Human Rights . Social Equality . Legal Protection . Spiritual Justice

Rev. Troy Perry is a renown international LGBTQ+human rights activist, and a pioneer in social equality, legal protection and spiritual justice for LGBTQ+ people.  Troy conceived the world's first Gay Pride Parade and co-founded the Christopher Street West organization to launch the first LA PRIDE event in 1970.  From those early days in the struggle for LGBTQ+ acceptance, Troy has continued to lead the way in building a worldwide movement and played a critical role in paving the way for marriage equality.

"Call Me Troy"
​The film "Call Me Troy" (above) profiles the life and times of Rev. Troy Perry, one of the LGBTQ+ community's most visible and tenacious advocates for change.  This is a truly inspirational story about a remarkable and dynamic individual whose activism was decades ahead of its time.

Historic . Visionary . Leadership

Rev. Troy Perry created a revolution within a revolution a year before Stonewall when he began to save countless LGBTQ+ lives by building them a welcoming place for their spiritually homeless souls.

His visionary step in the creation of the first Metropolitan Community Church in 1968 would be historic: the first church to recognize the need to minister to the needs of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people.  

Despite fire bombings of its sanctuaries and murders of its clergy, Rev. Troy Perry has led this movement and the expansion of the denomination to become one of the world’s largest LGBT organizations with hundreds of churches in countries around the world.

In 1968, Rev. Troy Perry lit a torch.  
​This was just the beginning of
a historic life as
a leading activist for LGBTQ+ rights
​which continues to change lives.

​First Public Same-Sex Marriage
​1969

Only two months after founding Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles (now Founders MCC), the 28-year old Rev. Troy Perry performed what Time Magazine described as the first public same-sex wedding ceremony in the USA, marrying two Latino men.

First Gay Pride Parade
​1970

From Demonstration to Celebration
The idea of a Gay Pride Parade came to Rev. Troy Perry as a commemoration of the 1969 Stonewall uprising.  Along with Mr. Morris Kight and Rev. Bob Humphries, both community leaders, the three founded the Christopher Street West organization in Los Angeles, with film producer Pat Rocco as president, and held the Gay Pride Parade on June 28, 1970.  As a direct outgrowth of this visionary action, LA PRIDE today is today the oldest gay pride parade in the world with Pride Parades held in cities and towns all over the world attracting millions in attendance.

Women Ordained
​1972

Rev. Troy Perry ordained women as pastors within the denomination.

LA County Commission
​1973

Rev. Troy Perry was the first openly gay person to serve on the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations.

First  LGBT White House Meeting
​1977

In 1977, Rev. Troy Perry was invited to the White House by the administration of President Jimmy Carter to discuss gay and lesbian civil rights.

16-Day Fast for Gay Teachers
​1978

Following an unsuccessful opposition to Anita Bryant's Save the Children Campaign in Miami, Rev. Troy Perry held a 16-day fast, beginning on September 4, 1978 on the steps of the Federal Building in Los Angeles to raise funds to fight the 1978 Briggs Initiative, which was written to ensure gay and lesbian teachers would be fired or prohibited from working in California public schools. The Briggs Initiative was soundly defeated in 1978, due in large part to Perry and grass-roots organizing.

ACLU Humanitarian Award
​1978

In 1978, Troy was honored by the ACLU (American Civil Rights Union) Lesbian and Gay Rights Chapter with its Humanitarian Award.

First LGBT March on Washington
​1979

Together with activists Robin Tyler, Rev. Troy Perry participated in planning the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979.

Peaceful Resistance for AIDS
​1987

As one of the leaders in the AIDS epidemic, Rev. Troy Perry was arrested with other community leaders at a 1987 White House protest of President Reagan’s willful negligence on AIDS.

Mass Wedding at IRS Headquarters
1993

During the 1993 march weekend, Rev. Troy Perry wed 2600 gay couples at once in front of IRS headquarters after having performed the first public same-gender wedding ceremony in the United States in 1969. ​​

White House Conferences
​1990s

Rev. Troy Perry appointed by U.S. President Bill Clinton as an official delegate to White House Conference on Hate Crimes and the White House Conference on AIDS.

​First Lawsuit for Marriage Equality
2004

In 2003, Rev. Troy Perry and his spouse, Philip Ray De Blieck, were married under Canadian law. In 2004, they filed suit against the State of California seeking the state’s recognition of their Canadian marriage.  On June 16, 2008, the California Supreme Court ruled in their favor, and then was overridden by Proposition 8. ​

White House - Stonewall Riots
​2009

President Barack Obama became the third America President to invite Rev. Troy Perry to the White House in 2009 for the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

A Historic Vision & Legacy

In 1978, Rev. Troy Perry was honored by the American Civil Liberties Union Lesbian and Gay Rights Chapter with its Humanitarian Award. He has been honored by the Gay Press Association and has been honored by numerous Civic, Religious, and other organizations from all over the world.

He holds honorary doctorates from Episcopal Divinity School (Boston), Samaritan College (Los Angeles), and Sierra University (Santa Monica, California), and The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality (San Francisco).

In addition to his work as a gay religious leader and human rights activist, Rev. Perry has authored an autobiography, “The Lord is My Shepherd and He Knows I’m Gay,” and a sequel titled “Don’t Be Afraid Anymore,” published by St. Martin’s Press.  He is a contributing editor for the book “Is Gay Good?” and the subject of another book, “Our God Too.” His most recent book is “10 Spiritual Truths For Gays and Lesbians* (*and everyone else!).”

Rev. Perry has represented MCC and the LGBT rights movement on the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN, Fox News, and CNBC. Virtually every major magazine and newspaper in the world has covered the story of the founding of MCC.

In 2005, Rev. Perry retired as Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches. In his retirement, he maintains an active speaking schedule, lecturing on the history of the gay rights movement, HIV issues, and marriage equality. He also regularly preaches in both MCC congregations and other faith communities.​

Troy and husband Phillip Ray DeBlieck

From Suicide Attempt to a New Vision

In 1968, after Troy Perry's suicide attempt following a failed love affair, and witnessing a close friend being arrested by the police at the Black Cat Tavern, a Los Angeles gay bar, Troy felt called to return to his faith and to offer a place for gay people to worship God freely.

Perry put an advertisement in The Advocate magazine announcing a worship service designed for gays in Los Angeles.  ​

Perry's home and first meeting place

Twelve people turned up on October 6, 1968 for the first service in his home.  Troy recalls that "nine were my friends who came to console me and to laugh, and three came as a result of the ad."  

​After six weeks of services in his living room, the congregation shifted to a women's club, an auditorium, a church, and finally to a theater that could hold 600 within several months. In 1971, their own building was dedicated with over a thousand members in attendance.  

​Being outspoken has caused several MCC buildings to be targeted for arson, including the 1973 destruction of the original Mother Church in Los Angeles. ​

---

As Rev. Troy Perry recognizes the oppression still facing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, he stands at the vanguard of the movement, telling the world...
​“We’re Not Afraid Anymore.”