Let's Get PFLAG to South By Southwest!

Vote TODAY to help our panel—Beyond Bans: Defending LGBTQ+ Stories and Literary Freedom—be accepted to the 2026 SXSW EDU! Join us as we explore how cultural leaders, community organizations and libraries can work together to combat censorship while expanding access to the diverse stories that help LGBTQ+ youth feel safe, seen and valued.

Moderated by esteemed education reporter Nadra Nittle (she/her) of The 19th News, the panel will feature PFLAG National CEO  Brian K. Bond (he/him) alongside #1 New York Times bestseller author Casey McQuiston (they/them) and American Library Association President Sam Helmick (they/them). 

Don’t wait—vote NOW to help get our panel accepted! The voting period closes on Sunday, August 24 (11:59 PM PT).

• Sign up with your email to register with PanelPicker: panelpicker.sxsw.com
• Vote for the PFLAG National panel at  pflagnation.al/sxsweduvote
• Submit your vote by clicking the heart icon. ❤️

Spread the word and encourage your colleagues and network to vote for the panel! 🗣️

DEI Workshop Track at Learning With Love: The 2025 PFLAG National Convention

Check out this sneak preview of workshops from our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion track at Learning With Love: The 2025 PFLAG National Convention! Expand and decolonize your understanding of intersectionality, explore how to create safer and inclusive spaces, and discover strategies for tackling implicit bias in workplaces, classrooms, and healthcare settings:

• First, Do No Further Harm: Addressing Implicit Bias in the Workplace, Classroom, and Doctor’s Office
• A radicalBLend on Identity + Inclusion
• African Queerness and Intersectionality

These are just a few of the many powerful sessions we’re lining up—and you won’t want to miss a moment!

So join us in courageous love and community in Chicago this fall, October 10-12.

Visit pflag.org/2025convention to register.

PFLAG Publication: Our Children

PFLAG resource alert! Check out our publication, Our Children, for fresh and compassionate support for those who have just had a loved one come out to them. Full of useful knowledge, helpful tips, expert opinions and first-person stories, Our Children is a must read for anyone looking to learn more about how to support LGBTQ loved ones…or looking for support for themselves.

Download the publication for free in English and Spanish or order physical copies at: pflag.org/OurChildren

Straight For Equality Allyship Scenario: What Would You Do?

Let’s set the scene: You help run a men’s running club, and someone sends you a DM on Instagram asking if the group is trans inclusive. You pose their question to the running club group chat, and the responses are mixed. One guy is totally on board, another is on the fence, and another states that they use this club as a “safe space to get away from all that political nonsense." What do you do?

It’s a tricky situation—you don’t want the group to implode, but you are also committed to keeping this running club inclusive. Here are some ways to resolve this issue:

• Ask questions - Try to get to the bottom of what Tom means by “political nonsense”.
• Educate - Share facts about how LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport benefits everyone.
• Communicate your values - Let Tom and James know what you’ll do if the group is not trans inclusive.
• Evaluate - Considering Tom and James’ comments, would this actually be a safe space for trans people?

Learn more about allyship in our Straight For Equality program's resource: Guide to Being an Ally to LGBTQ+ People.