Panel Discussion – Embrace Your Children

On the 21st of June, 2014, from 2 p.m., PFLAG in conjunction with ShanghaiPRIDE, Andaz Xintiandi, Helan Online, Meiself will hold a PFLAG Panel Discussion. The discussion is dedicated to alleviate the sense of solitude derived from LGBT-related issues by arranging face to face communication between parents and relatives of the LGBT children. Furthermore, the discussion could allow parents to share their feelings and experiences on their children’s coming-out stories so that the significance of communication and understanding is addressed. The event could also help boost the confidence of the parents, the relatives, and the children about the future while they are listening to the life stories from gay partners.

In 2013, PFLAG held ten regional panel discussions in up to ten different provinces, including Hebei, Guizhou, Henan, Zhejiang, Liaoning, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Shanxi, Shanxi, Anhui and etc. The influence among the participants was very significant. With the prompt news reports from the mainstream media, the ideas of these discussions rippled further into the rest of the society. As a result, we decide to extend the central ideas of PLFAG: love, courage and commitment even more by holding six panel discussions in different major cities in 2014.

We warmly welcome members of the LGBT communities, fellow parents and allies from Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui to attend ShanghaiPRIDE for a pleasant union.

We will begin to reply about the panel discussion after consolidating the applications on June the 17th. Please seize the chance to sign up for the event so that we could arrange the schedule and the accommodation earlier.

Application

1. Time of the panel discussion

June the 21st 14:00-17:00

2. Sign Up

Register via http://www.wenjuan.com/s/yQjMBj or scan the QR code as follows.

Deadline:
Parents: June the 10th.
LGBT and other friendly participants: June the 16th

Subsidy for parents (Parents from Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui only)

1. Transportation

We reimburse all the transportation expenses of related to the panel discussion (including hard seat and hard sleeper train tickets, bus tickets.

2. Accommodation

We provide the parents accommodations for the 20th and 21st of June.

3. Meal Fees

We provide the parents all three meals on the 21st of June.

Please note that we could only subsidize two people maximum for parents and relatives who come from the same family. The detailed subsidized coverage depends on the specific incidence.

Some of the media reports about the PFLAG panel discussion

• China News: Shanxi PFLAG panel discussion: From incomprehension to support
• Xinhua: First PFLAG panel discussion was held in Shanxi
• Shanxi Youth Daily: Parents hope people should offer more understanding to these children
• Haerbin News: Son in the closet; Mother outside the closet
• Hua Shang Daily: Why is my child queer?
• Zhejiang City Express: What should you do if your child comes out?
• Dayu News: The stance of motherhood after the child came out
• Shenyang Huashang Chen Bao: We rest assured as long as you are not alone
• Henan Business Daily: It is such a big world. Please accept our children’s sexuality. Mom and dad, I am gay!
• Phoenix Television: Featuring PFLAG

#Better Together#