Children Of Lesbians And Gays Everywhere
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Children Of Lesbians And Gays Everywhere (COLAGE) is an organization, created in 1989 by the children of several lesbians and gay men who felt a need for support. Though its membership is not necessarily LGBT-identified, COLAGE's focus on the issues of LGBT parents' families makes it a de facto part of the LGBT community. There are 52 COLAGE chapters in the United States of America, 2 chapters in Canada, and one European chapter.
COLAGE is run and operated by children (of all ages) who have a gay parents or parents. Older Colagers mentor younger members. They prepare them for any challenges that a child may have, having same sex parents.
COLAGE members are open with each other and any topic can and is discussed.
COLAGE teams each summer with Family Pride and holds its annual Family Week in Provincetown on Cape Cod. There hundreds of gay families come to enjoy the summer and the kids attend COLAGE meetings and workshops.
COLAGE is based out of San Francisco, California and has small number of paid staff. Its executive director is Beth Teper who has a lesbian mom and today is an advocate for children who have same sex parents.
[edit] Queerspawn
Queerspawn is a term that was first termed by the author Abigail Garner. Abigail is a child of a two-dad family and she wrote the popular book, Families Like Mine. Abigail termed the named Queerspawn to identify kids with same sex parents. The name was quickly was embraced by COLAGE kids around the globe. T-shirt are worn with the word QUEERSPAWN imprinted on them and worn proudly by kids who have same sex parents.
[edit] Core Values
Colage's Mission Statement lists these basic core values:
- We value the basic principle that love makes a family.
- We value a pluralistic definition of family and parent(s) encompassing a variety of kinship structures including:
immediate families, extended families, partners, straight spouses, and family structures which are marginalized in our society including single parent families, multiracial families, international families, and families with disabilities.
- We value the family as a powerful agent of social and cultural change.
- We value the experiences of our youth and families, acknowledging and honoring the struggle that many families face from externally imposed barriers, limitations, obstacles, and oppressions.
- We value the idea that as COLAGErs, we are the authorities of our own experience.
- We value our ability to express all parts of our lives and families freely and in all places.
- We value our allies, who include a broad array of progressive organizations and individuals, all of whom support the rights of all youth, and every family, to thrive and grow.
- We value coalition building with our allies, who recognize the value of organizing across differences and who are committed to creating the world we envision through positive action.
- We value youth-driven, consensus-oriented governance within our organization.
- We value seeking creative, fun ways to meet our
