PARENTS, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Brisbane president Donna Goddard recently spent some time in Mount Isa meeting up with the city’s branch of the organisation.
Attending the Equality Fun Day last Sunday, Mrs Goddard said she was impressed with the level of support and organisation available here.
“The Mount Isa branch of PFLAG are amazing, they really need to focus on the positives that are happening here,” she said.
“Outside of Brisbane, this is probably one of the most active at the moment.
“They are doing an amazing job and I know that it is a challenge in a small community and I know that you are putting yourself on the line and I am so proud to be out here and support them.”
Mrs Goddard said her son came out as gay two years ago when he was 18.
“At that point I decided that I had to change the world one conversation at a time. I had to go out and try to educate people and share my story and share other people’s stories to help to try and change the mind of the community and help them to see that our kids are just ordinary kids, they are just sexually attracted to the same gender or they are in some cases questioning their gender,” he said.
Mrs Goddard said she had made it her mission to fight homophobic bullying.
“Bullying affects not only gay and lesbian kids, it affects their friends, siblings and parents too,” she said.
“If those kids that are getting bullied are not able to talk to their parents or friends or teachers about it they are very, very lonely and those kids are four times more likely to commit suicide or self harm.
“That is really, really scary because we are talking about kids lives, not just do they have the same rights, we’re talking about saving kids lives.”
Mrs Goddard said rural communities such as Mount Isa faced unique difficulties and has pushed PFLAG to move in an online direction to offer services to people wherever they live.
Author: The North West Star
Publication: The North West Star
Publication Date: June 3 2013