The Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes C.M. LLD is the founder and Executive Director of Rainbow Faith and Freedom, and Senior Pastor Emeritus of Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, where he was at the forefront of ministry to the LGBTQI2S community for over 30 years. On January 14, 2001, he officiated at the first legal same-sex marriage in the world. He received the Order of Canada, the Order of New Brunswick and three honorary degress for his stand on social justice and human rights within the LGBTQI2S communities.
Hawkes is a native of Bath, in rural New Brunswick. He grew up in a strict fundamentalist Baptist family. He recalls knowing at a very early age that he was “different” but didn't have words to describe it. Certainly in the 1950s there was no information available or any portrayal of gays or lesbians on television. He quickly learned to keep these feelings to himself and believed he was the only one like this.
In high school he felt a calling to Christian ministry but decided not to pursue this because of his homosexual feelings. Instead of going seminary Brent went to Mount Allison University for a degree program that would lead to becoming a high school teacher.
During this time he discovered the gay community in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Upon visiting an adult bookstore for the first time, he purchased a copy of Advocate magazine. In that issue he found an ad for Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) and immediately knew this was where he belonged. He decided to move to Toronto in 1976 to join MCC and beginning the difficult process of coming out to his family. He started his long career as pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto in 1977. He later received a Masters of Divinity degree from Trinity College, University of Toronto, and a Doctorate of Ministry degree from Trinity College.
As Senior Pastor of MCC Toronto in 1977, Hawkes was at the forefront of ministry to the gay & lesbian Community in Toronto. He served as spiritual leader to a faith community of more than 800 congregants at regular Sunday worship. As well, he served the community at large with distinction, championing several Human Rights initiatives, especially benefiting the LGBTQ community.
Hawkes was an candidate in the 1995 Ontario election and was narrowly defeated by Conservative candidate Al Leach in the downtown Toronto riding of St. George-St. David.
In 1994, Hawkes received the City of Toronto Award of Merit, the highest civilian award given by the City of Toronto. In 1995, he received a Global Citizen Award from the United Nations Toronto Association, for his work in advancing human rights in Canada. Hawkes has also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Metropolitan Community Churches. In 2007 he was appointed the Order of Canada by the Governor General of Canada for his stand on Social Justice and Human Rights within the LGBT. communities, the highest award a country has bestowed on a gay activist.
On January 14, 2001, Rev. Hawkes officiated at the first legal marriage of a same-sex couple in the history of the world. The province refused to recognize these marriages, so the church sued the city, province and federal government. Their court case was filed jointly with the case of eight couples who had tried to get a marriage license from City Hall. Ultimately these court cases would be successful, making Canada the first country to have a legally wedded gay/lesbian couple.
In 2009, Rev. Dr. Hawkes was presented with an award from the American Psychological Association for exemplifying the values of freedom, fairness and equality under the law and clarity of leadership in advocacy for LGBT people and their families. The New Brunswick Human Rights commission bestowed the honour of “Pioneer of Human Rights Award” for his historic contribution to the advancement of human rights. In 2009 York University presented Rev. Hawkes with an Honorary Doctorate of Laws for his continuing work in activism and human rights in Canada for all. In 2010, he was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Mount Allison University, and in 2011 received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Trinity College.
On August 27, 2011 Rev. Hawkes officiated over the state funeral for the Honourable Jack Layton,Leader of Canada's Official Opposition and head of the NDP, at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. He spoke highly of Layton who had touched the lives of millions of Canadians and had been a vocal supporter of AIDS initiatives and LGBT rights.
In 2013, Rev. Hawkes received a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for his stand on Social Justice and Human Rights within the LGBTQIA communities and was also inducted into the Q Hall of Fame for his contributions to LGBTQ human rights in Canada. In 2015, Rev. Hawkes was appointed to the Order of New Brunswick for his leadership in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.
He has constantly challenged the church to examine important issues such as prejudice against gays and lesbians, inclusive language as well as ordination of women. He has helped thousands of gays and lesbians and their families come back into spiritual relationship with God. He has played a significant role in promoting the inclusion of sexual orientation in the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act. He was a past co-chair for the Campaign for Equal Families.
Rev. Dr. Hawkes has led workshops on Church Growth and Conflict Management in the church. He is also regularly called upon for comment from the media with regards to various human-rights related issues.
In 2015, Hawkes took a three-month sabbatical, during which time he focused on global LGBTI human rights. He visited over 10 LGBTI international organizations, allied organizations and numerous individual activists in New York, Washington and Geneva, including the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), Human Rights Watch, ARC International, the World Council of Churches, the Global Justice Institute, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (ILGHRC), the Council for Global Equality, Soulforce, Center for Social and Information Initiatives Action, European Forum of LGBTI Christian Groups, and Franciscans International. Hawkes retired as Senior Pastor of MCC Toronto in the fall of 2017.
On February 15, 2018, Hawkes founded Rainbow Faith and Freedom, a movement to secure inclusion and affirmation of LGBTI people around the world. Rainbow Faith and Freedom operates from the understanding that decreasing and lessening the effects of religious-based LGBTI discrimination can and will make changing punitive laws easier and improve the lives of LGBTI people so they can be who they are, love who they want, and find safe and accepting places to practice their faith. RFF is focused on three pillars of activity to address religious-based LGBTI discrimination: faith-based resources; strategic nation-focused programming and domestic faith-based initiatives.
Hawkes lives in Toronto, Canada, with John Sproule who has been his partner since 1981.
(This biographical statement written from information provided by Brent Hawkes.)
Biography Date: January 2009; rev. July 2025
“Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes C.M. | Profile”, LGBTQ Religious Archives Network, accessed July 30, 2025, https://lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/profiles/brent-hawkes-c-m.