 E-cigarettes are hooking a new generation on nicotine and threatening decades of progress in reducing youth tobacco use. Studies show young people who use e-cigarettes are more likely to become smokers — including many who would not have otherwise smoked cigarettes. There’s a lot of misinformation out there about e-cigarettes, Juuling and vaping. Here’s what you need to know about these harmful products. • E-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco product among youth since 2014. In 2021, over 2 million middle and high schoolers were current e-cig users.  • E-cigarettes have driven a massive surge in youth nicotine addiction. In 2021, 44% of high school e-cigarette users vaped most days or daily — a strong sign of addiction. • E-cigarette manufacturers have lured kids with thousands of kid-friendly flavors. In 2021, 85% of youth e-cigarette users used flavored products. The most popular flavors were fruit, candy/desserts/other sweets, mint and menthol.  • E-cigarettes can pack massive doses of highly addictive nicotine. One Juul pod contains as much nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes. Youth exposure to nicotine causes addiction and can harm developing brains,
impacting attention, memory and learning. • E-cigarettes pose serious risks to young people’s health. E-cigarettes aerosol can deliver nicotine, toxic chemicals, volatile compounds, heavy metals and ultrafine particles that can reach deep into the lungs. • E-cigarettes are sold in shapes and sizes that make it easy for kids to hide them. They can look like flash drives, pens, highlighters and other everyday items, so they blend in with school supplies. • E-cigarette companies exploit loopholes in tobacco advertising regulations to target young people on social media and other digital platforms. E-cigarette companies and influencers market their products extensively and maintain a strong presence across social media sites. • The tobacco industry has followed the cigarette marketing playbook in marketing e-cigarettes to kids. E-cigarettes have been marketed to youth through celebrity/influencer endorsements, social media, TV and magazine ads, and sports and music sponsorships. • Big Tobacco is behind some of the largest e-cigarette brands most popular with kids. Altria (maker of Marlboro) bought a 35% stake in Juul and Reynolds American (maker of Newport and Camel) owns Vuse. Now that you know more about vaping, here are some tips for talking to kids about it. 1. Talk about the impact of vaping on their developing brains. 2. Start early - don't wait until your kid(s) are in high school. 3. Create a smoke-free home. Don't let anyone smoke inside even if there are smokers in the family. 4. Go over strategies and practice with your kids what they would say if someone offered them an e-cigarette. 5. Listen first. If you catch your kids vaping, first try to understand why they tried it and start the conversation from there. More resources: How to talk to your kids about vaping - American Lung Association PDF Talk with your teen about e-cigarettes - Surgeon General PDF
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 Shanay, left, with her family PFP is thrilled to announce that Shanay Rowe (she/her) has been hired as the new Assistant Director of Philadelphia Family Pride.
Shanay, a Philadelphia native, is a queer parent of an 11 year-old, lives in Delaware County near West Philly, and is engaged to be married this summer. She is a social worker and Clinical Case Manager on the autism/neuro divergent unit at Belmont Behavioral Health and doctoral candidate. Before her work at Belmont, she was a foster care social worker for five years and a school social worker for five years. In 2020, Shanay published her first book titled I.S.E.A.: An exploration of gender identity, sexuality, gender expression, and attraction. Shanay brings to PFP volunteer experience with Action Wellness (formerly Action AIDS) and the Attic Youth Center, as well as event and fundraising experience helping to organize the annual Good Friends gala held at Girard College. Shanay also has experience organizing events and promoting on social media for various businesses and organizations. We look forward to folks meeting Shanay at upcoming PFP events. She can be reached at shanay@phillyfamilypride.org.  What is the Quitline?
The PA Free Quitline is a telephone and web-based tobacco cessation counseling service offering free coaching, and free or reduced price nicotine cessation medication, with no judgment. The program has a user satisfaction rate of 90%! What does the program offer?
Why should LGBTQ+ people want to quit? The tobacco industry has historically targeted LGBTQ communities, using strategies like marketing at Pride festivals and advertising in LGBTQ publications to promote tobacco use among LGBTQ people. This legacy of aggressive marketing by tobacco companies has had a serious impact, contributing to higher rates of tobacco use in the LGBTQ community. In fact, the 2020 Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessment found that 38.3% of LGBTQ+ Philadelphians have ever used tobacco products, a rate much higher than that of Philadelphia’s general population. Download and distribute this flyer. (PDF)  Philadelphia Family Pride is a non-profit membership organization for LGBTQ+ led families in the greater Philadelphia region. The group is run by a 16-person volunteer board and one part-time paid staff person, the Executive Director (ED).
PFP is looking to hire a second, part-time staff person, an Assistant Director (AD), to work with the ED to fulfill the mission of the organization. Please read the following description. If interested, please apply by the deadline of March 1, 2022 at this link. This person will work closely with the Executive Director to meet or exceed the organization’s goals in the following areas:
The AD will be expected to attend all of the organization’s board meetings (8-10 a year) as well as all major events organized by PFP, and Philly area Pride celebrations. Working with the ED, the AD will work to attend as many of the group’s smaller events as possible, approximately 1-2 a month. The ideal candidate is one who:
Pay is $400/month. The staffer would work as an independent contractor and be responsible for paying their own local, state and federal taxes. The AD will work remotely and be expected to provide their own computer and internet connection. PFP is an inclusive community for LGBTQ+ prospective parents and families to engage in social events, education and advocacy. We strive to create a fun, reflective and supportive environment where our diverse identities are valued and nurtured while working to promote a more just world. If interested, please apply by the deadline of March 1, 2022 at this link. While vaccination rates rise and the world begins to open up again just in time for summer, parents of young kids are facing difficult choices. Kids under 12 are still not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, creating blurred lines on how families can move forward. Johns Hopkins epidemiologist and mother of three Keri Althoff spoke with the Hub about what she will be doing with her kids and how she is making decisions. Read the article here.
How are you and your family making decisions? Let us know in the comments below! Find our collection of Covid-19 resources on our Covid-19 page. “While we are relieved that this decision only applies to this specific contract, and hopeful that Philadelphia will be able to address the constitutional concerns the Court identified, we want to directly address LGBTQ youth in the Philadelphia foster care system.
Please know that you are loved. We will continue to work hard to make sure that there are loving, affirming homes for you. We’re behind you,and the city is behind you. You deserved an unequivocal win here. To LGBTQ folks considering becoming foster parents - you are just as qualified to be foster parents as anyone else. There is no reason our families should be turned away from fostering children. We are working hard to make sure your family is respected and affirmed in the foster care system in Philadelphia as you seek to provide support for children in foster care. PFP and our members would like thank our attorneys at the the ACLU, the ACLU of PA, and the City of Philadelphia." Statement of PFP ED Stephanie Haynes, stephanie@phillyfamilypride.org. Click here to read the ACLU's press release explaining the decision. RSVP for the #DecisionDay town hall and rally tonight at www.decisionday.org.  Help us welcome Sara Banbury (she/her/hers) to the Philadelphia Family Pride team as a summer intern through the Bridging the Gaps Community Health Internship Program (BTGCHIP). BTGCHIP is an interdisciplinary program for graduate-level trainees in healthcare and social services which aims to deliver health-related support to marginalized populations across Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
This summer, Sara will serve as an organizational support for Philadelphia Family Pride from home four days a week, focusing on the Paths to Parenthood program for prospective parents and working on reconstituting our in-person community as we continue figuring out how to emerge from the virtual world! Additionally, Sara will spend one day per week with other BTGCHIP students in curricular sessions focused on improving healthcare delivery for vulnerable populations. Sara is a rising second-year student at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. There she is one of the co-chairs of Penn Med Pride, is also involved in Students Opposing Racism in Medicine (StORM) and Family Connects, a virtual social needs response team in the CHOP Emergency Department. Sara received her bachelor’s degree in Community Health from Tufts University in 2018 and worked as a field organizer for the Nevada Democrats, as well as in private and public education prior to attending medical school. Her interests include pediatrics, dermatology and combining medicine with advocacy, especially as it pertains to underserved communities access to healthcare. Sara spent time abroad as a child, attending the International School of Bangkok before returning to Westport, Connecticut for high school. She currently lives in Graduate Hospital with three other friends and medical students. She enjoys cooking, experimenting with gluten free baking, and beach days. She is looking forward to a great summer with Philadelphia Family Pride, her first choice placement with BTGCHIP! PFP stands with Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and forcefully condemns the racist violence targeting Asians here and around the country. Anti-Asian racism is not new and no matter the reasons given, a culture of racism and misogyny that treats the lives and bodies of non-white people, women, working class people, and especially sex-workers as disposable led to this violence. As parents and caregivers it is our responsibility to interrupt narratives, language, or acts of hate. We need to engage our children in ongoing conversations about race and gender in which we both support their positive identities and teach the need to work for justice. We would like to reaffirm that Philadelphia Family Pride is committed to continuing our work to root out racism and sexism in LGBTQ+ communities and call out these disparities, reminding folks of the value of every person.  Here's the list of board members we'll be voting in on Saturday, January 9th at our Virtual Town Hall for 2021. New members are marked with an asterisk.* Short bios to follow below.
Chair - Tariem Burroughs, he/him, Board Member since 2017 Tariem is completing his PhD in Sociology at Temple University. He lives with his husband, his son, two cats, and a dog in West Philadelphia. Vice Chair - Jadzia Axelrod, she/her, Board member since 2019 Jadzia is a writer and cartoonist who lives in West Philly with her wife and daughter. Secretary - Ruby Augustus, she/her Board member since 2017 Treasurer - Gina Cline, she/her Board member since 2016 Gina is the proud Mama to two gorgeous kiddos and also an executive at American Reading Company, a K-12 education company. Chair, Membership Committee - Naomi Washington-Leapheart* she/her Naomi is a faith organizer, was our conference keynote speaker in 2018 and led our keynote conversation in 2020. Chair, Fundraising Committee - Katy Chatel, she/ze/her/hers Board member since 2020 Katy Chatel makes meaning in this life through connecting with others whether it is climbing trees with her family, social justice volunteer work, writing and editing stories, or checking someone on the roller derby track. She is currently looking for full time work that feels both meaningful and pays the bills. Chair, Education and Advocacy Committee - Mikah Thomas, he/him/they/them Board member since 2020 Mikah Thomas is a transplant to Philadelphia by way of Alabama, currently working as the Trans Equity Project Recruiter at GALAEI. By promoting his lived experiences as a transgender person, Mikah strives to ensure opportunities for success for the TLGBQ+ Philadelphia community. Chair, Event Planning Committee - Lori Keslowitz, she/her Board member since 2019 Lori, Jen and Jude live in South Philly with their cat. Lori manages an Airbnb in the family’s home, nannies and is a Local Area Representative at Go Au Pair. Jen is the Associate Dean of the School of Dance at University of the Arts (UArts). Jude is an avid reader and lover of throwing breakable objects. Members at Large: Kristin Baglieri* Shelli Branscomb Tiffany Byrd Hunter McCorkel Sebastian Miller Rebecca Nayak Adam Podowitz-Thomas Skott Stotland* Back-to-School Blues in the Age of COVID-19 and Considerations for Learners of LGBTQ+ Caregivers7/24/2020  Source: PhillyVoice Back to school time is quickly approaching, and although school may look different this year for many families, the typical stressors of this time will likely be exacerbated by the pandemic. Many parents are concerned about the safety risks involved in sending their children back to school. According to a report by the University of Michigan School of Medicine, about one third of public school parents in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio reported being unsure or planning not to send at least one of their children to school for in-person instruction. Parents of color were less likely to report they would send all of their children to school compared to parents identifying as white/non-Hispanic, and parents from lower-income households were the least likely to report that they would send all of their children to school than any other subset of parents [1]. The School District of Philadelphia recently announced a proposal whereby most K-12 students would participate in a hybrid model - the same group of students staying together with the same teacher for the entire school day and assigned to two days of face-to-face instruction, supplemented by three days of online learning [2]. Although the majority of staff and parents/guardians surveyed by the district reported feeling comfortable returning to school if all of the schools proposed safety measures were implemented, concerns remain for ensuring school cleanliness throughout the entire day, safety for students with asthma and other chronic conditions, and childcare needs for staff [3]. As of last night, the district remains in a deadlock as to whether this plan will actually take place, as six hours of criticism from parents, school principals, and teachers resulted in a delay on the school board’s vote on the plan. The issue continues to be fraught with fierce debate, with Superintendent William Hite, city Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farely, and the American Academy of Pediatrics urging schools to reopen in some capacity for the sake of the healthy development and well-being of the district’s most vulnerable learners. Parents and teachers cited concerns of maintaining proper sanitation in schools ridden by asbestos and other safety issues as some of the key reasons for their opposition to reopen [4]. The layers of complex uncertainties and concerns regarding sending children back to school this fall will certainly add to the typical stressors of this time of year. Schooling challenges for Lgbtq+ led familiesAs if back-to-school time during a pandemic didn’t add enough anxiety to back-to-school time, starting a new school year is often much more stressful for LGBTQ+ parents than heterosexual parent families. The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education (GLSEN) network’s report on experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender parents and their children in K-12 schools found that more than two thirds (66%) of parents reported that they ever worried about their child’s safety at school. Over half (57%) of parents reported worrying that their child would have problems in school because of having an LGBT parent, and almost half (48%) reported that they worried about their child’s ability make friends at school [5].
Children of LGBTQ+ families do in fact experience mistreatment at school, with anxiety and levels of mistreatment increasing into and through adolescence. Teenagers of LGBTQ+ parents have reported peers using derogatory language and engaging in forms of violence against them due to their parents’ sexual orientation or gender identity [6]. Lack of inclusion and representation are also concerning for schooling children of LGBTQ+ parents. Many LGBTQ+ parents do not feel supported at school, and therefore are hesitant to involve themselves in school activities. Additionally, most American schools do not include diverse family structures within their curricula and few textbooks include LGBTQ+ issues [7]. Although the prospect of home learning may appear to mitigate these effects, more time online also means more opportunities for cyberbullying. Research suggests that teens who are “different” are at higher risk for bullying, including cyberbullying. According to GLSEN, 48.7% of LGBTQ+ students report experiencing electronic harassment, including bullying via text messages and/or social media [8]. Although research is limited on rates of cyberbullying for children of LGBTQ+ parents, even students who deny overt bullying experience microaggressions related to their parents’ sexual or gender identity, including verbal insults or social snubbing [9]. This can certainly be exacerbated online, where anonymity allows for the opportunity to harass and bully youth with lower chances of consequences than bullying at school. Luckily, many organizations are fighting for better schooling experiences for LGBTQ+ parents and their children, as well as LGBTQ+ youth, by providing guides and resources to help parents find the best school fit for their children in addition to providing trainings for educators and administrators on how to make their schools more LGBTQ+ inclusive. We have compiled some of this information below which we hope you find helpful. We have also included some books and videos that represent a variety of LGBTQ+ families. Be on the look out for upcoming information about PFP's virtual book fair with Big Blue Marble Bookstore! Sources:
RESOURCES Washington Post - Queer families and back to school The Next Family - Tips for LGBTQ+ parents on picking a school Lesbian moms - How to talk to teachers about your family Lesbian moms - Back to school (LGBT parents spoof) Queer Kid Stuff Just 4 Grown Ups - 5 tips for making your classroom queer-inclusive Welcoming Schools Human Rights Campaign - Learning about school policies Human Rights Campaign - How to exercise your rights Human Rights Campaign - School resources for parents Human Rights Campaign - Cyber bullying resources BOOKS AND VIDEOS 7 LGBT books for kids LGBT family books for adults Books about raising children as an LGBTQ+ parent Mombian - Books, music, and more Pop'n'Olly - LGBTQ+ edutainment for kids Welcoming Schools - Great LGBTQ inclusive picture and middle grade books - Post written by Taylor Goldberg, PFP Intern |
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PFP is a non-profit org for LGBTQ+ parents, prospective parents and our children of all ages in the greater Philadelphia region. Family Pride picnic June 23!
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