PFLAG

Welcome

PFLAG is a national organization that started in 1972, and has since opened affiliate chapters in more than 460 communities across America. PFLAG stands for Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (and also includes and supports bisexual and transgendered individuals.)

PFLAG’s mission is to promote the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons (referred to on this site as the GLBT community), and their families and friends.

PFLAG works to fulfill this mission through:

Our Chapter

Our local chapter started in mid-1997, after the El Dorado Round Table on Human Rights held a meeting in which a local gay high school teen shared his story of harassment, abuse, and torment at his school and in the community, when classmates learned that he was gay. This student did not feel safe or supported enough to continue his studies, and dropped out of school.

We learned that his story was not a unique one, and it became clear that our community needed a PFLAG chapter. Soon, a group of people that cared came together, including mothers and fathers of LGBT daughters and sons, health educators, and friends and family members of gay, lesbian, transgendered and bisexual people. PFLAG Placerville sought and achieved non-profit status, under the umbrella of PFLAG National.

Meetings

PFLAG Placerville meets as follows:

Education is provided at meetings by showing informative films, and by speakers who make presentations on related topics.

Contact Us

By e-mail

You can e-mail us at info at pflagplacerville.org.

If you would like to make a donation to PFLAG, or want to contact us by regular mail, please write to us at our mailing address, which is:

PFLAG El Dorado County
4215 Bonita Vista Court
Placerville, CA 95667

Also, check the Links page for connections to other PFLAG chapters.

We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. –Elie Wiesel, 1986 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, author, professor

PFLAG’s Work in the Community

PFLAG educates the community by speaking with community groups, distributing literature on GLBT issues, and staffing PFLAG information booths at local health fairs. With the sponsorship of the El Dorado Round Table on Human Rights, we have also shared an information booth for many years at the El Dorado County Fair.

Safe Schools Project

PFLAG has sought to improve conditions in area schools by creating the Safe Schools Project. The Safe Schools Project developed informational packets to help teachers and counselors keep GLBT students safe from harassment on campus.

The Safe Schools Project also worked hard to promote the showing of a play in area high schools, to help prevent harassment of GLBT students at school, and to teach students about tolerance. Called The Other Side of the Closet, this play highlights what can happen when students become aware of other students who are GLBT. Discussion with student viewers followed the play, to create a dialogue about the issues.

Advocacy

As an advocacy group, PFLAG also works against acts of hatred directed at the GLBT community. For example, a young gay man in El Dorado County had his car stolen, burned, and defaced with inscriptions of “FAG” across it. PFLAG provided support to the young man, and encouraged local law enforcement to recognize the crime as a hate crime.

Hate-Free Zone Proclamation

Anti-gay activity in El Dorado County has led PFLAG to mobilize recently, and work with local community groups, law enforcement, the business community, churches, area government leaders, and concerned individuals to advocate against discrimination and intolerance.

In January 2005, PFLAG, together with the El Dorado Roundtable on Human Rights, requested the City Council of Placerville to declare Placerville a Hate Free Zone. In February 2005, the City Council responded by issuing a proclamation that the “City of Placerville opposes any acts of bigotry and prejudice against any individuals and declares itself a hate-free and discrimination-free city.”

GSA Prom

Friday, April 13, 2007 Placerville PFLAG made history by hosting the first ever GSA prom in El Dorado County. Held at Sequoia restaurant, “Gold Rush Nights” was an evening to remember. There was great music, fabulous food, and a photographer to commemorate the evening for all the students.

Join PFLAG

To join PFLAG, print a copy of our membership form (Adobe PDF format, 32Kb). After completing the form bring it with you to a PFLAG meeting.

Note: To download or open the membership form, you must have Adobe Reader. If you don’t have it yet, you can download a free copy fromAdobe’s download page.
You can also pick up a copy of the membership form at any PFLAG meeting. See the Meetings page for information about local PFLAGmeetings.

If you would like to support PFLAG of El Dorado County by making a donation, please mail your check to:

PFLAG El Dorado County
5110 Reservation Road
Placerville, CA 95667

Thanks for your support!

Does the full moon have an influence on childbirth?

This is one of the most common beliefs about pregnancy ... According to many people, there are more births on full moon nights. But is this really the case? We disentangle the true from the false with Dr. Thierry Harvey, obstetrician-gynecologist.

The full moon can it play on our emotions, our sleep and the baby's arrival?

Indeed, pregnant women who are nearing the end of their pregnancy often hear this kind of statement. This belief according to which the full moon would have an influence on childbirth therefore implies that on full moon nights, births would be more numerous , thus promoting the arrival of the baby . For Dr. Thierry Harvey, obstetrician-gynecologist, this is not the case. The specialist explains to us where this belief comes from, and why many continue to believe in it, while many scientific studies have denied this theory.

Full moon and childbirth: where does this belief come from?

The misconception that the full moon influences childbirth is very common, and there are even some health professionals who believe it. It must be said that this belief is very old, and therefore well anchored in mentalities. But where does it come from? In many cultures and even in mythology, the moon is associated with fertility and female cycles . "Women have a 28-day menstrual cycle, and lunar cycles last 29 days. So some have seen a connection there," Dr. Harvey explains. In addition, a full term pregnancy lasts 280 days, or 10 moons. For some, it could not be a coincidence. "The humans thought at one point that there had to bea link between the lunar phases and childbirth , or even with menstruation. Except that nothing has ever been proven, "said the obstetrician-gynecologist.

No, the full moon has no influence on childbirth!

The rumor that the full moon increases the number of childbirths is so widespread that researchers have repeatedly tried to determine if this is really the case. Several dozen studies have been carried out on the subject and, each time, the answer is the same: there are no more births on full moon nights than on other days . And if there isn't more, then this belief is wrong.

Among the many studies on the subject, we can cite one, published in May 2005 in the Amercian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology . Researchers at the Mountain Area Health Education Center in North Carolina, United States, studied 564,039 births, which were not triggered, for five years, or sixty-two lunar cycles. Enough to have a lot of data and be able to draw serious statistics from it. They were able to observe that there were no more childbirths or pregnancy complications, such as miscarriage or pre-eclampsia , at the time of the full moon . Their conclusion is therefore as follows: "Analysis of five years of data did not showno predictable influence of the lunar cycle on childbirth or complications . As expected, this pervasive myth is not based on evidence.

Full moon and childbirth: why do we continue to believe in it?

Studies on the full moon and childbirth are numerous, and some are relatively old. If all are categorical on the absence of link, it is clear that many people continue to think that there is a link. " It's because humans need to find answers to things they don't understand. That's why the irrational exists," said Dr Thierry Harvey. Indeed, if knowledge about childbirth and pregnancy is more and more provided, there is still a lot of things that we do not know. This is why there are so many beliefs around this period. Our specialist draws up a non-exhaustive list:“When a pregnant woman raises her arms, she is told that it will bring the baby down. Moms-to-be are told not to cross their legs, otherwise the umbilical cord will wrap around the baby's neck . heartburn is linked to baby's hair ... However, research and medical knowledge have shown that these beliefs are wrong! " In the case of issuance ,"we don't know how the birth starts. We know that, at some point, the baby will send a signal, but we don't know exactly what, how, why ... In the same way we don't know how to explain why some deliveries do not start naturally, and others prematurely. Ignoring certain things does not mean that we will never know the answer. On the contrary, it allows medical research to continue, " explains the obstetrician-gynecologist. If we continue to believe that the moon has an influence on childbirth, it is therefore to keep a part of the marvelous and the supernatural, but also, quite simply, to try to find a reason for something that we do not understand. not.

Links and Resources

Local GLBT resources

If the Shoe Fits – If the Shoe Fits is a gay and lesbian social group in El Dorado County.

Sacramento LGBT Community Center– “We strive to build a healthy, strong and diverse Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex community in the greater Sacramento area by providing services, resources, support, education and advocacy.” Lots of great links and resources on this site.

PFLAG national website – Lots of information about coming out, PFLAG programs, and marriage equality; links to other PFLAG chapters; PLFAG goodies, and more.

PFLAG Sacramento chapter – More area PFLAG events and resources.

LGBT Advocacy

Equality California – Equality California, along with Equality California Institute and the Equality California PAC, share a mission to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians. Founded in 1998, Equality California has offices in Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Palm Springs.

Human Rights Campaign – The Human Rights Campaign represents a grassroots force of more than 700,000 members and supporters nationwide. As the largest national gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, HRC envisions an America where GLBT people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

Law Resources

A page from Jim Adler and Associates listing several links to legal supports and law firms that provide services to LGBT community members.

A guide to filing taxes for same sex couples.

Health & family support

El Dorado County Mental Health –
The mission of the El Dorado County Mental Health Department is to promote mental health, wellness, recovery, and public safety, and to serve persons with mental illness and severe emotional disorders by providing culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services in the most cost efficient and least restrictive manner possible.

Links and phone numbers for assistance.

El Dorado County Public Health Department – 530-621-6100. The El Dorado County Public Health Department provides HIV, STD and pregnancy counseling services.

Mental health and suicide prevention – 530-622-3345. This is the El Dorado County mental health crisis line.

National Runaway Switchboard – 1-800-RUNAWAY. This is a confidential message center.

New Morning Emergency Youth Shelter – 530-626-4190. New Morning’s Youth Shelter offers temporary housing, hot meals, clothing, and individual and family counseling services for kids ages 6 – 17. New Morning also provides individual, family, and group counseling for all ages. For information on all New Morning programs call 530-622-5551.

The Trevor Project – The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.

Desert Hope – A place that offers addiction and abuse help for the LGBT community.

Addiction Center – Are you or a loved one struggling with prescription painkillers, alcohol or street drugs like heroin? Call our drug abuse hotline to be connected with one of our rehabs or detox centers and start your new life today. For immediate treatment help call:(877) 655-5116

Confidential STD labs. a health resource.


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