We’re Coming Out with Faith for Pride 2022!

Here at Rainbow Faith and Freedom we are beyond excited to be participating in Pride Toronto for the first time. Pride is celebrated across our nation and around the world. It originally began in New York City after police raided a local gay bar leading to the infamous Stonewall Riots in 1969. Toronto Pride was officially founded in 1981 in response to “Operation Soap”, a brutal Toronto police raid of numerous bathhouses where hundreds of men were publicly humiliated. Today, Pride Toronto aims to support the 2SLGBTQ+ community by providing a space where those of all gender and sexual orientations can be seen, accepted, and embraced for the beauty they bring to our city. 

We are thrilled to join forces with Pride Toronto to help bring our message of reducing and eliminating religious-based homophobia and transphobia to a wider audience. We feel it is important for us to be an active and visible part of our community to effectively combat this homophobia and transphobia. Faith is an important part of many 2SLGBTQ+ people’s lives. We are working hard to help all 2SLGBTQ+ folks feel free to be who they are within their religious communities and openly love who they love. We believe that no matter what faith you subscribe to (even if that is no faith at all), you are deserving of a safer space in which to interact with your community and practice what you believe in. All people are equal under their Creator. 

If you are interested in helping us on our mission of reducing religious based homophobia and transphobia at Pride, we have lots of volunteer spaces open! Whether you’ve been involved with us before or are looking to try something new, you are always welcome at Rainbow Faith and Freedom. We would love to have you march with us at the Pride Parade on June 26th or help us at our Pride Festival booth. At our booth we will be informing people about RFF’s mission, recruiting volunteers and sign-ups for our email list, as well as accepting donations. Visit our volunteer page at https://rainbowfaithandfreedom.org/volunteer-1 to sign-up and learn more. 

If you would like to support our efforts at Pride monetarily you can find our fundraiser at https://rff.salsalabs.org/comingoutwithfaith/index.html. Your contribution will help us support both religious institutions who want to become more welcoming to the 2SLGBTQ+ community and to 2SLGBTQ+ individuals looking for religious belonging. Any donation over $20 is tax-deductible. 

After two years of virtual Pride events we hope to see you in-person at Pride Toronto this year. Whether it’s volunteering with us at our booth, marching alongside us in the parade or coming out to cheer in the crowds, thank you for continuously being a part of the RFF community.

Meeting with Dignity Network Steering Committee

Dignity Network Steering Committee

Dignity Network (DN) is a network of 48 organizations across Canada that are involved in international LGBTI work. Doug Kerr is the Founder. Because of the work we'll be doing confronting religious based homophobia around the world, Rainbow Faith and Freedom (RFF) is involved with this organization.

DN has an annual round table meeting for member organizations each year and is governed by a Steering Committee which meets monthly. RFF is a member organization and Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, Founder and Executive Director of RFF, serves on the Steering Committee. On November 6 & 7, 2019, the Steering Committee met in person for the first time (we usually have monthly meetings by phone or Zoom) to review our past work and plan for the year ahead, and in particular to further develop the structure of the organization. We met at Egale’s office - thanks to Egale for their hospitality and thanks to Doug for getting us to this stage. There’s also a smaller Executive committee that helps with the day-to-day operations.

DN has been crucial in helping RFF develop expertise, relationships and contacts for international work. As we raise funds, RFF needs to become a member with the Global Interfaith Network (GIN) and the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), 2 organizations that will be crucial for our future work.

We’d love it if you would make a monthly pledge or you could sponsor RFF’s involvement in either DN, GIN or ILGA.

Click the ‘Donate’ button at the top of the page if you want to support the work of RFF: www.rainbowfaithandfreedom.org

RFF's First Team Appreciation Event

Rev Dr. Brent Hawkes (Founder/ed) and Zak Bailey (former president).

On Thursday, September 12th RFF hosted our first Team Appreciation Event. 

The event included speeches from Maria and Ron (Volunteer Team); Joe (President); Brent (Founder/ED); and Kevin Robertson (Special Guest). 

It was announced, with regret, that Zak Bailey resigned as President of the Board because of work commitments. The new Board includes Joe Jamieson (President), Amy Hanen (Vice-President), and Brian Brenie (Treasurer). 

Some of RFF’s accomplishments in the past year were noted, such as:

Amy Hanen (Vice-president) and Ron van Kempen (Volunteer team)

Bishop Kevin Robertson chats with guests

• Our partnership with Egale at a symposium last November on confronting and diminishing religious-based homophobia, and continued partnership with them as one of their programs. 

• Attained Not-For-Profit status in June. We are currently working on getting Charitable Status.

• We are working on MOUs with Egale and Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. 

• We now have several teams in place: Board of Directors (which meets monthly), Volunteer Team, Communications and Technology Team, Finance Team and Strategic Partnerships Team. We are also recruiting for Fundraising and Research Teams. 

• Our website was launched in late June: www.rainbowfaithandfreedom.org 

• We received government funding (through Egale) for 8 weeks to hire a summer youth person, Lauren Morash, and her contract has been extended through RFF till the end of the year.

• Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes has been appointed by the Board as the Executive Director.

Indeed, we have done a lot in the past year, and we expect to do the same in the year to come. We are hoping to receive Charitable Status sometime in 2020, and have some new partnerships that we are excited to announce in the next few months. We will keep you updated as we go forward and you will be among the first to receive news of the next significant steps. 

As RFF is growing, we are also hoping to expand our volunteer base. In particular, we are looking for folks who have experience and interest in the following areas: accounting, fundraising, and research. If you are interested in volunteering with RFF, please reach out to Maria, our Volunteer Team Lead (mariagabriel@mail.com), or Lauren, our Administrative Coordinator (lmorash@egale.ca).

Thank you to everyone involved for their significant contributions to RFF. We hope to see you soon!

LGBTQ Government Funding Announcement

On behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, Brent was invited to and attended an LGBTQ government funding announcement re event at the Daniels Spectrum Centre in Toronto.

The announcement included a panel discussion about how investing in LGBTQ2 organizations will help strengthen our communities and improve our ability to address ongoing barriers facing LGBTQ2 people across Canada. Highlights included:

$400,000 EGALE to set up a research hub to gather data on LGBTQ2 issues. 

$100,000 to enable a national gathering of Trans and non binary individuals to explore the provincial discrepancies and how a possible national trans organization might look like and sharing best practices from across Canada. 

Funding opportunities for RFF are being explored.

Left to Right - Rob Oliphant-Chrissy Taylor-Alicia Kazobinka-Helen Kennedy-Randy Boissonault-Brent Hawkes-Olena Semenova-Michelle Emson

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes at the Ministerial on Religious Freedom in Washington, DC

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes at the Ministerial on Religious Freedoms in Washington, DC.

The 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom will build on the themes of the Potomac Declaration and Plan of Action released last year. The 2019 Ministerial had a robust agenda with more topical breakout sessions, to encourage greater interaction among the increased number of attendees and panelists.

LGBT folks who attended the Ministerial were pleasantly surprised about the more supportive atmosphere here compared to last year. The panelist from Norway mentioned LGBT rights in her address which didn’t happen last year. There was also a much larger group of open LGBT folks, about 20 compared to 3 last year. The representative from Outright handed out rainbow lanyards so we were very visible.

On Day One (July 16), there were several main sessions to discuss: Building Blocks for Advancing Religious Freedom, Emerging Trends in Religious Freedom and Religious Freedom in Development and Humanitarian Assistance.

On Day Two (July 17), each of these three topics had its own separate track at the Ministerial.

The three tracks were as follows (Brent attended Track 3)

Three clergy from Metropolitan Community Churches at the Ministerial on Religious Freedom Conference. Rev Jim Merritt Rev Pat Bumgardner & Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes.

1. Building Blocks for Advancing Religious Freedom: Track 1 explored the foundation elements that ensure Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). Breakout session topics included subjects such as challenges facing religious minorities, best practices in religious freedom advocacy, governments’ role in advancing FoRB, and combatting anti-Semitism.

Brent with Maria Sjödin from Outright

2. Emerging Trends in Religious Freedom: Track 2 explored emerging trends that help foster the growth of FoRB. Breakout session topics included subjects such as atrocity prevention, interfaith tolerance education to combat extremism, religious freedom and national security, religious freedom and economic prosperity, religious freedom and technology, media/reporting on religious freedom issues, and women’s rights and FoRB.

3. Religious Freedom in Development and Humanitarian Assistance. Track 3 was led by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Breakout topics explored the intersection of religious communities, faith leaders, and faith based organizations and the development community.

 Human Rights Campaign Equality Forum July 17, 2019 - 

“Religious Liberty” or Discrimination?

“Unalienable” Rights and the Fragmentation of Human Rights

co-hosted by Human Rights Watch and the Human Rights Campaign

Panelists:

·  Amanda Klasing from Human Rights Watch

·  Robin Maril from the Human Rights Campaign

·  Preston Mitchum from Advocates for Youth and 

·  Philippe Nassif from Amnesty International.

·  Ryan Thoreson from Human Rights Watch will moderate. 

 The freedom of religion and belief is a core human right. But it is increasingly being misused to restrict or deny human rights to vulnerable groups. The passage of draconian religious laws, the use of religion to restrict sexual and reproductive rights, and efforts to distinguish some rights as uniquely “unalienable” threaten to fragment a human rights framework that protects and promotes the rights of all. In this panel, human rights experts examined various areas in different regions of the world where the freedom of religion and belief has been used in a rights-restrictive way – particularly for women, LGBT people, and religious minorities – and discussed how the freedom of religion can and should be harmonized with other rights to which people are entitled.

Closing Ceremony July 18, 2019

Brent and a supportive attendee at the Washington DC conference.

Location: National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), co-hosted by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the NMAAHC.

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes Speaks at Panel at the United Nations in Geneva - Watch the Video!

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes appeared as a panelist in the “Religious Communities Affirming LGBTIQ People Around the World” event on July 2, 2019 at the 41st Human Rights Council session at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, with the support of Global Affairs Canada.

The Human Rights Council describes the event as “Re-affirming the universality and indivisibility of Human Rights, as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (…) (we believe) that religious freedom/freedom of consciousness is a fundamental human right that applies to all people, including LGBTIQ people, and we claim the right to practice our faith in a way that affirms life, both for us and for others.“

Read more about the event on our Events page.

The panel went extremely well and was live-streamed on the Global Interfaith Network Facebook page. You can view the entire session in this video from the Global Interfaith Network:

https://www.facebook.com/globalinterfaithnetwork/videos/614526619032854/

L to R: Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes of Canada, Rev. Nokuthula Dhladhla of South Africa, and Victor Madrigal-Borloz, Special UN Rapporteur on LGBTI Issues

In addition to our very own Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, panelists also included (in alphabetical order by family name):

• Yiulia Dwi Andriyanti (Indonesia)

• Rev. Nokuthula Dhladhla (South Africa)

• Ankit Gupta (India)

• Bochra Bel Haj Hmida (Tunisia)

• Father Thomas Ninan (India)

Father Thomas Ninan of India (left), and Victor Madrigal-Borloz, Special UN Rapporteur on LGBTI Issues

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes also presented to staff at the Permanent Mission of Canada in Geneva on the work being done with RFF. The meeting and presentation were very well received. Some described the experience as “moving”, and “uplifting”.

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes met with the following people and shared his journey and the work of RFF with them:

• Ambassador Stephen de Boer, Chef de Mission and Canada’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organization

• Ambassador Rosemary McCarney, Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations

• Cyndy Nelson, Human Rights Team

Front L to R: Cyndy Nelson, Human Rights Team, Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes.

Back L to R: Ambassador Stephen de Boer, Chef de Mission and Canada’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organization, and Ambassador Rosemary McCarney, Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations

Exec Director @RevBrentHawkes of #RainbowFaithandFreedom will speak at #HRC41 today on lived experiences of people of faith, inclusive religious interpretations and practices. His advocacy journey is a powerful, inspiring example of what we can accomplish #togetherensemble.🌈🍁 pic.twitter.com/xBw8W5qDtv

— CanadaUNGeneva (@CanadaUNGeneva) July 2, 2019

“It was so inspiring to be around such wonderful people doing such amazing work in their parts of the world,” said Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes. “They are working for change, dialogue, connection; all the same things we are at RFF. We really found common ground to discuss the issues together, and to share strategies on how we can work together to make things better for people who have been marginalized by religions because of who they are.”

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes keynote address at the 2nd World LGBTQ conference for criminal justice professionals

Listen to Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes keynote address at the 2nd World LGBTQ conference for criminal justice professionals

In August of 2016, the Dutch National Police held the 1st World LGBTQ Conference for Criminal Justice Professional. The conference was well attended by members of police organizations, public prosecution services and departments of justice from 26 countries and six continents. 250 international criminal justice professionals came together to be inspired on how to proactively contribute to the betterment of human rights for LGBTQ citizens in their respective countries and organizations.

This year, Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes gave a keynote address at the 2nd World LGBTQ Conference for Criminal Justice Professionals.

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes giving the keynote address at the 2nd World LGBTQ conference for criminal justice professionals.

Left to right: Andy Pringle. Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders, Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, conference co-chairs - RCMP lay person, Toronto Police Services LGBTQ Liaison Daniele Bottineau.

New Canada $1 Coin Commemorates 1969 Legalization of Homosexuality

The Royal Canadian Mint released a new coin that features an LGBTI theme to commemorate the legalization of homosexuality by then-Minister of Justice, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, father of current Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes was the Master of Ceremonies. “I’m thrilled and honoured to be part of this. Back in 1969, nobody would ever have imagined that we would be here where we are now, releasing a widely used coin that celebrates LGBTI rights,” said Hawkes.

The new LGBTQ2S commemorative $1 coin, designed by Vancouver artist Joe Average. Photo: Royal Canadian Mint

“When you have laws hanging over your head that say when you love someone very, very much and you practise consensual sex with that other adult person you could be thrown in jail, that is significant. In 1969, the government passed a law to end that piece of the terror. And while it’s not perfect, we should not diminish the significance of that moment,” said Hawkes.

Read more at https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/loonie-lgbtq-1.5107077

See Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes in CBC's "The Activist: Uncover: The Village"

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes appears in this documentary about the LGBTI community’s relationship with the police and the climate of fear and mistrust in the 1970s and 1980s.

Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=639535496485540&__tn__=-UK-R

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes Invited to Preach at First Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes was Invited to Preach at First Baptist Church, Guelph as They Move to Becoming an Affirming Congregation

Preaching at First Baptist Church in Guelph on March 24th was an amazing experience and a real honour for me. The congregation is going through a process of deciding to become affirming. They are a theologically diverse congregation and they are very welcoming.

They gave me 40 minutes for the sermon which was a first for me. I was able to talk about my spiritual journey and the history of the LGBT movement in Canada.

The response was overwhelming. Many families who have attended First Baptist since their youth brought LGBT young people with their same sex partners. People were so proud that their church was showing this openness by having me preach. It was great having folks from MCC Toronto show up to indicate their support for the congregation, too. More Baptist congregations are exploring becoming affirming and the leadership shown by this congregation and its Pastor, Debra Nicholson-Elwell, will encourage this trend.

Find out more about First Baptist Church of Guelph here: http://fbcg.ca/

Blessings,

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes

Panel: Can sexual orientation and religious beliefs be reconciled?

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes participated in a panel on reconciling sexual orientation and religious beliefs.

In Ontario, Canada, a new curriculum for sexual and health education was released a few years ago. This curriculum had not been updated in nearly 20 years and was overdue for an overhaul. The new curriculum addressed such issues as healthy bodies, dating, sexting, cyberbullying and other things that young people today need to be aware of to stay safe. The curriculum also finally addressed what many know to be reality: that there are gay, lesbian, trans and other identities and ways of being in the world, and they belong, too.

Different religious groups have responded in diverse ways, from urging parents to take their kids out of schools until the new curriculum is repealed, to an open, outright welcome and endorsement of the curriculum.

Here’s the description of the panel:

“If you're struggling to embrace your lesbian colleague's sexual orientation for religious reasons. Or, your son comes to you and says he wants to marry a man -- and you think ‘blasphemy!’ Or, you are an LGBT person of faith but struggling, thinking your religion will not accept you. Or you're someone who believes being gay is a sin, but you do not want to discriminate.

This panel is for you! Come to dialogue, gain insight and develop understanding.

LGBT rights in Canada have come a long way since the police bathhouse raids of 1981 in Toronto. Today, gay couples can get married and have children. Their rights are enshrined in legislation and human rights codes. Toronto’s annual Pride Month attracts hundreds of thousands to the city to celebrate, show pride and stand in solidarity.

One hurdle, a large one, remains in the path to full equal rights: religious belief. To many, their culture’s interpretation of religion defines being gay as a sin. The large controversy over an updated sex-ed curriculum in Ontario in 2015 (that specifically recognized gender fluidity) demonstrated how a number of religious groups continue to be conflicted about the subject. And LGBT individuals who are religious have often suffered in attempting to reconcile these two sides of their identity.

But religions can often be interpreted in many ways, and none is a monolith. Many religious people have found interpretations that are inclusive of sexual minorities. But the battle between inclusive and exclusive continues in what is now the final frontier in gay rights.“

“I think it’s wonderful that we’re having these discussions,” said Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes. “It’s time to help prepare young people to understand that there are many ways of being, and not just one, and that if you’re not being like that one way, then you’re fine just the way you are, exactly as God created you.”