ShanghaiPRIDE 2015 PFLAG Conference – Love is Our Future【Ended】
Registration starts now!
Date: Saturday 20-June
Time: 13:00 – 17:00
Venue: Andaz Xintiandi, Shanghai, 3/F, No.88 Songshan Road (near Middle Huaihai Road)
Free entry.
Registration period: 01-June – 15-June
Review: ShanghaiPRIDE 2014 PFLAG Conference
PFLAG Conference was attended by more than 400 LGBT and their parents during Pride6 in 2014. Everyone was welcomed to share his/her stories of coming out. Sincere sharing enhanced understanding between LGBT children and their parents and boosted family confidence in the future of LGBT children.
“Homosexuality has nothing to do with me.”
Feng Mum, mother of an openly gay son Fengling, thought her son had always been a good and sensible boy. Although Fengling has prepared his coming out to her by deliberately mentioning LGBT related issues for three years before he eventually came out, Feng Mum didn’t see it’s coming. She accepted it out of love and successfully persuaded her husband to accept their son. “If other family relatives ask us, we would just tell them that our son is gay. If they love Fengling, we would still be relatives; If they don’t, we wouldn’t be relatives any more,” says Feng Mum.
“Truely understand children’s inner struggle”
Lajiao Mum has prepared a new flat for her son’s marriage when her son was 28 years old but he still needs a fiancee. When her son told her that he is gay, she was very emotional and sad. She gradually calmed down and tried to understand her son. “He must be struggling inside. As a mother, I should care about his well-being as well as his inner struggle. I wouldn’t be able to understand and accept him if I couldn’t understand who he really is. I will not force him into heterosexual marriage because I don’t want him to hurt an innocent girl,” says Lajiao Mum.
“Many gays’ mums are witty”
Baobao and her mother have always been very close. Baobao told her mother about many celebrities’ coming out stories before she came out. Baobao’s mum didn’t cry on her daughter’s coming out. “Many parents just don’t want to face the reality. We still need to talk a lot after coming out. Also, do not under-estimate parents’ ability to understand and eventually accept it. My mum would ask me if people are gay when she finds two women or two men being too close. She is witty,” says Baobao.
“My dad tried doctor’s Viagra sample”
A gay man said that his father forced him to see doctor and he was given Viagra. Being worried about side effect of Viagra, his father also tried a sample. Xiaoli’s mum is from Chongqing. She forced her daughter to medical treatment for four years and was diagnosed of depression. “My daughter and I went to Department of Psychology of Southwest Hospital, the doctor says that being gay is normal and I am the one that is not right. After that visit, I learnt that homosexuality is not an illness and needs no treatment,” says Xiaoli’s mum.
Registration via http://www.wenjuan.com/s/zUFzIf1/ or scan below QR code.
Subsidies
– Free accommodation on 20-June for first 40 parents who sign up.
– Free dinner on 20-June for all parents who participate.
About PFLAG Conference
China PFLAG has held 18 regional conferences in 17 cities since 2013. Nearly 2,500 LGBT and their families have joined this event.
Special thanks to The British Consulate-General Shanghai, Andaz Xintiandi, Shanghai and Helan Online for supporting this event!
