Executive Leadership Team:
Shaun Adrian Flatt, P.M.P., M.A.
(President)
Mark Chong, D.O.
(Vice President)
Eric Geedey, C.C.M.
(Treasurer) |
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SHAUN ADRIAN FLATT, P.M.P., M.A.
My name is Shaun Adrian, and I am the Founder and President of Gay & Gender Research (GGR). In 2002, I retired from a 12-year career in Information Technology and sought out a career working on behalf of people, rather than for monetary wealth. I received a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College (PO), with specializations in Leadership in Education & Human Services, and a sub-specialization in College Teaching/Teaching Adults. I am an Early Childhood Educator, with a focus on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other Persistent Developmental Delays. I proudly serve as a faculty member at Pacific Oaks College and The National Hispanic University, as well as a guest lecturer at California State University - East Bay.
Since early adolescence, I have been deconstructing and analyzing the complexities of my own gay identity. Is my behavior shaped by biology, sexual orientation, or have I internalized society’s expectations of what a gay man should be? Has this lead me to interact with the world in particular ways? How, and in what ways, have these societal constructs influenced my own development?
I have not always had the emotional or intellectual maturity to question, let alone understand and accept, myself. Further, a large part of what makes up my identity has never been accepted by mainstream society. Unable to share my true self with others fundamentally affected my development both in younger years, as well as in young adulthood. Looking back at my life, I believe my maturation and budding identity was placed on hold, and was only realized after I “came out” and started down the long road of self-acceptance.
After a decade of personal growth, I now find myself actively seeking a leadership role on behalf of the gay community - one that advocates progressive change for a consistently disenfranchised group of people. In a predominantly heterosexual society, as sexual minorities we must come to understand ourselves on our own. But unlike other minorities, gay people develop amidst a family that rarely shares or understands the challenges of their unique needs. Some common impacts of being so isolated include high rates of chemical dependency and suicidal ideation. Other impacts that are less obvious include the negative effects of life-long disenfranchisement and internalized oppression, which are more difficult to identify, tease out and understand. Most disturbing is despite the many impacts of homophobia and heterosexism, there is very little research related to homosexuality being conducted outside of HIV\AIDS and sexually infectious diseases.
This realization, and my intimate understanding of the pain involved with growing up and coming out as a gay man, has led me in search of a place where I can help other gay people. In 2005, I founded such a space in the form of a non-profit organization called Gay & Gender Research (GGR). It is important to understand that GGR is not simply an organization; it is the physical manifestation of my passion and concern for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (BGLT) community. It is a vehicle for social science research for the BGLT community. It is a place for academic exploration, education, and most importantly, social change within the field of research.
Click here to email Shaun Adrian Flatt, P.M.P., M.A. |
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