Tuckahoe NY Pride

Jeanne Manford co-founded Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) after marching in 1972 beside her gay son, Morty, carrying a sign that affirmed parental love. Her public visibility challenged the isolation many LGBTQ people faced and offered families a model for moving from fear to advocacy. PFLAG grew into a national network where parents, allies, and LGBTQ members could find support, education, and a voice in policy debates. Manford’s work centered family acceptance as a protective factor, linking personal love to social change and helping normalize LGBTQ lives in schools, faith communities, and civic spaces. Her legacy endures in countless coming-out stories met with compassion.

Quote: “One night I got a phone call that my son had been arrested. The police officer, expecting to shock me, said, ‘You know, your son is a homosexual.’ I replied, ‘Yes, I know. Why are you bothering him? Why don’t you go after criminals and stop harassing gays?’”