Cheri is best known for performing the first legalized same-sex marriage in Canada. She also led the first Banning Conversion Therapy Bill and first Trans Rights as human rights Bills in Canada.
She was voted Best MPP many times by NOW. She lobbied and passed critical legislation, including the Parental Equality bill and Trans Day of Remembrance (demanding a moment of silence in the Ontario Legislature every November). She is known as the “Queen of tri-party bills” for tabling the most bills in the Legislature that have all three parties’ support. Cheri has also passed more Private Member’s Bills than any other MPP in Ontario’s record and has passed more pro-LGBTQ legislation than anyone in Canadian history.
Cheri has been a 40+ year activist for LGBTQ issues. She was the only woman in Canada to sign the ‘We Demand’ statement in 1971—the first demand for gay rights on Parliament Hill. In 2012, Cheri succeeded in getting Toby’s Act passed, an amendment to the Ontario Human’s Rights Code to include gender identity and gender expression–the first of its kind in North America.
She made history again in 2015 by successfully passing Bill 77, which prohibits “Conversion Therapy” for youth (therapy intended to prevent young people from identifying as LGBTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual or queer]). This ground-breaking legislation also de-listed “conversion therapy” from OHIP. Following this, President Barack Obama called for a ban of the practice in the US, and Manitoba tabled legislation to ban the practice as well. DiNovo has championed Parental Equality for LGBTQ parents with her Bill, Cy and Ruby’s Act.
Cheri has also been honoured to be the Grand Marshal in Toronto’s Pride Parade, the Order of Canada in 2020, Toronto Museum's one of "52 Women Who Changed Toronto" as well as author of 2 Books, Washington DC's Lambda Award winning "Qu(e)erying Evangelism" and also recently "The Queer Evangelist"
Books:
The Queer Evangelist A Socialist Clergy's Radically Honest Tale (2021)
Qu(e)erying Evangelism: Growing a Community from the Outside In (2005) (Lambda Award winner)
Topics:
politics
international
queer faith author
human rights advocate
Fee: Cheri’s fee for non-profit events and corporate requests is negotiable.
