#BlackLivesMatter

 PFLAG Austin stands together with Black Lives Matter! In a press release recently published by PFLAG National, the “parent” of PFLAG Austin, PFLAG National signed on to a joint letter, committing our movement to make “explicit commitments to embrace anti-racism and end white supremacy, not as necessary corollaries to our mission, but as an integral to the objective of full equality for LGBT people.”

We at PFLAG Austin stand firmly and in solidarity behind these words. Our LGBTQiA+ community is all too familiar with acts of hate, violence and racism. There is an epidemic of hate in our community particularly toward black transgender women. This year alone at least 12 black transgender women have senselessly lost their lives to hate.

While the LGBTQiA+ community has made great strides forwards we are still a long way from equality. Just yesterday, the Trump administration rolled back the non-discrimination protections for people based on sexual orientation or gender identity. While PFLAG Austin cannot endorse or support political candidates we can support laws to protect our community. You can help make a difference by getting out there and voting!

Our country is built on justice, equality and liberty for all! The LGBTQiA+ community knows what it’s like to push back when we are told that our lives do not matter. We join together with #BlackLivesMatter and commit to the objective that we can all live fully, freely and authentically.