Let your views be heard! Take advantage of opportunities to support equal rights and treatment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning youth and adults.

Throughout the year, PFLAG is asked to provide testimony at school board, city and county council meetings, and occasionally, state and federal legislative hearings. The people that invite us are most interested in having citizens from their district testify. For example when the DC School Board issues an invitation, they would like us to provide D.C. residents, preferably with children who are or who have attended D.C. public schools.

In addition to testifying at public hearings, calls, emails, and letters are very effective. to stay informed.

Metro DC PFLAG represents more than 400 members in the Maryland and Northern Virginia suburbs, as well as the District. We must advantage of every opportunity to educate law and policy makers on all levels of government. If you are interested, please or call the office.

Chapter members have appeared before all levels of government—from school board committees to Congressional hearings in all jurisdictions. Examples of our success include:

• Fairfax County, Virginia where PFLAG members testified before the school board and swamped the board with calls letters, and emails advocating that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students be included in the ant-harassment policy in the student handbook. The school board voted to be inclusive and the policy has been changed!
• Maryland members testified before Governor Glendenning's Commission to Study Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation. Maryland's Anti-Discrimination Act of 2001 has since become law. Metro DC PFLAG members helped convince the Governor and legislature of the need for protection.
• Montgomery County Maryland chapter members helped to convince their school board to include sexual orientation in their student handbook rule about harassment.

Why Should Straight People "Come Out" as Family and Friends