NEWS: Still Black featured at Oak Pak PFLAG

The May 24 monthly meeting of Oak Park PFLAG will feature the showing of Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen. The film focuses on a segment of the trans community that goes largely unseen. The film is directed by Kortney Ryan Ziegler, a 28-year-old genderqueer filmmaker and doctoral student at Northwestern University and produced by Awilda Rodriguez who is committed to "creating and promoting art that ignites a progressive dialogue regarding the unstable categories of race, gender and sexuality." For more information, contact Oak Park PFLAG.

NEWS: Lobby Day 2009 set for April 29

Equality Illinois is hosting Lobby Day 2009 in Springfield on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. Buses of Equality Illinois supporters, along with people from all across the state, will converge on the State Capitol to speak to legislators and push for passage of HB 2234 – the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act. Prior to the meetings, there will also be a discussion on effective talking points as well as how to connect with legislators at the Capitol.

Supporters from the entire state are welcome, but Equality Illinois asks that all attendees, whether riding buses from Chicago, Oak Park or Bolingbrook, or meeting up in Springfield, please register for this event. To register for Lobby Day, please click here. To find out when and where the buses leave and for other additional information, call 773-477-7173 or email info@eqil.org.

NEWS: Straightlaced premieres at OPRFHS

On April 7 at 7 p.m., the Little Theater at Oak Park River Forest High School will be premiering Straightlaced: How Gender's Got Us All Tied Up - the newest film from the makers of It's Elementary, That's a Family and Let's Get Real.

Oak Park PFLAG will be sponsoring attendance by Morton East High School GSA members.

The film is part of Groundspark's Respect for All Project. Just as the other films in the series, Straightlaced will be used in Groundswell's professional development work, serving as a catalyst for change in thousands of K-12 schools around the country.

Straightlaced, the newest film, takes on how gender-based stereotypes and anti-gay attitudes affect the lives of all students. From girls confronting popular messages about culture and body image to boys who are sexually active just to prove they aren't gay, the students in Straightlaced illustrate the toll of deeply held stereotypes and rigid gender policing.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youth, and any proceeds will benefit both Groundspark and the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance. Tickets are available on the Groundspark website here just click on the Chicago screening.