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LGBT Parenting Network
October 2007, E-News

FAMILIES - DEAF & HEARING; QUEER & STRAIGHT

Come join us to get a better understanding of cultural differences that can exist within families who members are deaf and hearing; LGBTTIQQ2S and straight.
Whether you are:  

  • Deaf or hearing
  • A family member or community service worker

Come to our panel discussion about how to support deaf and hearing LGBTTIQQ2S youth, and deaf and hearing LGBTTIQQ2S parents.

Saturday October 13, 2007
10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
East Room Centre
The 519 Church Street Community Centre
519 Church Street (north of Wellesley)
Toronto, Ontario

Panelists Include:

  • Michelle Bourgeois, Vice President at Ontario Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf (ORAD)
  • Rachel Epstein, Coordinator at The LGBTQ Parenting Network
  • Juan Bernal, Mr. RAD 2007-2009 at Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf (RAD)
  • Krin Zook, Out and Proud Program Coordinator at Children’s Aid Society of Toronto

Moderator: Chris Veldhoven

For more information, please contact:
Frank Folino, Director-at-Large at Ontario Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf: orad_directoratlarge@yahoo.ca
Chris Veldhoven, Queer Parenting Programmes Coordinator at The 519: queerparenting@the519.org or 416-392-6878, ext. 109

Supported by:
Ontario Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf
Queer Parenting Programmes at The 519
The LGBTQ Parenting Network, Sherbourne Health Centre
Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf
Children’s Aid Society of Toronto

Funded by:
The Lesbian and Gay Appeal Foundation (LGCA)
ASL Interpretation Provided

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SAVE THE DATE! THE TRANS PULSE PROJECT LAUNCH

Tuesday, October 23rd, 7:00-9:30 pm
The 519 Church Street Community Centre, 519 Church St. Toronto, Ontario
The Trans PULSE Project is a community based research project aimed at documenting the lived experience of trans
people and how social exclusion affects their health and vulnerability to HIV.
This event is wheelchair accessible and sign language interpretation will be provided.
Project Partners: Trans community members, Sherbourne Health Centre, University of Western Ontario, OHTN, TG Station, The 519 Church Street Community Centre

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LGBTQ FAMILIES IN THE SCHOOLS

LGBTQ parents across the board are concerned about what happens for their kids in schools.  The LGBTQ Parenting Network (Sherbourne Health Centre) and Queer Parenting Programmes at the 519 are launching a new project to make schools more welcoming for our kids. We invite participation from all, including parents, prospective parents, young people and teachers.
Last year at the Queer Parenting Exchange we brainstormed about how to approach our work to make schools more friendly, welcoming and inclusive of our kids.  

Themes we talked about included:

  • Looking at the Big Picture;
  • Approaches in Local Schools; Website Possibilities;
  • Teacher Training and Curriculum;
  • Parent / Teacher Connections; Media.

We plan to continue this discussion and get down to work.  
Please come to the first meeting on:
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Sherbourne Health Centre, 333 Sherbourne (2nd floor)

For more info: 416 324 4100, ext. 5219; parentingnetwork@sherbourne.on.ca  
LGBTQ parents, prospective parents, teachers, young people, friends and allies, all welcome.

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NEW GROUP FOR YOUTH WITH LGBTQ PARENTS: FLO - Families Like Ours

A NEW group for youth age 13-18 who are the children of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual parents.

  • Do you sometimes feel like you are the only one with a family like yours?
  • Do you want to find a place where you can talk about your family with complete honesty and receive support from other youth who share your experiences?
  • Are you looking to connect with other youth who have a LGBTTQ family?
  • This twelve-week group will be starting in the fall of 2007.

To get more info or sign up for the group contact: CTYS (416) 924-2100 and ask for intake.

Free food & TTC. There will be lots of discussion, arts, film and so much more…

Note: We have now hired a second facilitator for this group, and are excited to get going.  Please call 416 924-2100 to register.
FLO is a joint partnership between: CTYS (Central Toronto Youth Services), LGBTQ Parenting Network (Sherbourne Health Centre), Queer Parenting Programs at The 519, Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE)

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FALL 2007 - MUTUAL SUPPORT BEREAVEMENT GROUPS FOR GLBTQ COMMUNITIES

Small groups of 8-10 members.
Facilitated by trained, bereaved, GLBTQ volunteers.
Mutual Support Model.
Peer group facilitators receive support from volunteer professional advisors.
Centrally located at Bloor & Spadina.
No fee.

10 Thursdays, September 27th to November 29th, 2007
 7:00pm to 9:00pm

GLBTQ & Grief for Women – a group for lesbians/queer-identified women who have lost a parent, sibling, spouse/partner or other significant person to death

GLBTQ & Grief for Men – a group for gay men/queer-identified men who have lost a parent, sibling, spouse/partner or other significant person to death
All of our groups (for bereaved parents, youth, children, young adults and adults) are welcoming and inclusive of members of GLBTQ communities – however some people may feel safer to explore their grief in a group specifically for queer-identified people and so this fall, we are offering an alternative option for members of GLBTQ communities. Transsexual/Transgendered people - whether they identify as queer or straight - are welcome to choose the group with which they most closely identify.  

To find out more about our programs and to register for groups, please call the office at 416-440-0290 or email info@bfotoronto.ca. One-to-one meetings with a peer support volunteer will be arranged with interested group members prior to placement in groups.

We are able to provide TTC tickets if this would make it easier for you to access our programs.
“Grief is a solitary journey. No one but you knows how great the hurt is. No one but you can know the gaping hole left in your life when someone you know has died. And no one but you can mourn the silence that was once filled with laughter and song. It is the nature of love and of death to touch every person in a totally unique way. Comfort comes from knowing that people have made the same journey. And solace comes from understanding how others have learned to sing again.”
-Helen Steiner Rice

Bereaved Families of Ontario-Toronto
Bereaved helping the bereaved learn to live with grief.  We can help the healing begin.
BFO-Toronto  28 Madison Ave. Toronto ON  M5R 2S1 416-440-0290  bfotoronto.ca  soul2soul.ca

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Past LGBT Parenting E-News issues:

Disclaimer: News from the Parenting Network, as with our Pride & Joy newsletter may include reprints, excerpts or summaries from other sources. We cannot take responsibility for any inaccuracies or omissions. We are also happy to publish information about research projects and other community initiatives. We do so in the spirit of sharing information, but do not have sufficient knowledge to actively endorse or advocate participation in particular projects.

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