Pride Sunday with MPP Cheri DiNovo – June 26

rainbow-stripOur guest homilist on Pride Sunday at HT (June 26) will be MPP Cheri DiNovo, long-time activist for LGBTQ rights and an ordained United Church minister. Named by NOW readers in 2015 as Best MPP.

From her official bio:

Cheri has been a 40+ year activist for LGBTQ issues. She was the only woman in Canada to sign the ‘We Demand’ statement in 1971—the first demand for gay rights on Parliament Hill. In 2012, Cheri succeeded in getting Toby’s Act passed, an amendment to the Ontario Human Rights Code to include gender identity and gender expression–the first of its kind in North America.

She made history again in 2015 by successfully passing Bill 77, which prohibits “Conversion Therapy” for youth (therapy intended to prevent young people from identifying as LGBTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual or queer]). This ground-breaking legislation also de-listed “conversion therapy” from OHIP. Following DiNovo’s introduction of the Bill, President Barack Obama called for a ban of the practice in the United States, and Manitoba tabled legislation to ban the practice as well. DiNovo has championed Parental Equality for LGBTQ parents with her Bill, Cy and Ruby’s Act. The government recently announced that they would bring in legislation and pass parental equality law by end of 2016. Cheri has also been honoured to be the Grand Marshal in Toronto’s Pride Parade.

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
Email
On Key

Related Posts

Seventh Sunday of Easter

This week we celebrate Jesus’ Ascension into heaven as we read from Acts of the Apostles and a Poem by Rebecca Elson. The homily is

Marie Slark Celebration of Life

We will gather to honour the life and contributions of Marie Slark, a hero of the Huronia Regional Centre institution class action. Sunday June 1,

Sixth Sunday of Easter

This week we read a poem by Jan Richardson and the Gospel According to John. Music from Allison Leyton-Brown and Marty Crowder. Service coordinated by

Fifth Sunday of Easter

This week we have our homily offered by Suzanne Rumsey, Public Engagement Program Coordinator for Alongside Hope, formerly PWRDF. We read from Book of Acts

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Happy Mother’s Day! This week we read from The Acts of the Apostles with the story of Tabitha and from the Book of Revelation. The