Virtual Meetings
Gender Spectrum Parent Community
The PFLAG Connects: Gender Spectrum Parent Community meets the third
Monday of the month at 8pm ET / 5pm PT.
Next meeting: July 21st, 2025
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About
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Meeting Resources
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FAQs
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Welcome to PFLAG Connects: Gender Spectrum Parent Community! These virtual meetings are open to parents and caregivers of persons who are gender diverse, of any age. Each meeting will be led by skilled facilitators who support families raising gender-diverse youth and adults, and who will guide attendees in receiving support, giving support, and finding resources to help their loved ones, families, and communities.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in attending, please click on the registration link. You will also find links to additional resources below.
Questions? Reach out to Partnerships and Communities Coordinator, Victor Vizcarrondo Velez
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Thank you for attending this month’s Gender Spectrum Parent PFLAG Connects: Communities meeting! These Gender Spectrum Parent PFLAG Connects: Communities meetings take place every third Monday of the month. Below are some of the resources we mentioned during the August meeting all you may find helpful.
Meeting Resources:
Trans Equality ID Documents Center – Guidance on ID Documents from Trans Equality.
Recommended Readings:
- “Guide to Being An Ally to Trans and Nonbinary People” – A PFLAG publication with additional resources for allies to the trans and nonbinary communities.
- “The Gender Creative Child” by Diane Ehrensaft
- “The Transgender Child” by Stephanie Brill
- “He’s Always Been My Son- A Mothers Story about Raising Her Transgender Son” by Janna Barkin
- “Phoenix Goes to School” by Michele and Phoenix Finch
- “Payden’s Pronoun Party” by Blue Jaryn
- “What Are Your Words?: A Book About Pronouns” by Katherine Locke
- Recommended fiction books for kids 3-6: https://www.transfamilyalliance.com/books_categories/fiction-books-for-kids-3-6/page/2/
Finding LGBTQ-Affirming Therapists – Psychology Today and the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory have searchable database of all kinds of doctors, medical professionals, and healthcare providers who are knowledgeable and sensitive to the unique health needs of LGBTQ+ people.
The GenderCool Project – A youth-led movement bringing positive change to the world by replacing misinformed opinions with positive experiences of transgender and nonbinary youth who are thriving.
PFLAG v Trump FAQ – Stay informed on updates in the PFLAG v Trump lawsuit in response to President Trump’s executive order to shut down access to necessary medical care for transgender youth and young adults.
PFLAG National Executive Order Explainers and Resources – Stay up-to-date on signed Executive Orders with helpful explainers from our many legal and policy partners and advocacy resources.
Good Queer News – A newsletter by transgender advocate and author, Ben Greene, with weekly roundup of Good Queer News stories and writings on resilience and hope.
Neurodiversity & Gender Diversity (PFLAG NYC) – PFLAG NYC hosts monthly virtual support groups (2nd Monday of every month at 7pm ET) for parents of kids, teens, and adults who live at the intersection of trans-ness and neurodivergence.
Going Home For The Holidays…Or Any Days – A digital resource/article for navigating going home for the holidays as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and as a family member/ally to an LGBTQ+ family member.
Election Outcome Joint Statement – A joint statement signed by 150 LGBTQIA2S+ organizations, including 41 PFLAG chapters and PFLAG National.
Mental Health Toolkit (TWLOHA) – Mental Health Toolkit offering valuable support for LGBTQIA+ people facing the pressures of the 2024 U.S. general election from the organization To Write Love on Her Arms’ (TWLOHA).
Ideas for providing support to a child from a distance – Sometimes providing support to a loved one from a distance can be challenging. Some ideas include: sending loving texts, writing a card, connecting and sharing memes on social media, and even sharing your experience of joining a support/discussion group with your loved one.
Equality TX – Statewide political advocacy organization in Texas that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights.
Sex Positive Families – An organization that provides education and resources to help families raise sexually healthy children.
Found in Transition – Memoir of a mother’s evolution during her child’s transition.
PFLAG Online Resources – A collection of digital resources.
PFLAG Digital Publications – A collection of online publications in English and Spanish.
To find PFLAG support in your local area, please visit our Find a PFLAG Chapter webpage or feel free to reach out to Partnerships and Communities Coordinator, Victor Vizcarrondo Velez.
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What exactly are PFLAG Connects: Communities meetings?
PFLAG Connects: Communities is a program of PFLAG National, offering safe, virtual support meetings for people with shared backgrounds and experiences. These meetings serve as opportunities for members of the LGBTQ+ community, parents, and families, to gain support, ask questions, and learn from others who have been through similar experiences. Visit PFLAG Connects: Communities for more details on all support group offerings.
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Are these meetings open to anyone?
PFLAG Connects: Gender Spectrum Parents Community meetings are open to parents and caregivers of persons of any age who are transgender and gender diverse.
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I am under the age of 18. Can I attend these meetings?
These meetings are only available for individuals 18 years of age or older. For assistance in locating local support for those 18 and under, please contact your nearest PFLAG chapter by visiting pflag.org/find.
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What should I expect in a PFLAG Connects: Communities meeting?
PFLAG Connects: Communities meetings begin with a welcome and introduction to the PFLAG Connects: Communities Program. Then, the host and facilitators will introduce themselves, and review the meeting ground rules with the participants.
The facilitators then introduce suggested meeting topics and/or allow participants to introduce themselves.
Finally, the space is open for anyone who has something to share or a question for the group—attendees are always welcome to just listen!
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What are the ground rules and norms for each support group meeting?
The ground rules and norms for every support group meeting are:
- Be honest about your feelings and thoughts
- Use “I” statements
- Listen to actually listen, not to respond
- Turn off electronics to avoid distractions/disruptions
- Respect everyone’s time and ideas and share the space
- Respect confidentiality
- Do not record audio or video of the session at any time
Hosts may invite participants to share any additional ground rules or norms for consideration during the meeting.
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I’m new to all of this and am not sure that I am comfortable sharing my story just yet. Will I be required to share in discussions?
We pride ourselves in meeting individuals where they are in their journey of accepting and supporting their LGBTQ+ loved ones and friends. Participants are not required to participate in discussions but are encouraged to consider sharing once they feel comfortable.
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How do I join the meeting?
Step 1: Select the PFLAG Connects: Communities meeting that you identify with.
Step 2: Fill out and submit the registration form.
Step 3: Save the confirmation email you will receive immediately following registration.
Step 4: Join the meeting on time. You may join the waiting room up to 10 minutes before the start time. At the scheduled start time, the host will begin admitting participants to the meeting room. Twenty (20) minutes after the meeting’s starting time, the host will lock the meeting and no more participants will be admitted.
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Can I join a meeting late?
We understand if you are running a little late. Please note that meetings will be locked 20 minutes after the scheduled start time to avoid interrupting active discussions.
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I got kicked out of the meeting (e.g., WiFi crashed, device glitched, Zoom restarted, etc.) and now when I try to join I get a message stating “the meeting is locked by the host.” Can I rejoin the meeting?
In the event that you get dropped from a meeting due to technical issues, please respond to your confirmation email and ask to be let back in. The host will follow up with instructions for rejoining the meeting.
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I am not affiliated with the membership (demographic) of any of the PFLAG Connects: Communities support groups. Can I still attend a meeting?
PFLAG Connects: Communities meetings are open to individuals that identify with select populations or identities and who are seeking support and/or community. While PFLAG is a welcoming place for allies to every community, PFLAG Connects: Communities creates safe meeting spaces for people who are not allied with a community, unless they are also part of that community.
For assistance in identifying general local support, please contact your closest PFLAG chapter by visiting pflag.org/find.
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I am not affiliated with the membership of the group but would like to join a meeting to learn more about resources available to support my professional work (e.g., mental health practitioner, supervisor, researcher, etc.). Is this allowed?
PFLAG Connects: Communities meetings are open to individuals that identify with select populations or identities and who are seeking support and/or community. While PFLAG is a welcoming place for allies to every community, PFLAG Connects: Communities creates safe meeting spaces for people who are not allied with a community, unless they are also part of that community.
To access a library of resources for both allies and members of the LGTBQ+ community visit https://pflag.org/find-resources.
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What exactly are PFLAG Connects: Communities meetings?