American Gay Rights Activist Weighs Dutch Gay Marriage Bill
Source: UFMCC

On September 14, 2000, as cheers of elation erupted in the Dutch parliament as a result of the passage of the legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry on the same terms as men and women, Rev. Troy D. Perry and other gays and lesbians in America remained quiet, unsure of what this victory meant to them.

"I thank God that the Dutch parliament understands that a person’s gender is not important for marriage, but that love between two consenting adults should determine whether they can marry or not." ---Rev. Troy D. Perry

Rev. Troy D. Perry, Founder and Moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), an inclusive worldwide fellowship of Christian congregations with a special outreach to the world's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered communities, remains optimistic about the bill’s impact on American gay rights legislation.

"We at UFMCC are thrilled with this action," he stated. "I thank God that the Dutch parliament understands that a person’s gender is not important for marriage, but that love between two consenting adults should determine whether they can marry or not."

The Netherlands’ bill converts the country’s registered same-sex partnerships into full-fledged marriages, complete with divorce guidelines and wider adoption rights for gays.

In 1970, Perry performed the first gay marriage designed to challenge U.S. marriage laws. He married Neva Joy Heckman and Judith Ann Belew on January 12, 1970 under a California law provision that allowed a common law liaison to be formalized by a religious ceremony and did not require couples to obtain a marriage license from a city or town hall. Since then, the courts have reconsidered the case and found the marriage to be illegal because California statute states that a marriage must take place between a man and a woman.

While the Dutch bill only allows same-sex marriages for Dutch citizens or people with residency permits, Perry and other advocates of same-sex marriage in the United States hope that the Dutch vote will spur moves toward similar measures across America.

"This decision by the Netherlands fortifies my feelings to fight harder on this issue," Perry said. "if the Dutch government one day approves the same-sex marriage of non-Dutch citizens, I and my partner of 15 years, Mr. Phillip Ray DeBlieck, would fly to the Netherlands to be married then come back to the United States to sue for recognition of our marriage." Perry, who is 60 added, "It has been my life long dream to be able to marry Phillip legally and to have my relationship recognized in this country."