And then on Sunday morning - it would be the Baptist church. So on Saturday, I would go to Sabbath school with him. I also had my best little friend Delmar Popple. So if you had two groups that are fundamentalist churches those are the two. Dad’s family were the Church of God Pentecostals. My mother’s family were all Southern Baptists. I was one of those kids that loved church. That farm was in our family for years until my mother sold it after my dad died.
As a result of that, my grandfather Tom Allen on my mother’s side of the family, were given a farm. All of the early families that moved into Florida in 1820 - when the US government bought Florida from Spain - they offered 168 acres for any Anglo families that would move into the state of Florida.
North Florida at that time was not like South Florida at all. PERRY: I was born July the 271h, 1940 in Tallahassee Florida the state Capitol. You want to tell us a little bit about Troy as a child growing up in Florida - as a Christian and a closeted gay person? Thank you! DURAN: So let’s go back to Florida because I think that’s where it all gets started. PERRY: (laughs) well here we go so here we go it’s great to be on the show with you too. I’ve interviewed you before but never for 45 minutes this will be wonderful. DURAN: I’ve been so looking forward to this interview because you and I have been friends for such a long time. He was featured in a 2007 documentary film on his life titled “CALL ME TROY”. Perry is also one of the co-founders of Christopher Street West-the annual Pride celebration in Southern CA. MCC now has 222 congregations in 37 countries. Troy Perry-the founder of the Metropolitan Community Churches in Los Angeles on October 6, 1968. In this three part profile, Duran speaks with the Rev.
Introducing “Lavender Pen” by John Jude Duran a series of interviews with pioneering and iconic LGBT figures across Southern California.