Parents, Families, and Friends of
Support Education Advocacy
Learn about PFLAG
as a national and international organization
PFLAG's History.
In 1972, Morton Manford
was physically attacked at a gay rights protest demonstration in New
York. Morty's parents, Jeanne and Jules Manford, saw the attack on
a local newscast and witnessed the police's failure to intervene. Their
outrage turned them into civil rights activists.
The idea for PFLAG
began in 1972 when Jeanne Manford marched with
her gay son in New York's Pride Day parade, carrying the sign "We love
our gay children." After many gay and lesbian people ran up to Jeanne
during the parade and begged her to talk to their parents, she decided
to begin a support group. Jean Manford recollects,
“As we marched the parade route, Morty and I began talking about starting a group for parents. I never had any idea it would start all of this. I remember, as we marched, telling Morty that I hoped it would someday become a national organization, but that was just a dream. I never envisioned we would reach so many people.”
Approximately 20 people attended the first formal meeting at a local church in March 1973.
(Passage adapted from National
PFLAG's web
site; PFLAGpole, 1998) 