It would have to take something to strike a nerve in order to start something that turns into one of the biggest groups in the world let alone the United States. The organization known as PFLAG is one of those groups that sparked from such an interesting and life changing event.
One can ask this: What is PFLAG?
PFLAG is the acronym of: Parents, Familes and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. It was known as P-FLAG before the hyphen was dropped. In short, it is a group in support for the LGBT community comprised of family, friends, and close ones of those part of the LGBT community.
On the PFLAG website, it explains that the organization's vision is the family and friends of those in the LGBT community celebrate the diversity of everybody regardless of gender and sexual orientation. It aims for a society that embraces everybody regardless of physical and internal differences.
Its mission is the promotion of the health and well-being of the LGBT community in many different ways such as support, education, advocacy, and the end of discrimination.
The original founding was in 1972 in New York City, New York. In short, PFLAG originated from the Big Apple. But, the group was not called PFLAG at the time. However, that does not explain how PFLAG was formed in the first place. Here is the question: When and why was PFLAG formed in the first place?
Seeing something happen to a close on one TV is more than enough motivation. This is the case for Jeanne Manford, the founder of PFLAG. She marched with her son Mortie at New York's Gay Pride Parade. Jeanne Manford marched in support of her son and the LGBT community. She marched as a parent in support of her son's lifestyle and well-being.
Manford carried a sign called "Parents of Gays: United in Support of Our Children." That is when PFLAG started out as "POG" which is the acronym of Parents of Gays.
What drove Manford to do so? According to the historical overview on the PFLAG website, there was a similar march taking place to months prior. In the Wikipedia entry on PFLAG, the march was televised. Manford saw something that shocked and enraged her. She was her son being tossed down an escalator. In addition, the New York City Police Department did not but watched what happened to Mortie.
Afterwards, it started turning into a movement. Her action inspired families, friends, and loved ones of the LGBT community to applaud her actions. Manford then formed the group.
However, Manford came across many risks. Her occupation at the time was an elementary school teacher. The parents of the students at the school complained about Manford's activism. It was the heroic action of a single person and the love of a mother that gave birth to one of the biggest gay rights advocacy groups in the world.
POG then became P-FLAG. In 1993, the hyphen was done away with. Between 1972 and today, PFLAG has gone through quite the interesting history. There was even a march in Washington D.C. during the 1979 National March for Gay and Lesbian Rights. In 1981, Adele Star would establish its first ever office which was in Los Angeles, California. Since its establishment, PFLAG has been quite active in the advocacy for gay rights.
In the 1990s, operations would be centralized in Washington D.C. It would make Washington D.C. the central location of PFLAG. They had even gotten support from then First Lady Barbara Bush. In the beginning, PFLAG was mainly for gays and lesbians. But it expanded to include transgender and bisexuals along with their loved ones.
In the span of three decades, PFLAG has become a formidable organization the promotion of gay rights. When you trace the steps to the origin, it would have to take something major to spark a movement. In this respect, this parallels the movement started by anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. That was sparked after her son was killed during the Iraq War. It was a movement that started outside of former US President George W. Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. It then became a national and inevitably an international movement.