Friday, February 12th is PFLAG Night at the Curious Theatre, 1031 Acoma St. ,Denver, an opportunity to see the world premiere of Terry Dodd’s play, Home by Dark. The 90 minute production will be preceded by a champagne reception and followed by a PFLAG panel to discuss the contrast of the coming out process for LGBT persons and their families, in 2010 with l986, the time setting of the play.
Home by Dark is summarized by the playwright: On a snowy morning in 1986, a father makes a surprise visit to his son in Boulder, Colorado to confront him about a secret, and reveal one of his own. A compelling story of a young man and his father grappling to turn their fear of the truth into acceptance, HOME BY DARK is a truly heartwarming story about the risks of love, secrets, and compassion.
It took 35 years for Terry to create the play that was inspired by his own experience of coming out to his dad when he was a student at the University of Colorado. PFLAG Boulder served as an “angel” to promote a staged reading of “Home by Dark” when the cast traveled to the National PFLAG Convention in 2007 to present it to an enthusiastic capacity crowd. The world premiere of “Home by Dark” is currently in production at the Curious Theatre in Denver from Jan. 9 through Feb. 13.
PFLAG has been offered a 30% discount for our group, $25 for a $34 ticket on Feb. 12th only. Anyone who would like to be included is welcome. Reserve and pay for tickets by sending checks made out to Curious Theatre to Louise and Herb Crede, 853 Wade Rd., Longmont, CO 80503 by February 5 or sooner to ensure group seating. The reception at 7 p.m. will be held in Mamie’s, located behind the backstage of the Curious Theatre for all PFLAGers and guests. The curtain is at 8 p.m.
Did you ever wonder why calling someone a “fag” is so pervasive among teenage boys? CJ Pascoe’s talk is drawn from her book, Dude You’re a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in Adolescence, an ethnographic study of teenagers, examining masculinity, its meaning and social behaviors. She will talk about masculinity as it relates to both gender and sexuality.
For boys creating a masculine identity entails continually repudiating the specter of failed masculinity through invoking a “fag discourse.” Additionally, boys enact a “compulsive heterosexuality” to prove to themselves and others that they are not fags. Looking at how homophobic epithets are expressed, Pascoe documents that ”fag” is not necessarily a static identity attached to a particular (homosexual) boy. Rather fag talk and fag imitations serve as a discourse with which boys discipline themselves and each other through joking relationships. The talk will conclude with suggestions for social change and policy reform to combat the homophobia central to adolescent masculinity. This program is open to the public and is free of charge.
Tanya Greathouse, Director of the Center for Multicultural Affairs at the University of Colorado, will lead a discussion about issues of concern to GLBTQ persons of color. Dr. Greathouse has provided psychotherapy services to children, adolescents and adults for 27 years. She has worked at the University of Colorado at Boulder since 1994 and most recently in the Chancellor’s Leadership Program and Sociology Department at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her curricula covered multicultural awareness in mental health issues, the intersections of race, class and gender in criminology, and multicultural leadership qualities. Also joining Dr. Greathouse is Kevin Correa, Assistant Director of CU’s GLBT Resource Center, and students from CU’s QPOC (Queer People of Color).
Holding Families Together looks at social problems that result when parents reject their LGBT sons and daughters. Teens that come out are more likely to become homeless and turn to drugs, prostitution and crime. When rejected, these gay, lesbian and transgender teens become depressed and suicidal. Many problems are avoided, however, when young people receive the support they need.
For an evening of fabulous food, fun and fellowship, plan to attend our semi-annual potluck in Mead Hall downstairs in First United Methodist Church. 6:30 is the time. The PFLAG Board will provide a roasted turkey, a vegetarian main dish, table settings, beverages and rolls.
Feel free to invite family and friends to join us, but please bring enough food to share—a side-dish, salad, or dessert. The treat of the evening will follow dinner: Somethin’ About Lulu, our favorite lesbian trio, who will have their new CD available for purchase, will entertain us with some original songs and humor to guarantee laughter. Toe-tappin’ fun and some sing-along tunes will fill you with joy!
Gifted and Gay* Youth *Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (GLBTQ)
WHO: Speakers Becky Whittenburg, Theresa Reali, Craig Christopher, Barbara Mitchell Hutton
WHEN: Thursday, December 3rd, 6:30—8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Flagstaff Room, Boulder Valley School District
Education Center, 6500 Arapahoe, Boulder 80305
RSVP to programming@bvgt.org
Gifted youth and GLBTQ youth share some unique characteristics that other populations of young people generally do not. This program will explore characteristics that appear in gifted, gay and questioning youth populations. We will explore the implications of children questioning their sexual identity at earlier ages and sexually diverse family cultures. We will look at the impact of being gifted on sexual orientation/identity.
Topics include:
Shared Characteristics of Gifted and Gay Youth
Trust and Healthy Relationships
Education’s Responsibility to GLBTQ Youth
Visibility of GLBTQ Issues in Society and Education
How Overexcitabilities and Sensitivities Impact Gifted GLBTQ Youth
PFLAG Boulder County meets on the third Thursday of every month at the First United Methodist Church of Boulder, at 1421 Spruce Street. Programs begin at 7:00pm and support groups follow at 8:30pm.
First PFLAG Meeting? Need directions or more info?
E-mail Melissa Druckman at: mellowhellow@googlemail.com
Or contact her at her cellphone number: (720) 299-1453.
