DALY CITY, Calif. (AP) — Jeanne Manford, a proud mother whose love for a gay son prompted her to found an international organization for parents and relatives of gay men and lesbians, has died at her home in Daly City. She was 92.
Manford's daughter, Suzanne Swan, announced her mother's death on Tuesday.
Manford became an outspoken gay rights advocate in 1972 after her activist son, Monty, was beaten by police during a demonstration in New York City. She went on to found a local support group there for other parents the next year. In those days, many of the group's members were struggling to accept their children's sexual orientations.
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or PFLAG for short, expanded nationwide in 1980 and now has 350 chapters around the world.
Plans for a public memorial are pending.
- 40 Years of PFLAG: Thank You, Jeanne Manford! (Ms. Magazine)