Cheri DiNovo

Early Years

Cheri DiNovo grew up in a rooming house owned by her parents. Her father was a housepainter and a canvasser with the New Democratic Party. He died from emphysema when DiNovo was young. DiNovo’s household was supposedly chaotic and difficult as her mother did not get along with her father and, later, stepfather. After witnessing the latter’s suicide, DiNovo dropped out of school in grade 10. She ended up living on the streets of downtown Toronto.

During this time, DiNovo often visited the United Church’s Fred Victor Mission for meals and to talk with a pastor. She later described these moments as her first experience with the church.

Eventually, she enrolled at Centennial College’s high school equivalency program. She then later transferred to York University.

At York University, DiNovo became involved with student protests and the Young Socialists of Canada. She notably befriended anti-war and gay rights activists. (See 2SLGBTQ+ Rights in Canada.) Along with them, DiNovo attended some of Toronto’s first pride picnics, precursors to the city’s Pride Week. DiNovo signed her name to We Demand, Canada’s first gay liberation manifesto — the only woman to do so.

A few course credits shy of completing her degree, DiNovo married her first husband, Don Zielinski. The two then moved to Richmond Hill, just north of the city. She began her own headhunting firm, The Abbot Group, which placed women in high-profile roles.

In 1988, she and Zielinski joined a local United Church of Canada congregation. That same year, the church voted in favour of allowing anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, to be full members of the church and be ordained as ministers.

DiNovo was eventually inspired to take up the ministry herself. She finished her degree and enrolled at Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto. In 1995, she earned her Master of Divinity. She later received a doctorate in ministry from the same university in 2002.

Life as a Minister

Cheri DiNovo started her career as a minister in Brucefield, Ontario. Two years later, she moved back to Toronto. She began a ministry at Emmanuel-Howard Park United, now called Roncesvalles United Church, in the city’s west end.

In 2001, DiNovo officiated one of the first same-sex marriages registered in Canada — 4 years before it was legalized in Canada. She later described the event in Xtra:

“two queer women of colour, Paula Barrero and Blanca Mejias, approached us asking to be married, and our congregation didn’t see any reason why they shouldn’t be. They were in love.”

Once the media learned of the wedding, the Ontario government sent a letter to the United Church asking them to revoke DiNovo’s license. The Church stayed silent. They did not openly support DiNovo but also didn’t revoke her license either. The case made it all the way to the Ontario Superior Court, which ruled in favour of the couple and DiNovo. The ruling allowed Barrero and Mjias to stay married.

DiNovo also hosted a community radio show called The Radical Reverend on CIUT.

Political Career

In 2006, after about 12 years as a minister, Cheri DiNovo was elected as an Ontario New Democratic Party member of provincial parliament (MPP) in her local riding of Parkdale-High Park.

As an MPP, DiNovo fought for a number of poverty-related issues, like raising the minimum wage and creating affordable housing.

Moreover, DiNovo passed the greatest number of pro-2SLGBTQ+ legislation in Ontario’s history. She sponsored a bill to add trans rights to Ontario’s Human Rights Code in 2012 — the first act of its kind in North America. She helped pass the Affirming Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Act, which banned conversion therapy for 2SLGBTQ+ youth. She was also involved in passing the Cy and Ruby’s Act ― which established parent equality for 2SLGBTQ+ parents ― and the Trans Day of Remembrance Act. Additionally, DiNovo served as the first and only LGBTQ critic in the history of Ontario’s legislature. (See 2SLGBTQ+ Rights in Canada.)

In 2017, DiNovo left politics. By then, she had passed more private member’s bills than anyone else in Ontario’s history.

Life After Politics

In 2018, Cheri DiNovo went back to being a minister, this time at Trinity St. Paul’s United Church. Notably, the church had been inclusive of 2SLGBTQ+ people long before DiNovo’s arrival.

In 2019, DiNovo was appointed to the Order of Canada for her contributions to provincial politics and her lifelong activism and advocacy of social justice. In 2021, she published her memoir The Queer Evangelist.