Friend, Pride season is upon us! See the variety of Pride events throughout the county starting this month, as well as save the date for San Diego Pride events in July.
At the same time we are beginning the Pride celebration season we still have to deal with misinformed and fearful people targeting the most vulnerable of our LGBTQ+ youth. To stand up against these forces, please pay attention to the Call to Action below.
Celebrating 16 Years Of Pride By The Beach
PFLAG San Diego County will among the community organizations tabling at North County LGBTQ Resource Center’s Pride by the Beach. It’s this Saturday, June 3 from noon-6:00pm at the Civic Center, 300 N. Coast Highway in Oceanside. This is a free, family-friendly pride festival, tobacco and alcohol free. There will be main stage entertainment, community stage and dance area with youth and education zones, and over 100 resource and retail vendors. And let’s not forget the yummy food!
️Family Day!
On June 9, San Diego Pride will be hosting their very first Family Day! All staff, volunteers, youth, and community members are invited to bring their friends and family to an evening of poster making at the Pride office at 3620 30th St. The posters made will be displayed at the Pride festival happening July 15th and 16th.
RSVP for the event here: https://tinyurl.com/RsvpFamDay
Santee Pride ️
Santee United Methodist Church is sponsoring Santee Pride on June 10. The kick off (12:00 – 12:30) starts in the church parking lot, 8964 Magnolia Avenue in Santee. The official welcome and speakers will begin at 12:30. At 1:00 pm, the walk starts off going down Mission Gorge Road from Magnolia to Cuyamaca. The distance both ways is approximately 2 miles. There should be parking, but carpooling is encouraged.
If you only want to walk one way, you can park one car in Santee Town Center. Anyone who is not walking is encouraged to participate during the first hour.
For questions or information, email naners255@gmail.com.
Ramona Pride ️
San Diego County is invited to the 2nd Annual Ramona Pride on June 10. There will a Visibility Walk down Main Street at 10 am, followed by a family-friendly picnic at Collier Park, 625 E Street. The festivities continue until 2:00 pm. If you would like to sponsor or help at the event, email RamonaPrideEvent@gmail.com.
OUT at the Fair® ️
As if you didn’t have enough options for June 10, PFLAG SDC will have a table at the San Diego County Fair’s OUT at the Fair®. We will be at the Paddock stage area from 11am – 6:30pm. We are happy to join other LGBTQ+ organizations celebrate PRIDE month to spread the love.
Rainbow Revolution: Pride At SDPL
PFLAG SDC is excited to be part of the San Diego Public Library’s first annual Rainbow Revolution: Pride at SDPL on Saturday, June 17, from noon- 4:00 pm. This is a community resource fair in the Central Library Courtyard, complete with a DJ and pop-up drag performances. While the festivities are going on in the courtyard, in the adjacent Neil Morgan Auditorium there will be two panel discussions: one featuring local LGBTQ+ authors and the other a panel of queer scientists from the Fleet Science Center.
The library is located at 330 Park Blvd., downtown San Diego. There are two hours of free parking (validation is on the first-floor lobby).
The target audience is teens, young adults, and their families. Spread the word!
Welcome to the PFLAG SDC East County Support Group
Our newest support group meets Tuesday, June 20 from 7:00-8:30 pm in East County (Santee). It will meet on the third Tuesday of each month going forward. Please contact eastcountysdc@pflag.com for location or more info.
The support group is a confidential, non-judgmental opportunity to share your experiences or thoughts if you wish, or you can just listen and observe. Everyone is made to feel comfortable.
This is one of two PFLAG SDC in-person support groups. You don’t just need to be from East County. All are welcome.
Poway Pride
We are happy to join the San Diego Public Library Poway branch and TransFamily Support Services in celebrating the 4th annual Poway Library Pride Resource Fair. The Fair is June 24 from 10:00 am-noon at the library, 13137 Poway Road in Poway. Besides information and resources, there will be arts and crafts. See you there!
PFLAG SDC at Hi/Low Restaurant in O’side
On June 24, PFLAG SDC will be highlighted at High/Low Restaurant in Oceanside. We will have a table to disseminate info and have fun participating in their “Brunch Bunch.” There will be live Queer DJ music taking place on the outdoor patio. The restaurant located at 201 N. Myers Street, Oceanside.
High/Low will create a specialty cocktail in our honor with 20% of sales going directly to PFLAG SDC! Sounds like an excellent plan
Pachanga de Frida 2023
Latin@x Services at The San Diego LGBT Community Centers invites all to Pachanga de Frida, as they celebrate the birthday of Frida Kahlo on June 24 from 5-9:00 pm. The event commemorates the legendary life of one of the most influential Mexican painters of the mid-twentieth century. This 21+ event will include live music, local Latin@x vendors, a Frida look-alike contest, great food, and tequila! Proceeds benefit Latin@x Services at The Center.
You may purchase tickets online: thecentersd.org/frida23. Each ticket includes 2 tacos + 1 drink.
Head Over Heels At Diversionary
From the visionary behind Avenue Q comes a bold new Broadway musical fairytale where Once Upon a Time crashes into our present moment. You can enjoy Head Over Heels through June 25 (extended from original) at Diversionary Theatre.
Synopsis: In the mythical land of Arcadia, the royal family is challenged to set out on a journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction. Through their adventure gender roles are upended, relationships liberated, and love is discovered in the most surprising of ways. Told to the hypnotic beat of the iconic 80’s all-girl rock band The Go-Go’s, Head Over Heels joyously unveils a path to a new world where diversity is celebrated and ladies lead!
The Diversionary is located at 4545 Park Blvd., San Diego. For tickets: https://ci.ovationtix.com/33385/production/1134604
Give OUT Day
Give OUT Day 2023 takes place during Pride Month. The date is officially earmarked for June 28, but donors can give any time starting June 1.
This is the only national day of giving for the LGBTQ+ community. Since 2013, Give OUT Day has helped hundreds of LGBTQ nonprofits raise millions of dollars!
To help PFLAG SDC grow, please go to giveoutday.org and click on the little magnifying glass at the top to search. Enter PFLAG San Diego County. Voila!
Henry Babcock and Justin Meyer at 2022 San Diego Pride
️ Save The Dates For Pride Events ️⚧️
July will be a busy month. Please take note of all the Pride-related events. PFLAG SDC will have a contingent at the Pride Parade (July 15), as always. We’d love everyone to participate. More info will be in the July newsletter. We will have a table at the Pride Festival on July 15 and 16. If you are interested in taking a shift, please contact Mike Minnick: mminnick@pflag.com.
The theme for Pride this year is aptly named: THRIVE! The annual San Diego Pride Parade is the largest single-day civic event in the region and is among the largest Prides in the United States, attracting over 300,000 people.
July 8 : She Fest
July 12: Light up the Cathedral
July 14: Spirit of Stonewall Rally
July 15: Pride 5K Walk & Run
July 15: Pride Parade & Festival
July 16: Pride Festival
PFLAG SDC Book Club
The next selection for the PFLAG SDC Book Club will be Less, by Andrew Sean Greer. We’ll meet Tuesday, July 25, 7-8:15 p.m on Zoom for a discussion moderated by newsletter editor Louise Julig. You must register separately for each book club meeting. Use the link below to register.
Less is the Pulitzer Prize-winning fish-out-of-water love story of Arthur Less, a failed novelist trying to avoid going to his ex-boyfriend’s wedding. What could go wrong?
We are proud to partner with Libélula Books and Co., a local queer-owned, Latinx-owned, Indigenous-owned independent bookstore at 950 South 26th Street in Barrio Logan. Check out their in-person location or buy the book through their Bookshop.org store. If audiobooks are more your thing, check out the indie-supporting Libro.fm.
Target, Target And Anheuser-busch While You’re At It!
LGBTQ+ groups condemned Target’s recent decision to remove or relocate some Pride month items following a conservative backlash. Target’s move came after critics posted videos of attacks on LGBTQ Pride displays and confrontations with employees in Target stores ahead of Pride Month.
This comes after Anheuser-Busch featured transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in a promotional campaign in April and Mulvaney highlighted that on Instagram. What followed was a torrent of criticism from the political right, with conservatives calling for boycotts of Bud Light.
As sales slumped, Anheuser-Busch issued a statement from its CEO Brendan Whitworth: “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over beer.” His statement prompted a backlash from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group, accused the beer giant of caving to political pressure.
Eric Bloem, HRC’s senior director, programs and corporate advocacy, said Anheuser-Busch backtracking on support for the LGBTQ+ community in the face of anti-trans and hate-filled rhetoric sends the message to employees, shareholders and customers that it does not stand up for the values of diversity, equity and inclusion it espouses.
The companies that are caving to political pressure are falling in line with the hundreds of bills targeting LGBTQ+ people – particularly transgender folx. These hateful bills have been introduced by Republican lawmakers in statehouses across the country, seeking to regulate what bathrooms they can use, what medical care they can receive, and what sports teams they can play on. And let’s not forget the increase of LGBTQ+ hate speech.
Despite these fumbles, marketing experts say inclusive ads are here to stay, and Community Marketing & Insights, an LGBTQ market research firm referenced in this USA Today article, found that seven in 10 LGBTQ+ adults are more likely to patronize a business that advertises to their community.
Rally For Love In Carlsbad
Students, parents, and community members rallied outside Carlsbad Unified School District on May 22 in response to Carlsbad High School Assistant Principal Ethan Williams’ statements at a meeting at Mission Church the previous week. Williams exhorted church members to attend the district’s listening and learning sessions on CUSD’s diversity initiatives and call for “full transparency in terms of curriculum and parental rights and no sexual identity or gender ideology, curriculum, groups, or celebrations on public school campuses.” This goes against California Education codes, and the term “parental rights” actually means forced outing of LGBTQIA+ students to their parents against their wills, putting them potentially at risk. Not to mention, these statements make for an unwelcoming environment that no student should have to be exposed to. Fox 5 News also covered the protest.
PFLAG SDC Board Members Terrie Vorono and Elizabeth Santillanez represented PFLAG SDC at the Equality California Awards.
Call to Action‼️
School districts across San Diego County are being infiltrated by groups attempting to ignore California laws protecting our LGBTQIA+ children by influencing school boards and spreading misinformation within school communities. Carlsbad Unified School District, Grossmont Unified School District, and Rancho Santa Fe School District are just a few that have caved in to demands by anti-LGBTQI+ forces that would like to erase our children and families.
We are fighting back with community partners to speak at district meetings and to write letters expressing our concerns. If you hear about books being withdrawn, GSAs being eliminated, or LGBTQ+ educational content being banned, please let us know so we can advocate for all children and families that want a comprehensive, inclusive education at the schools. We must be heard along with all of our allies; we are the majority.
Anyone can speak during community comments at school board meetings, but if you don’t want to speak, your presence alone with a sign or Pride wear can speak for you! If you’d like to participate in future calls to action, please contact Terrie at tvorono@pflag.com
Even if you no longer need PFLAG for support group purposes, PFLAG SDC needs your time and passion to lead with love in our communities.
Thank You To Our Donors!
Thanks to our regular monthly donors to PFLAG San Diego County. A monthly donation helps provide predictable sources of funding for our programs and scholarships and we appreciate it very much!
Donna and Jim Bowersox
Lonnie Brunini
B Fit by Bryann
Nancy Colbert
Anna Covici
Charles Kaminski
Stephen Miller and Michael Wasilewski
Maureen Steiner
Terrie Vorono
☎️ 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline Now In Place
The nonprofit that operates the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline launched a pilot program for LGBTQ individuals, veterans, and anyone who feels they may be experiencing a mental health crisis; you may call or text 988.
One of the goals is to dramatically decrease the number of calls made to 911 in the time of crisis, as 911 wasn’t set up to address mental health needs. Please note, this new program does not track your location.
Support Groups
❗️Note: some support group information has changed since last month
Most support groups will continue to meet virtually, but some groups are returning to in-person meetings. Check individual group for details. We encourage you to contact your support group facilitator at any time, as they will remain excellent resources for information. The support group locations, dates, and times will continue to be posted on the PFLAG San Diego County Facebook page. You can join in any of the digital meetings. For Zoom links, contact each support group.
Our Vision
PFLAG envisions a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed inclusive of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
Our Mission
By meeting people where they are and collaborating with others, PFLAG realizes its vision through: Support for families, allies and people who are LGBTQ+; Education for ourselves and others about the unique issues and challenges facing people who are LGBTQ+; Advocacy in our communities to change attitudes and create policies and laws that achieve full equality for people who are LGBTQ+.
