wfn.org | Rev. Troy Perry Fights for Legal Same-Sex Marriage Rights

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NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: July 23, 2003

L.A. Gay Activist Rev. Troy Perry Announces Challenge
to U.S. to Recognize His Canadian Same-Sex Marriage

Perry Is First Openly Gay Member of LA Human Relations Commission;
Past Delegate To White House Conference on Hate Crimes

West Hollywood- In a Los Angeles press conference on Thursday, July 24, Rev.
Troy D. Perry, Founder and Moderator of the predominantly gay Metropolitan
Community Churches, will announce plans to challenge the U.S. courts to
recognize
his same-sex marriage.

Perry, the first openly gay member of the Los Angeles Human Relations
Commission, wed his partner of 18 years, Phillip Ray De Blieck, in Toronto,
Ontario
on July 16, 2003, under a new Canadian law legalizing same-sex marriages.

Perry and De Blieck are the first Southern California couple to be legally
married in Canada.

"I never thought gay marriage would be legalized in my lifetime," Rev. Perry
said. "God bless Canada."

Rev. Perry, the first national gay rights leader to marry in Canada, will
also encourage thousands of gay and lesbian couples to go to Canada and do
the
same.

Now that he has returned to the States, Rev. Perry plans to call on U.S.
courts to recognize his marriage. U.S. courts have traditionally recognized
marriages that are valid where they are performed b a concept called "lex
loci
contractus."

The U.S. government has historically recognized marriages performed under
Canadian law as legally valid in the U.S. According to Perry, a decision not
to
recognize same-sex Canadian marriages may be a violation of international
treaty law and a violation of the equal protection clause of the
Constitution's
14th Amendment.

"We are not seeking special treatment," Perry said. "We seek equal treatment.
That is the only gay agenda b equality for everyone under the law."

"To not recognize my marriage and the marriages of thousands of other
same-sex couples, would be discrimination b and we will not stand for that
any
longer," Perry said.

The press conference will be held in the MCCLA Sanctuary at 10 am on
Thursday, July 24. MCCLA is located at 8714 Santa Monica Blvd., West
Hollywood, CA,
90069.

Metropolitan Community Churches is a Christian denomination with 46,000
members in 300 churches in 22 countries. MCC churches annually perform more
than
6000 same-sex weddings. "These are weddings that are blessed in the sight of
God, but still not recognized by most governments," added Perry.

Additional information on MCC can be found at www.MCCchurch.org.

-END-

Press Coverage Of Rev. Perry's Canadian Wedding Can Be Found At:

'Thank God for Canada': Newlywed gay activist
Rev. Troy Perry travelled from L.A. to marry long-time partner
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Articl
e
_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1058351588053

MCC Head Weds
Urges Americans To Marry In Canada To Force Change At Home
http://www.365gay.com/NewsContent/071603PerryWeds.htm

For Additional Information, Contact:
Roman Cardenas, Associate Director of Communications
Metropolitan Community Churches
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, 2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA  90069
Tel. 310-360-8640, Ext. 228
Cell 310-625-4138
E-Mail: romancardenas@MCCchurch.org