At PFLAG National’s Love Takes Justice event in Washington, D.C., Wednesday evening, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and CaliforniaDemocratic U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee were honored for their unwavering commitment toLGBTQ+ rights. As the political climate ahead of the presidential election becomes increasingly hostile toward the community, especially transgender people, both honorees used their platform to call for action and reflect on the importance of solidarity and resilience.
In interviews with The Advocate, PFLAG leaders, including CEO Brian K. Bond and incoming board Chair Edith Guffey, spoke about the challenges ahead and the crucial work needed to counter fear and misinformation, particularly regarding transgender rights.
Weingarten, who was awarded the PFLAG National Flag Bearer Award, sharply criticized Republican figures like former PresidentDonald Trump and his running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. JD Vance, for their divisive rhetoric. “Donald Trump is a connoisseur of chaos and fear,” she told The Advocate, emphasizing how Trump and Vance have used fear to stoke division and gain political power. “He has a view that the way he gains power is to create fear, chaos, and otherize people,” Weingarten said, adding that this approach is particularly harmful to LGBTQ+ youth. In resurfaced remarks from 2021, Vance claimed Weingarten, who has a blended family with her wife’s children from a previous marriage, had no right to influence children’s education, saying, “If she wants to brainwash and destroy the mind of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone.” Vance’s comments, which were part of a larger attack on educators and LGBTQ+ rights, have drawn widespread criticism for being both misogynistic and dismissive of modern family structures.
From left: Randi Weingarten and Brian K. BondChristopher Wiggins for The Advocate
A staunch advocate for inclusive education, Weingarten also addressed the rising tide of censorship in schools where LGBTQ+ books and curricula are being targeted. “The book banning disproportionately targets books with LGBTQ+ characters. They are erasing our history,” she said. Weingarten spoke about the importance of continuing to share LGBTQ+ stories, as visibility is critical to fostering understanding. “Trans folks, queer folks, they’re in every school, every parish, every supermarket, every neighborhood,” she said. “We need to figure out that special sauce, that comfort zone, that safety to share our stories and make it real for people. That’s how we win this.”
CaliforniaDemocratic Rep. Lee, who received the PFLAG National Champion of Justice Award, took the opportunity to reflect on her decades-long advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. During her acceptance speech, Lee shared stories about how her mother shaped her understanding of equality. Raised in El Paso, Texas, Lee recalled how her mother had a close lesbian friend (now 100 years old) and was firm in teaching her children to treat everyone with respect. “She can love who she wants to love,” Lee remembered her mother saying, a principle that has guided her career in fighting for justice.
From left: Rep. Barbara Lee and Randi WeingartenChristopher Wiggins for The Advocate
Lee has been a staunch ally to the LGBTQ+ community throughout her career as a state legislator and in Congress. She reflected on a pivotal moment in her work to repeal the discriminatory “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which barred gay, lesbian, and bisexual people from serving openly in the military. Despite her long-standing opposition to defense spending, Lee voted for the defense budget once to ensure the policy’s repeal. “[Gay former Massachusetts Rep.] Barney [Frank] came to me and said, ‘Barbara, your vote is key to getting us to repeal 'don’t ask, don’t tell,’” Lee told the audience, explaining the difficult but necessary decision.
Bond, who introduced both honorees, spoke to The Advocate about the challenges ahead, particularly in ensuring that the American public gains a deeper understanding of transgender people. “Our job is to humanize who we are, tell our stories safely, and change hearts and minds neighbor by neighbor, person by person,” Bond said. He emphasized the need to meet people where they are, particularly in smaller communities where LGBTQ+ people may feel isolated. “We have 360 chapters across the country, including in really small communities like Floyd in Virginia and Jennings in Louisiana,” Bond noted. He added that while the upcoming election is critical, the work of PFLAG and its Love Votes campaign will continue beyond November. “Win or lose, the fight for equality isn’t going anywhere,” he said.
Guffey, who will take over from Chair Susan Thronson at the end of the month, also shared her thoughts with The Advocate on how to counter misinformation and fear surrounding transgender people. “There’s so much ignorance out there,” said Guffey, who has a nonbinary child, noting that many people don’t think they know anyone who is trans. “But when people get to know trans individuals as people, not as labels, it’s harder to marginalize them.” She added that PFLAG’s role is to make sure the broader public understands that transgender people are just like everyone else — “They’re your neighbors, your kids’ friends, just regular people.”
From left: Edith Guffey and Susan ThronsonChristopher Wiggins for The Advocate
Guffey, who will be the first Black woman to serve as PFLAG’s board chair, expressed her commitment to deepening the organization’s focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly as other organizations shy away from such initiatives. “We’re doing a deep dive on DEI because the future is diverse, and we need to reflect that in our work,” she said. She also highlighted the importance of reframing PFLAG’s mission as one centered on justice. “Love is justice, and love is voting,” Guffey said. “I want to reclaim that advocacy for justice is at the core of who we are.”
Weingarten delivered a powerful reminder about the stakes in the upcoming election. “We need to vote like our lives depend on it because they do,” she said.
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