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FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
John Boswell john@rainbowadvoacy.org
Founding Father of LGBTQIA+ Pride Movement Calls to Restore African Pride Rev. Troy Perry Urges Action to Oppose Religious Imperialism on 55th Anniversary of Stonewall Rebellion
As the 55th anniversary of the historic Stonewall uprising nears, one of the leading activists of the earliest public marches and gay rights social actions is calling on people of all faiths, sexual orientations and identities to oppose the escalating homophobia and anti-LGBTQ+ laws fueled by predominantly American religious extremists in the guise of Christianity.
Rev. Troy D. Perry is founder of the international Metropolitan Community Churches denomination who led the 1960’s public protests in Los Angeles preceding the Stonewall rebellion. He is leading this Call for Action in an initiative to uplift, protect, build resilience in the LGBTQIA+ community, and restore the embrace of sexual orientations and identities of pre-colonial Africa.
“We must voice our opposition to religious extremism that is leading to new African genocide,” says Rev. Perry. “For centuries, African Pride has been under assault by predominantly European colonizers, driven by the forces of economic, political and religious domination, even resulting in genocide,” he stated. “This is a centuries-long struggle which devastated African traditions and cultures by ruling colonial powers and corrupted religious institutions.”
Perry identifies the invaders as having enriched themselves for centuries, then “exported the African people themselves to dominate the North American continent as a proud indigenous people were facing their own genocide by these same invaders."
The recent rise in dangerous threats of anti-LGBTQ legislation and discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people in Africa, according to Perry, can initially be traced to the pre-first World War period of New Imperialism with its rapid acceleration of colonization and laws. In 2024, Perry remarks, we are in the midst of a predominantly American Religious Imperialism instigated by a corrupt and oppressive theology.
The outcome of these past several decades of crusading extremists, says Perry, is “intensifying homophobia, hatred, violence, and state-sanctioned imprisonment and death.
” Perry is issuing a global Call to Action for people of all faiths to join together in solidarity to “uplift, protect, build resilience, and Restore African Pride."
An AFRICA PRIDE initiative is being launched to build a global coalition of individuals and organizations in support of the African LGBTQIA+ community living under rising threats of violence and the loss of legal and basic human rights protections.
In partnership with members of InterPride, the international organization of Pride event organizers, AFRICA PRIDE 2024 events are being planned as a continent-wide observance of the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.
AFRICA PRIDE 2024 events are to include online programs and a variety of public and private in-person gatherings, depending on local conditions, including safety and security issues. The events in Africa will be supplemented by supporters’ Pride events throughout the world and year-round.
“AFRICA PRIDE 2024 is unlike any other Pride event ever envisioned,” says Perry, who created the world’s first permitted Pride parade in Los Angeles in 1970 on the first anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion.
The gatherings across Africa will be in small, intimate groups of 2 or more people wherever they can safely join together. Private and secure online virtual spaces will enable participants to gather across the continent and globally, with interactive features and livestream events planned during the weekend.
In the spirit of the first Pride parade, individuals and organizations are invited to march in solidarity for the African LGBTQIA+ community who are unable to express themselves publicly.
“There are 11 major Pride parades on Stonewall Weekend, in Europe, the UK, the US, Mexico and South America.” Perry remarked. “We will be marching in solidarity to bring love, hope and joy to our brothers and sisters across Africa.”
“Our message is simple. LGBTQIA+ people have always been and will continue to be integral to the glorious tapestry of African culture. The good news of Christianity sets us all free,” Perry said. “We oppose the evil in corrupted theology which is now enslaving and threatening lives across the continent. Restore African Pride and set the people free.
Los Angeles-based InterPride member organization 501(c)(3) nonprofit Rainbow Advocacy http://rainbowadvocacy.org is sprearheading the Africa Pride initiative in collaboration with other InterPride member organizations and individuals in Africa and around the world.
Call for Action and Details at: http://africapride.org
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