26 Facts About Troy Perry

Troy Perry is the eldest of five brothers born to "the biggest bootleggers in Northern Florida", Troy Perry and Edith Allen Perry.

Troy Perry was influenced by his aunts, who held street services in his hometown and who hosted Perry giving sermons from their home.

Troy Perry's father died fleeing the police when his son was eleven years old.

Troy Perry dropped out of high school, and became a licensed Baptist preacher by the age of 15 years.

Troy Perry was directed to pray about being led astray by his homosexual feelings and later was told by his bishop to renounce himself in the pulpit and resign.

Troy Perry worked in a Sears department store and was drafted for the army in 1965, during which time he served two years in Germany.

In 1968, after a suicide attempt, and witnessing a close friend being arrested at The Patch Bar, Troy Perry felt called to return to his faith and to offer a place for gay people to worship God.

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

Troy Perry's theology has been described as conservative, but social action was a high priority from the beginning of the establishment of the denomination.

Troy Perry performed what Time Magazine described as the first public same-sex unions in the United States as early as 1968 and ordained women as pastors as early as 1972.

Troy Perry held a seat on the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations in 1973.

Troy Perry worked in political arenas to oppose Anita Bryant in the Save the Children campaign in 1977, that sought to overturn an anti-discrimination ordinance passed by the city of Miami.

Troy Perry planned the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979 with Robin Tyler.

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

Troy Perry holds honorary doctorates from Episcopal Divinity School in Boston and Samaritan College for his work in civil rights, and was lauded by the Gay Press Association with its Humanitarian Award.

Troy Perry has been invited to the White House on five occasions:.

Troy Perry retired as Moderator of the MCC in 2005, and Nancy Wilson succeeded him at an installation service on 29 October 2005.

In March 2017, Troy Perry became the first American citizen honored with Cuba's CENESEX award.

Troy Perry was given the award for his long history of working for human rights and the rights of the LGBTQ community worldwide.

Troy Perry was named to the Stonewall 50 Wall of Honor made up of 18 community leaders including Wilson Cruz, Mandy Carter, Marsha Botzer and Stuart Milk, the gay nephew of slain San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk.

Troy Perry has written an autobiography, The Lord is My Shepherd and He Knows I'm Gay, first published in 1972 by Nash Publishing.

Troy Perry has written a sequel to this book, titled Don't Be Afraid Anymore, published in 1990 by St Martin's Press and Profiles in Gay and Lesbian Courage published by St Martin's in 1992.

Troy Perry's mother became the first heterosexual member of the Metropolitan Community Church and supported her son until she died in 1993.

Troy Perry was reunited with his younger son, Michael, and performed the marriage uniting him and his daughter-in-law, but remains estranged from his elder son.

Troy Perry has maintained a home in Los Angeles with Phillip Ray De Blieck, whom he married under Canadian law at the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto.

On June 11,2021, the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball organization honored Troy Perry, presenting him with the Dodgers Community Hero Lifetime Achievement Award at the eighth annual LGBTQ+ Night at Dodger Stadium.