repression against people with AIDS, AIDS activists, lawyers, rights defenders, and all those trying to make peaceful change in China. China frees AIDS activist! Tuesday March 28, 2006.

PFLAG—Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays.

(All information was taken from the PFLAG website. http://www.pflag.org/)

“In 1972, Jeanne Manford started an international movement when she marched with her son Mortie in New York’s Gay Pride Parade. Enraged that her son had been beaten at a gay rights protest two months before while police did nothing, she carried a sign at the Pride march that said, ‘Parents of Gays: Unite in Support of Our Children.’” During the parade many gay and lesbian people ran up to Jeanne and begged her to talk to their parents. Upon these many requests Jeanne decided to begin a support group. This support group who started out as a group of 20 meeting in a local church has evolved into what we know as PFLAG today. Vision. PLAG allows parents, families and friends of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, to celebrate diversity and envision a society that embraces everyone, including those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. PFLAG welcomes the participation and support of all who share in, and hope to realize this vision. Mission. PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. PGLAG has five strategic goals. 1. Build the capacity of our organization at every level so that we may have all the resources, in the form of information, people and funding, necessary to move forward in our work with the greatest possible effect. 2. Create a world in which our young people may grow up and be educated with freedom from fear of violence, bullying and other forms of discrimination, regardless of their real or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation or that of their families. 3. Make our vision and our message accessible to the broadest range of ethnic and cultural communities, ending the isolation of families with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender family members within those communities. 4. Create a society in which all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons may enjoy, in every aspect of their lives, full civil and legal equality and may participate fully in all the rights, privileges and obligations of full citizenship in this country. 5. Work toward full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons within their chosen communities of faith. )))

Queer Nation

Queer Nation was founded in March 1990 in New York City by four activists from ACT-UP who were outraged by the escalation of anti-gay and lesbian violence on the streets and prejudice in the arts and media. A group of sixty queers gathered at the Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center in New York to create a direct-action organization that aimed at eliminating homophobia, and increasing gay, lesbian and bisexual visibility. Queer Nation's political philosophy was summed up in the popular slogan "We're here. We're queer. Get used to it." Queer Nation relied on a non-formal structure and community wide meetings. The planned the actions of their sub-groups; LABIA: Lesbians and Bisexuals in Action, and SHOP: Suburban Homosexual Outreach Project. Queer Nation only lasted two years but made a lasting impact and worthwhile contributions to the gay and lesbian community by launching short-term, highly visible, media-oriented actions.

Log Cabin Republicans http://online.logcabin.org/

Log Cabin Republicans are the nation's leading voice for fairness, inclusion, and tolerance in the GOP. Today’s most important battleground concerning fairness and tolerance surrounds gay and lesbian civil rights. Log Cabin stands up against those who preach hatred and intolerance and supports the idea that all Americans deserve to be treated equal-regardless of their sexual orientation. The Log Cabin Republicans are considered a grassroots organization because thousands of members in dozens of chapters across the country work tirelessly to change minds and hearts. The Log Cabin Republicans are working to build a stronger republican party and a better America one person at a time.