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Rev. Troy Perry Addresses
Roman Catholic Priests' Sex Abuse

Founder of the Metropolitan Community Churches Speaks Out

Pioneering Gay Clergyman: 'Truth Has Been Another Casualty'

By The Rev. Troy D. Perry
Founder and Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches

The Rev. Troy Perry: 'Repressive systems' not homosexuality at fault

I recently watched with great fascination as 300 men (yes, all men) gathered in Dallas, Texas for the meeting of the US Bishops to address the growing scandal of child sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church.

I felt a sense of hope that the issue was being debated -- and a sense of anger that along with hundreds or even thousands of innocent children, truth has been another casualty of this scandal.

Let me quickly make a disclaimer. I'm not a dispassionate observer. I know something about this subject first hand. As a child, I was raped by a pedophile. So I'm not speaking out of theory; I know the pain, confusion and trust issues which arise from this type of sexual violation.

Here's what I know from my experience -- and from my 30 years of activism in both the GLBT and faith communities. There are three truths that we need to voice over and over and over.

Child sexual abuse is not a gay issue.

Every credible study has confirmed that pedophilia is not a gay issue. Five respected professional organizations have public policies stating that there is no correlation between homosexuality and child abuse: the American Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers, American Academy of Child Psychiatrists, American Psychiatric Association and Child Welfare League of America.

Research study after research study has concluded that the overwhelming majority of child sexual abuse is committed by heterosexual men - the most often cited statistic is that more than 80% of all child sexual abuse involves a heterosexual perpetrator.

Repressive systems never lead to responsible sexuality.

The Roman Catholic clergy system is one of repression of the God-given gift of human sexuality. When human beings are forced to repress and deny God's beautiful and innate gift of sex, they will invariably find unhealthy expressions.

And that's the story with the current scandal. The story of the child sex abuse scandal has been one of repression, denial, cover-up, and moving predatory priests to new places of ministry without informing local parishes. That is a breeding ground for irresponsible and unhealthy sexuality.

All faith groups should learn from the gay community.

That's right. I believe with all my heart that the Roman Catholic Church and all organized faith groups could learn and benefit from the lessons we've learned in the GLBT communities. Openness, acceptance, and affirmation of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender orientations always lead to emotional and spiritual health. Always.

And in many ways, the gay community has been a leader in this regard.

In 1985, long before the current crisis, our predominantly GLBT Metropolitan Community Churches adopted a policy statement that all sexual activity between adults and minors is inherently evil, coercive, and not to be condoned.

During the 34-year existence MCC churches, there have been only two cases involving clergy misconduct with minors. Let me quickly say, I use the term "only" to draw a stark contrast with the scandal unfolding in some other faith communities -- not to excuse anyone's misconduct. And in both cases, MCC officials reported the abuse to civil authorities, fully cooperated with authorities -- and in each case clergy credentials were removed. That's a far different story than the repression, denial, and cover-up unfolding in the Roman Catholic Church.

You have a right to know that the predominantly gay Metropolitan Community Churches have never had a claim for child sexual abuse and never paid damages for child sexual abuse. Never. In the June 15 edition of The Christian Century, Charlie Cutler of Tom Cutler and Associates, an insurance brokerage that serves 2000 churches of varied denominations noted, "I've worked with the MCC since 1978, and in that time there have been zero claims against the church. They have very, very aggressive policies on these issues, with police background checks and policies such as the two-adult rule when supervising minors."

MCC has worked with the GLBT community to developed a healthy system of sexual ethics. Let's be honest: Far too often the Judeo-Christian culture has contributed to sex negativity.

MCC in conjunction with the GLBT community has developed a positive sexual ethic that balances desire with our emotional, physical, sexual and spiritual selves, while preserving and honoring mutuality and consent. Over the past three decades, GLBT leaders from every walk of life and from a wide range of faith backgrounds have contributed to MCC's policies for clergy sexual conduct. These extensive ethical guidelines recognize all sexual activity with minors as sexual misconduct, oppose sexual harassment, decry sexual activity that exploits positions of authority and emphasize mutuality, caring, consent and responsibility.

MCC has gone even further. We've adopted a Clergy Code of Conduct and a Sexual Misconduct Policy that not only embody these ethics -- it's also an open document available to everyone. (If you want a copy, simply write to me at info@MCCchurch.org.)

Sometimes you have to repeat a message over and over until people "get it." I'm asking my GLBT friends and their enlightened allies to join me in repeating these three messages: Child sexual abuse is not a gay issue. Repressive systems never lead to responsible sexuality. All faith groups should learn from the GLBT communities.

In the aftermath of the Dallas meeting of the Roman Catholic Bishops, I'm feeling hopeful. But until a new breeze of openness, acceptance and affirmation blows through the Roman Catholic Church, and until we see the Church put actions to their words, I'm in solidarity with the millions of people who are casting a wary eye on all faith groups that continue to scapegoat God's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender children.

The Rev. Troy D. Perry is Founder and Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches, a Christian denomination with a positive, affirming ministry to gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender persons and their enlightened friends and families. Founded in 1968 in the months before the Stonewall Riots, today MCC is made up of almost 300 local congregations in 22 countries, and has 46,000 members and adherents. The MCC movement has an annual operating budget of $20 million dollars, more than 90% of which is reinvested in the communities in which local churches operate. Information on MCC is available at www.MCCchurch.org.

The above article was written by the Rev. Perry at the specific request of San Francisco's Bay Area Reporter and appears in the July 4th edition of that newspaper.