LGBT-headed families will gather for fellowship and fun at an annual conference later this month.
Philadelphia Family Pride’s Family Matters Conference will take place Oct. 29 at McNeil Science and Technology Center at the University of the Sciences, 600 S. 43rd St.
About 150 adults and up to 50 youth are expected to attend the conference, which includes a full day of workshops and programming addressing the needs of LGBT-headed families.
This year’s event will feature a keynote speech by writer and performance artist Staceyann Chin. Her one-woman play, “MotherStruck!” addresses her unique path to motherhood as a single lesbian.
PFP executive director Stephanie Haynes said she heard Chin speak when she and a PFP board member were at the annual conference of Rainbow Families, a Washington, D.C.-based group with a similar mission to PFP.
“Staceyann was the keynote speaker and we were so impressed. We really wanted to make sure we were including a lot of different voices in our conference and she has a very powerful voice and powerful story about her journey to parenthood as a single parent,” Haynes said.
Chin’s name recognition reflects the conference’s growth since its 2010 inception.
“We have a bigger name in our keynote speaker, a lot more sponsors and registration is way up from this point last year,” Haynes said.
Twelve workshops address a variety of topics particular to LGBT parents, such as legalities regarding sperm donors, tips for becoming better trans allies, legislative efforts following nationwide marriage equality, foster-parent and adoption options and talking to kids about social-justice issues.
While parents explore those ideas, COLAGE, a group for youth of LGBT-headed families, will provide all-day programming for youngsters. Youth participants will be grouped by age.
“It’s a safe space where they can talk about their families,” Haynes said. “Whether they have two moms, two dads, a trans parent, they’re able to be with other kids who may have similar feelings about when to come out about their families at school, how to handle Daddy Drop-Off Day at school when they don’t have a dad, and things other kids navigate as well.”
On-site childcare will also be available for kids under 7.
The conference has moved to different locations each year, in part to make it convenient for PFP’s members, who come from throughout the region. This year’s event features ample free parking, Haynes noted.
All attendees will be entered into a drawing for a one-night stay at Hotel Palomar, a longtime supporter of PFP.
New to this year’s sponsorship list is Yogibo, which makes a variety of bean-bag furniture. Haynes said she first saw the products at a board member’s house and visited the company’s King of Prussia store to buy one for her own home. After the manager heard about the conference, the company signed on as a sponsor and offered to bring an assortment of bean-bag furniture for the kids’ area, the childcare space and the Treat Yourself room, which allows adults to relax with tea, adult coloring activities, chair massages and acupuncture.
Among PFP’s fall programming is a trip to Diggerland USA in New Jersey, several potluck meals and a parents’ trip to GayBINGO in December.
For more information about PFP or to register for the conference, visit www.philadelphiafamilypride.org.