wfn.org | Title Rev. Troy Perry To Lead International Valentine's Day Marriage

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Title Rev. Troy Perry To Lead International Valentine's Day  Marriage Events

N E W S  R E L E A S E
For Immediate Release: January	17, 2006

Openly Gay Human Rights Activist Rev. Troy Perry To  Lead
International Valentineâs Day Marriage Equality Actions

"Civil unions and domestic partnership laws are inadequate  answers.
Less than equal is always less than adequate," says Perry.

Los Angeles â Veteran human rights activist Rev. Dr. Troy D. Perry
 will lead
public events and demonstrations scheduled for hundreds of marriage  bureaus
around the world on Valentine's Day.

Perry will serve as organizer and spokesperson for the annual events by
Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), the world's largest  religious denomination
with a primary affirming ministry to lesbians, gays,  bisexuals, and
transgender persons.

"I am pleased that Rev. Perry has agreed to lead our international
Valentine's Day efforts for marriage equality," said Rev. Nancy L. Wilson,
 Moderator
of the MCC denomination. "Rev. Perry is a historic figure in the civil	rights
movement and a long-time activist on behalf of marriage equality for LGBT
people," said Wilson.

According to Time Magazine, Perry performed the first public same-sex
wedding in the United States in 1969. In 1970, he filed the first-ever lawsuit
seeking legal recognition for same gender marriages. In later years Perry noted,
"We lost that first lawsuit, but it put the issue of marriage equality into
the  public discourse and launched four decades of our work for marriage
equality for  LGBT people."

MCC is a strong international supporter of marriage equality. The worldâs
first legally-recognized same-sex marriage was performed by Rev. Dr. Brent
Hawkes, an MCC clergyperson, at Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
on 
January 14, 2001. An Ontario court later ruled the marriage to be legal, opening
the door to full marriage equality for gays and lesbians in Canada.

Perry and his partner, Philip Ray DeBlieck, were legally married under
Canadian law in Toronto, Canada on July 16, 2003. Upon their return to the US,
they filed and won a lawsuit against the State of California seeking legal
recognition of their Canadian marriage. The case is on appeal.

Perry is again calling for same-sex couples to go to marriage bureaus and
courthouses on Valentineâs Day, February 14, and to apply for marriage licenses.
 "There is something empowering about taking a public stand and letting
our 
public officials and our communities know we expect to be treated equally
under  the law," said Perry. "I encourage couples in every country around the
globe  where same-gender marriage is not yet a legal right to go to your marriage
bureau on Valentineâs Day and apply for marriage licenses. Invite the media,
tell your stories, demonstrate your love, and make a difference."

"Civil unions and domestic partnership laws are an inadequate answer,"
said 
Perry. âCivil unions constitute a form of special rights and we've never
believed in special rights. We believe in the Canadian model, where less than
equal is always less than adequate."

Perry added, "We expect to be treated with equality under the law. More
and 
more of our fellow citizens understand and embrace this principle. Civil
unions	and domestic partnership laws relegate gay and lesbian people to
second-class  status. They are options that are "separate and unequal."

Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) has prepared a free resource kit for
couples who want to organize a Valentine's Day public action. The kit, which
contains a step-by-step guide, sample press releases, and links to
marriage 
organizations, is available by e-mail by writing to _info@MCCchurch.org_
(mailto:info@MCCchurch.org) .

Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) is the worldâs largest Christian
denomination with a primary affirming ministry to lesbians, gays,
bisexuals and
transgender persons. More than 250 local MCC congregations are located in 23
countries, and more than 225,000 persons annually attend MCC services and
programs. For additional information, visit _www.MCCchurch.org_
(http://www.mccchurch.org/) .

(END)

For Additional Information, Contact:
MCC  Communications Department
West Hollywood, California 90069
E-Mail: _info@MCCchurch.org_ (mailto:info@MCCchurch.org)
Web: _www.MCCchurch.org_ (http://www.mccchurch.org/)