Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is a national LGBT advocacy group with 375 chapters across the United States. Its leaders have strong ties with the Democratic Party and broader left-of-center political advocacy.

PFLAG was founded in 1973 as a support group for gay individuals and their families. The groups spread to other cities across the United States and were unified under a national organization in 1982. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, PFLAG opposed religious conservatives and pushed for increased legal protections for gay and lesbian individuals. In 1993, PFLAG expanded its focus to bisexual individuals, and in 1998, it became the first national gay rights group to include transgender individuals in its mandate.

PFLAG lists its current policy priorities as reducing violence against transgender individuals, increasing gun control laws, implementing stronger hate-crime penalties, increasing resources for HIV and STD prevention, expanding immigration, toughening enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and declaring gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender statuses to be protected classes under anti-discrimination laws. ¹

History

Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays began in 1973 as an informal meeting of parents and family members of gay children in New York City. The events were initially organized by lawyer Jeanne Manford whose son was beaten while distributing flyers at a rally. The meetings served as both a support system for the families and a platform to discuss gay activism. Similar groups arose in Washington DC and Los Angeles, and soon spread throughout the United States. In 1980, the groups expanded their scope to education by providing materials on gay issues to schools throughout the country. ²

In 1982, the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays incorporated in California as an umbrella group for 20 local organizations. Five years later, the corporate headquarters moved to Denver, Colorado. Throughout the 1980s, the Federation began to take on national issues, particularly in challenging Anita Bryant’s campaign to discharge lesbians from the military. ³

In 1990, PFLAG relocated to Washington, D.C. The same year, PFLAG president Paulette Goodman wrote a letter to First Lady Barbara Bush asking her to support PFLAG. Bush’s response advocated against discrimination but did not comment specifically on gay issues. Nevertheless, after her response was leaked to the Associated Press, it was considered one of the first expressions of pro-gay sentiment from the White House. ⁴

Throughout the 1990s, PFLAG battled religious conservatives. After PFLAG launched an advertising campaign, televangelist Pat Robertson vowed to sue any television station which showed a PFLAG commercial. ⁵ In the mid-1990s, PFLAG successfully got the federal government to add the protection of gay and lesbian students from discrimination to Title IX. ⁶

In 1993, PFLAG added advocating for bisexual people to its mission. In 1998, PFLAG became the first national gay rights organization to add transgender individuals to its mission. ⁷⁸

In 2014, PFLAG adopted its current name, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, but maintained its long-time acronym, PFLAG. ⁹

Legislation

PFLAG urges its members to support social-liberal left-progressive LGBT-interest legislation. ¹⁰ It supports the Equality Act proposed by Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-RI) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR). The bill would amend the Civil Rights Act to establish LGBT individuals as a protected class. ¹¹

PFLAG supports the Do No Harm Act proposed by Rep. Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA). The bill amends the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act to limit its use in most private endeavors to prevent discrimination on the basis of religious belief. ¹²

PFLAG supports the Every Child Deserves a Family Act proposed by Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) and Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY). The bill prohibits federal funding to child welfare and adoption organizations which discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, marriage status, or gender identity. ¹³

PFLAG supports the Restore Honor to Service Members Act proposed by Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI). The bill directs the Secretary of Defense to review all military discharges based on sexual orientation for possible reinstatement. ¹⁴

PFLAG supports the Deadly Force Transparency Act proposed by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TX). The bill requires all federal law enforcement agencies to collect and publish data on all instances where an officer uses deadly force. ¹⁵

PFLAG supports the LGBT Data Inclusion Act proposed by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). The bill requires federal agencies to collect voluntary and confidential data on LGBT population statistics. ¹⁶

PFLAG International

Organizations mimicking PFLAG’s mission and structure have arisen in 17 countries throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. These organizations have no official connection with PFLAG US but are considered allied groups. ¹⁷

Leadership

Brian Bond

Brian Bond is the executive director of PFLAG and a longtime activist in the Democratic Party. In his early career, Bond worked on the staffs of future Governor Mel Carnahan (D-MO), Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO), and Governor Bob Holden (D-MO). In 1997, Bond became the executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a pro-Democratic political action committee. In this role, Bond gave heavy support to Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the first openly lesbian member of Congress. He then worked as executive director of the Democratic National Committee’s Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council. ¹⁸  Later, Bond became the director of LGBT outreach for the Democratic National Committee. He joined Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign as national constituency director in Chicago. ¹⁹²⁰

In 2009, President Obama appointed Bond to be the deputy director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. Bond was present at high level strategy meetings that steered the president’s LGBT-interests policy, including his decision to support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. ²¹

In 2011, Bond returned to the Democratic National Committee as director of constituency outreach. ²² In 2016, he became the CEO for public engagement at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. ²³ Then Bond served as the coalitions director for the Climate Action Campaign. In 2019, Bond joined PFLAG. ²⁴

Diego Miguel Sanchez

Diego Miguel Sanchez is the director of advocacy, policy, and partnerships at PFLAG, and a longtime Democratic staffer and LGBT activist. Sanchez spent his early career working in corporate management, but in 1992, he began to volunteer for the Human Rights Campaign, and would continue to do so in a variety of roles until 2009. Sanchez got his first job at a nonprofit in 2001 when he became a director at the Justice Resource Institute, a Boston-based LGBT community organizing group. In 2003, Sanchez became a founding board member of the National Center for Transgender Equality. ²⁵

From 2004-2009, Sanchez was director of public relations and external affairs of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. In this role, Sanchez worked with the Democratic National Committee. In 2007, Sanchez volunteered for the LGBT Policy Advisory Committee of Hillary Clinton’s (D-NY) 2008 presidential campaign. His volunteer work at the Human Rights Campaign also included volunteering for Clinton’s 2008 campaign. ²⁶

In 2009, Sanchez became a senior policy advisor to Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA). In 2013, Sanchez joined PFLAG.

Funding

PFLAG receives funding from 38 corporate sponsors including Facebook, Bank of America, and Apple. PFLAG also lists both Walmart and its nonprofit affiliate, the Walmart Foundation, as sponsors. ²⁷

1. “PFLAG Policy Statements.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/policystatements.
2. “Our Story.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/our-story.
3. “Our Story.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/our-story.
4. Johnson, Chris. “Barbara Bush remembered as gay ally who fought AIDS stigma.” Blade. April 18, 2018. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://www.washingtonblade.com/2018/04/18/barbara-bush-leaves-legacy-of-embracing-gays-people-with-hivaids/.
5. Ritts, Herb. “Advocate.” November 12, 1996. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://books.google.com/books?id=PWQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT33&lpg=PT33&dq=%22project+open+mind%22+robertson&source=bl&ots=sWejoLMa8t&sig=GrzrcZiVCmxfkXxbKNi6_Mifp5o&hl=en&sa=X&ei=bOVIUOfzDKajiQLikIDoAQ&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22project%20open%20mind%22%20robertson&f=false.
6. “Our Story.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/our-story.
7. “Our Story.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/our-story.
8. “Welcome to TNET!.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20120514141130/http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=380.
9. “Our Story.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/our-story.
10. “The Equality Act.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/sites/default/files/1V1P%20Equality%20Act.pdf.
11. “The Equality Act.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/sites/default/files/1V1P%20Equality%20Act.pdf.
12. “The Do No Harm Act.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/sites/default/files/1V1P%20Do%20No%20Harm.pdf.
13. “Every Child Deserves a Family Act.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/sites/default/files/1V1P%20Every%20Child.pdf.
14. “Restore Honor to Service Members Act.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/sites/default/files/1V1P%20Restore%20Honor.pdf.
15. “Deadly Force Transparency Act.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/sites/default/files/1V1P%20Deadly%20Force.pdf.
16. “The LGTB Data Inclusion Act.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/sites/default/files/1V1P%20LGBT%20Data%20Inclusion.pdf/.
17. “International Focus.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/intlfamilygroups.
18. “Meet LGTB History Month icon Brian Bond.” San Diego LGTB News. October 5, 2016. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://sdlgbtn.com/causes/2016/10/05/meet-lgbt-history-month-icon-brian-bond.
19. Rehwald, Jacki. “PFLAG National executive director helps local chapter celebrate 25^th anniversary.” Springfield News Leader. November 22, 2019. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2019/11/22/pflag-national-director-shares-story-lgbtq-organization-springfield/4229642002/.
20. Eleveld, Kerry. “Gay Man to be Tapped As Deputy Director of Obama’s Public Liaison Office.” Advocate. January 8, 2009. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2019/11/22/pflag-national-director-shares-story-lgbtq-organization-springfield/4229642002/.
21. Solomon, Marc. “How Obama Became the Gay-Rights President.” New Republic. October 12, 2014. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://newrepublic.com/article/119801/obamas-gay-rights-record-how-he-became-lgbt-president.
22. Reese, Phil. “Bond leaves White House for DNC.” Washington Blade. July 8, 2011. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://newrepublic.com/article/119801/obamas-gay-rights-record-how-he-became-lgbt-president.
23. “Meet LGTB History Month icon Brian Bond.” San Diego LGTB News. October 5, 2016. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://sdlgbtn.com/causes/2016/10/05/meet-lgbt-history-month-icon-brian-bond.
24. “Brian Bond.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/bio/brian-bond.
25. “Diego Miguel Sanchez.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegomsanchez/.
26. “Diego Miguel Sanchez.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegomsanchez/.
27. “Corporate Partners.” PFLAG. Accessed October 2, 2020. https://pflag.org/corporatepartners.