PFLAG board members Lisa and Debra spoke to Rotary about PFLAG. Lisa is a founding member of the River Falls PFLAG chapter. She works as a mental health therapist at Allina in River Falls and presented information about the River Falls chapter of PFLAG, which stands for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
The River Falls chapter is one of over 400 chapters in the United States whose mission is to provide support, education and advocacy for people in the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more.) community and their friends and families. Lisa's talk described some of what the organization does and provided information about current terms and answer questions.
The River Falls organization meets monthly, and active member work with groups and with individuals. They have facilitated panel discussions that educate and share stories in 9th grade classes health classes in Prescott, Ellsworth, Baldwin/Woodville and River Falls.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) conducts a survey each year of students in 9th through 12th grades called A Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The 2021 survey showed that 80% of LGBTQ2S+ students reported anxiety and that these students had twice the suicide rate of other students. Twenty-two percent had attempted suicide. Having contact with one trusted adult can reduce suicide risk by 40%.
Up to forty percent of homeless populations are LGBTQ2S+, which is an acronym that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and Two-Spirit. “Two-Spirit” is a term used within some Indigenous communities, encompassing cultural, spiritual, sexual and gender identity. The term reflects complex Indigenous understandings of gender roles, spirituality, and the long history of sexual and gender diversity in Indigenous cultures.
The other presenter, Debra, is a retired Agriculture professor, married for 29 years and is transgender. She said that it is safer for her in Europe than in the United States, and she recently decided not to attend a family event in Florida because she would not feel safe.
The River Falls Middle School has 60 students in the Gender Sexual Alliance club.
Debra and Lisa reminded us that the suicide help line number is 988.