LGBTQ Parenting Network News

Greetings LGBTQ Parenting Network e-News subscribers! 

Two highlights we'd especially like to bring to your attention:

  • We are planning a special picnic on Sunday May 6 as part of an international day spearheaded by LGBTQ families. Join us to celebrate International Family Visibility Day: A celebration of all people who raise children.
  • Our yearly newsletter, Pride & Joy, is in production. Please send in your birth and adoption announcements and photos by May 1st!

Upcoming projects and events:

  1. LGBTQ Family Picnic for International Family Visibility Day: A Celebration of all people who raise children: Sunday, May 6
  2. Easter Egg Hunt: Sat, April 7
  3. Dykes Planning Tykes - Drop-In Info Sessions: Tues. April 10
  4. (Still) Trying to Get Pregnant
  5. Helping your child/youth develop positive self-esteem: April 25
  6. Send us your Birth & Adoption Announcements for Pride & Joy Newsletter
  7. Spotlight on Grandparents
  8. Queer Parents Who Have Adopted: Sat. May 19
  9. LGBTQ Family Camp: Sept 14 – 16, 2012 
  10. Seeking volunteers for "How to be an ally" posters
 
1.  LGBTQ Family Picnic for International Family Visibility Day: A celebration of all people who raise children – Sun. May 6th
 
On May 6, 2012 LGBTQ family organizations from around the world are joining forces to increase the international visibility of LGBTQ families. LGBTQ family activists from countries including Finland, France, Belgium, Spain, the U.S., Brazil and Canada are planning activities to mark this special day.
 
Join us for a picnic at Christie Pits (Christie and Bloor)
Sunday, May 6 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
 
There will be face-painting (10:30 to 11:30), button-making, eating, and playing while we connect with other LGBTQ family groups from around the world via Skype.
 
Bring your own picnic blanket! The LGBTQ Parenting Network will provide pizza, snacks and drinks.
 
In celebration of this International Family Visibility Day we are also developing a poster and lesson plans to help teachers approach Mother's and Father's Day with diverse families in mind. If you are interested, contact: parentingresources@sherbourne.on.ca
 
2. Easter Egg Hunt - Sat April 7
 
Terry Carter has organized an easter egg hunt and asked us to spread the word. In his words "the more the better!"
 
Show up at 10am to help hide the goodies. The easter egg hunt will begin at 10:30 in High Park, right in front of the Castle Park. Bring goodies for the kids to find and a lunch for your family if you are going to hang around.
 
3. Dykes Planning Tykes - Drop-In Info Sessions – Tues. April 10
April 10, 6:30 - 8:30pm at the Sherbourne Health Centre – 333 Sherbourne St. Room 2008.
 
Come with your questions about family planning, including fertility, home and clinic insemination, sperm banks, adoption, co-parenting, family configurations and family recognition. No registration required. For more info: parentingnetwork@sherbourne.on.ca
*TRANS WOMEN/TRANS MEN WELCOME *
 
NOTE: Please come for 6:30 promptly.
 
Dykes Planning Tykes is a joint program of the LGBTQ Parenting Network (Sherbourne Health Centre) and Queer Parenting Programs (The 519 Community Centre)
 
4. (Still) trying to get pregnant
An informal support group for lesbian, bisexual and transmasculine people who are in the process of trying to conceive.
 
We meet monthly, on the 3rd Tuesday of the month (schedules permitting) from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Sherbourne Health Centre.
 
To register (it's free to join, we just have a contact list for scheduling purposes) and to find out when the next meeting is taking place visit www.LGBTfertilityjourneys.com
 
5. Helping your child/youth develop positive self-esteem: April 25
 
Sponsored by the LGBTQ Parenting Network, this workshop, held by the Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto District, will help parents understand self-esteem in their child(ren)/youth with learning disabilities and will offer strategies for improving and maintaining self-esteem. Please not that a corresponding workshop will be offered for youth on April 21st, 2012, from 10:30 am to 12 noon for ages 13-15 and 1:00 pm to 2:20 for ages 16-19.

Guest speaker: Wayne Harrison
The workshop for parents is on April 25 from 7 to 8:30pm at Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto District, 121 Willowdale Avenue, Suite 203, Toronto

To register call 416-229-1680. For more information visit: www.ldatd.on.ca
 
6. Send Us Your Birth & Adoption Announcements for Pride & Joy Newsletter
Don’t miss the deadline! Each year the LGBTQ Parenting Network is happy to include a large section at the back of the Pride & Joy newsletter that announces the children that have joined our families.   These announcements become part of the online and print version of Pride & Joy, which comes out for Pride in June.
 
We want to celebrate those new arrivals! If you have had a child or grandchild join your family and would like to announce their arrival in Pride & Joy, please send an electronic photo (300 dpi) and wording (100 words max) for an announcement to parentingresources@sherbourne.on.ca before May 1st!
The newsletter will be out for Toronto Pride, 2012.

 
7. Spotlight on Grandparents
 
In honour of International Family Visibility Day, this year’s issue of Pride & Joy will cast some light on some of the less visible members of LGBTQ parenting communities. One of the spotlights will be on grandparents.
 
Have you recently become a grandparent? Are you a long-time grandparent? Do you have photos, stories or quotes about you and your grandparents? Your children’s grandparents? Please send us photos, stories, quotes or proud statements that bring to light the many ways grandparents are important in LGBTQ communities.   Send these to: parentingresources@sherbourne.on.ca.

 

8. Queer Parents Who Have Adopted – Support Group for Adoptive parents and their kids: Sat. May 19

 
May 19 from 10:30 to 12:30
Sherbourne Health Centre - 333 Sherbourne St, 2nd floor
 
Queers who have adopted are meeting monthly to give support and info share with each other. There is childcare provided so the adults can have time for discussions on relevant topics of interest. Children can connect around their common issues in a playful manner - so, games, stories and drawing/puzzles are available at the meetings with qualified childcare staff.
 
As a mutual support group we hope to have a chance to socialize and play, getting a sense of community with each other, to bond and help each other out as we get to know each other as adults and kids as well. The group is open to those that are anti-racist/sexist/genderist/ableist/classist as well as being queer positive and open to all the differences we embrace.
A pizza lunch is provided.
 
For more information contact: Laura Coramai or Ana dos Santos (parents/group members): lcoramai@rogers.com or (416) 531-7977.
To register for childcare, contact Ginny Santos at parentingresources@sherbourne.on.ca or 416-324-4100 ext 5276. 
 
9. LGBTQ Family Camp: September 14-16, 2012
 
We are impressed and excited by the enthusiastic response to the LGBTQ family camp. Registration is now full. Those of you on the waiting list will be notified if spaces become available.
 
We sincerely apologize to everyone who wanted to come and didn’t make it in. Now that we know how popular the camp is we will start planning for a way to make it bigger next year. 
 
 
 10. Seeking volunteers for posters
 
Mount Sinai Hospital's Diversity and Human Rights Office is starting a new campaign on "How to be an Ally". As part of the campaign, the office is creating new promotional materials including posters on how to be an ally for LGBT people. We are seeking a pregnant lesbian/bi/queer couple who would be willing to volunteer their time to be in one of these posters. Our office is committed to being representative of the diverse communities of Toronto which will be factored into determining the models of our posters.
 
If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Narina Nagra at 416-586-4800 ext. 7313 or nnagra@mtsinai.on.ca