January 25, 2008
PFLAG Gets Union Donation
Steve Weinstein READ TIME: 1 MIN.
In a sign that unions are recognizing the importance of gay rights, PFLAG Canada (formally Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) has received a donation of CA$25,000 from the powerful Canadian Auto Workers Union. The grant was provided through the CAW's Social Justice Fund in support of PFLAG Canada's 2008 programs, including a support network, school anti-homophobia initiatives and resources to parents, youth and teachers.
"Many people still experience difficulty coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans-identified," Cherie MacLeod, PFLAG Canada's executive director, said in a statement. "There is also growing public interest to understand sexual and gender diversity, particularly among professionals working in education, business and health care fields."
PFLAG Canada supports diversity initiatives in the workplace as well as schools. The donation recognizes the important work of PFLAG and underscores the ongoing commitment of the CAW to creating a positive environment for LGBT members and their families," said CAW President Buzz Hargrove.
In recent years, many unions have moved into the forefront of gay issues. Many U.S. unions have come forward in favor of formalizing gay unions, and unions have supported efforts to grant domestic-partner benefits to their members. But the PFLAG donation marks another long step, insofar as it signifies that a major union supports a gay advocacy organization that works primarily outside of the workplace.
Steve Weinstein has been a regular correspondent for the International Herald Tribune, the Advocate, the Village Voice and Out. He has been covering the AIDS crisis since the early '80s, when he began his career. He is the author of "The Q Guide to Fire Island" (Alyson, 2007).
