It’s the beginning of September, and it is time for us to get our kids ready to return to school. We go off shopping for back-to-school clothes and school supplies. We try to settle our kids' worries about what teachers they will have, if they will make new friends, or even how hard or how easy some of their subjects will be. Are we now ready to send them off to school?

In the gay/lesbian household, sometimes parents have to prepare themselves for what is to come in the new school year. Sometimes that is not easy. Even though we supposedly live in a society which is more tolerant and accepting of same-sex families, at school many situations can arise which can cause problems.

By John "Jasz" Szlachetka, Feature Author

John Szlachetka, also known as Jasz to many of his friends, has been an activist, speaker, and writer for LGBT rights, for a number of years.  A former high school teacher, he has seen the discrimination and bullying  LGBT youth face everyday.   He himself has lived through discrimination and homophobia both from his family and society in general.  This has made him stronger and more determined to fight for the equality of his LGBT brothers and sisters.   Besides his activism, he also councels LGBT couples with problems that arise in their relationships.  He is also a pastor for the Universal Life Church.    When he is not marrying couples, he is saving them from crisis.   You can also find him in many different facebook groups, fighting along side his LGBT brothers and sisters. 

As a member of the 10,000 couples team, Jasz hopes to promote both the e-magazine, and to to bring more couples into our 10,000 couples family.  Now that Same-Sex-Marriage has become an important subject world wide, he wants bring together everyone in the LGBT community to fight for the rights of our community.