Edith Allen Perry (September 11, 1916 – May 17, 1989), also known as Mom Perry'','' was an American activist for LGBT rights, and mother of Troy Perry, founder and moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

Early life

Edith Allen was born in Jasper, Florida, the daughter of William T. Allen and Georgia W. Driggers Allen.

Activism and honors

Perry helped her eldest son Troy Perry when he launched the Metropolitan Community Church in Los Angeles in 1968 as a welcoming religious community for LGBT people. "All I know and need to know is that Troy is my son and I love him", she told a Los Angeles newspaper in 1970. In 1969, she co-founded a parents' organization with another mother, Vi Anderson. Perry appeared with her son and his partner in parades and rallies through the 1970s and 1980s, including the first

Pride Parade A pride parade (also known as pride march, pride event, or pride festival) is an outdoor event celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer culture, queer (LGBTQ) social and self-acceptance, achievements, LGBT rights by country o ...

, in Los Angeles in 1970. She appeared on the "Human Rights Train" in 1977, the first gay rights organization float to appear in the Hollywood Santa Claus Lane Parade. In 1980, she was named "Woman of the Year" by Christopher Street West, a Los Angeles gay pride organization. She wrote the foreword to her son's memoir, ''The Lord is my Shepherd and He Knows I'm Gay'' (1972). He dedicated a later memoir, ''Don't Be Afraid Anymore'' (1990) to her memory.

Personal life and legacy

Edith Allen married at least four times. In 1940, she married Troy Perry Sr., a bootlegger, as her second husband; they had five sons together before he died in a car accident while being chased by police in 1952. She remarried a few months later, but soon divorced her third husband. She died from cancer in Los Angeles in 1989, aged 72 years. For her work, she was described by

Chris Glaser Chris Glaser has been an activist in the movement for full inclusion of LGBT Christians in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), or PCUSA, for over 30 years. He is currently a minister in the Metropolitan Community Church, or MCC. Education Glaser gr ...

as "a saint in the cause of lesbian and gay Christians." The Edith Allen Perry Chapel at the Metropolitan Community Church's visitors' center in Los Angeles is named for her, as is the denomination's Edith Allen Perry Award, for parents or family members who are exemplary allies.A page of family photos of Edith Allen Perry
posted by her son Troy D. Perry Jr. on his website

Edith Allen Perry Award

Recipients of the Edith Allen Perry Award have included Betty DeGeneres (1999),

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and

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(2007), the family of James Byrd (2010),

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of Canada (2005), Edafe Okporo, a refugee from Nigeria (2021), and

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(2003) and Rev. June Norris (1997) of Australia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, Edith Allen 1916 births 1989 deaths People from Jasper, Florida Metropolitan Community Churches American LGBT rights activists