Join us for a conversation with Susie Wilburn. She is the president of the Woodstock, VA chapter of PFLAG. We discuss the history of the local.chapter, what the chapter does and Susie's motivation for becoming involved.

Even if you aren't local to Shenandoah County, this can give you some insight into what P:FLAG is and perhaps encourage you to find your local PFLAG chapter or another local LGBTQ+ organization.

00:00 Introduction to the Interview
00:06 Meet Susie Wilburn – PFLAG Woodstock President
00:30 What PFLAG Is and How It Started
01:43 The Mission of PFLAG: Support, Education, and Advocacy
02:30 What a Local PFLAG Chapter Actually Does
03:14 How PFLAG Support Meetings Help Families
04:10 Who Attends PFLAG Support Meetings
05:06 Is PFLAG Political? Advocacy vs Support
05:41 When the Woodstock PFLAG Chapter Was Founded
06:46 How the Woodstock PFLAG Chapter Got Started
07:39 The School Library Book Controversy
08:51 School Board Politics and LGBTQ Issues
11:00 Testimony From a Transgender Woman at the School Board
12:48 Why the Community Decided to Start a PFLAG Chapter
14:09 Building LGBTQ Support Networks in Rural Communities
15:23 How Large the LGBTQ Community Really Is Locally
17:32 Community Pushback and Growing Support
18:09 Biggest Challenges Facing LGBTQ People Today
19:14 Fear and Uncertainty for LGBTQ and Transgender People
20:14 Why More Youth Are Coming Out Today
21:21 How Parents Can Get Help From PFLAG
22:58 Community Participation and Local Advocacy
25:16 The Impact of the Transgender Debate on Community Support
25:41 The Value of Monthly PFLAG Support Meetings
27:00 How to Get Involved With the PFLAG Chapter
28:30 Final Thoughts on Supporting LGBTQ People

Transcript:

https://spectrumpodcast.org/2025/08/01/episode-25-interview-with-susie-wilburn-president-of-pflag-woodstock-virginia/