Celebrating 24 Years of Love and Justice

Two gold wedding rings rest on a light blue wooden surface, with a vibrant rainbow-colored fabric draped in the background, symbolizing LGBTQ+ pride and love

Twenty-four years ago, on January 14, 2001, two historic weddings took place in the sanctuary of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. Two same-sex couples, Joe Varnell and Kevin Bourassa, along with Anne and Elaine Vautour, said their vows in front of Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, and a congregation of hundreds of supporters (as well as a few protestors outside). It took two more years of legal wrangling, led by activist and lawyer Douglas Elliott, but eventually, equal marriage rights marriage rights were extended to same-sex couples in Ontario in 2003, and across Canada in 2005. But, importantly, when the Court of Appeal of Ontario ruled that defining marriage ONLY in heterosexual terms was unlawful, the court also ruled that the marriages performed here in 2001 were legal when they were performed, making them the first legal same-sex marriages in the world. Here at MCC Toronto, we actually saved the carpet that those couples stood on for that momentous event, and have used it many times since, for couples who want to be associated with that beautiful bit of history.

The fight for equal marriage was a key human rights initiative for MCC Toronto, and our human rights work has only grown from there. From opening our doors to the Triangle School for 2SLGBTQ+ students, to our work with HIV and AIDS, to our ever-growing Refugee Programs, to founding the Paul Austin Centre for Human Rights, the need for MCC Toronto’s work continues to expand both within and outside our walls. There is still so much work to be done! But for today, let us rejoice and celebrate a major victory, brought about by the work and support of all of YOU, for a little more justice in the world!

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