Marc Hall To Receive Human Rights Award
by Jack Siu
365Gay.com Newscenter 

(May 4, Toronto) Marc Hall, the teen suing his school board for the right to bring his boyfriend to his high school prom, is to be given a prestigious human rights award.

Monday, Hall' will seek an injunction barring the Durham Catholic School board from stopping him from bringing his boyfriend to the prom.

The 17 year old 'A' student was told by his principal at Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School, in the Toronto suburb of Oshawa,  that the Catholic Church could not permit a same-sex date at the prom. 

After the school board refused to budge, Hall decided to go to court.

The award is named for John Damien, who worked as a steward for the Ontario Racing Commission until the early 70s when his doctor (in a breach of professional confidence) told his employers that he was gay.  They fired him.  The Ontario Human Rights Commission could not help since "sexual  orientation" was not then a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

In February 1975 CLGRO founded the Committee to Defend John Damien.  This was the start of its "human rights campaign" which did not result in success until nearly 12 years later when, in December 1986, "sexual orientation" was added to the Ontario Human Rights Code.  John Damien was seriously ill by then and, though he lived to see the Code changed, he did not live to receive justice. 

Hall will receive the award at a ceremony May 19.

In notifying Hall of the honour, CLGRO said: "We are all impressed with your courage, dignity, and perseverance through this struggle."

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