PFLAG of Russellville and Clarksville

A brief history of PFLAG: In 1972, a mothers love sparked a movement. Jeanne Manford, a New York schoolteacher, marched beside her gay son in the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade, holding a sign that read, "Parents of Gays: Unite in Support for Our Children." Her simple yet powerful act of love and solidarity drew widespread attention - and countless parents reached out to her, seeking connection and understanding.

From that moment, PFLAG (originally "Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays") was born. The first official meeting took place in 1973, providing a safe space for families to learn, share, and support one another. Over the years, the organization grew into a vital national network advocating for equality, education, and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones.

Today, PFLAG has more than 400 chapters across the United States, offering community programs, school partnerships, and advocacy initiatives. One of those chapters is right here in the Russellville - Clarksville area. I reached out to the local PFLAG group, PFLAG RV+CV, that serves the Russellville and Clarksville communities with a few questions to get to know the group better. Hunter Sage was kind enough to answer those questions for us.

OBT: When did you decide to start this group?

Sage: "This summer, a member of the rest of the pride committee contacted me in response to the open call for volunteers. He told me that he has observed the need and the call for an organization like PFLAG to take root in our community. I grew up in the river valley knowing that my loved ones could have had an easier time if support, advocacy, and education were closer in reach-- this felt like a chance to enact change. It wasn't enough to have Pride here, we needed family and ally love. PFLAG began from a mother's love for her gay son, so we honor that in our support meetings each month."  OBT: What was your reason behind starting this group?

Sage: "The first step to this venture was our table at pride! We wanted to know what kind of support the community needed. We asked strangers a bunch of tough questions and provided an anonymous survey for the more reserved folks. They told us that they usually find support from their church or their families, but when they or their kid came out they met some pretty gnarly things. Or when their kids became adults, they worried about where they might safely go to find work, hang out, or meet safe people. The spiritual folks worried where the safe churches were. Some people I met had just never had space to talk about how proud they were of their loved one for coming out or how sorry they were for initial reactions. We also learned that people who received elective education about LGBTQ+ issues were more likely to feel valued or positive about themselves, as opposed to those who only received required or informal education."

OBT: Do you have regular meetings and where can people find out more about your group?

Sage: "We're still finalizing some organizational tasks but we are already holding monthly support meetings on the last Friday of the month at 5 o'clock. January 30th is our next meeting. The exact location where we meet can be found by asking any of our community members or partners, including... Dreamitea, or Retro Roasts/Dog Ear." 

---

PFLAG is a nice reminder that change often begins with one person's courage to love out loud.