Equality Ride

The first Equality Ride bus showing part of its slogan, "Learn from History: End Religion-Based Oppression." Soulforce Equality Riders with Rev. Phil Lawson and Congressman John Lewis

Equality Riders rally outside Regent University

In Cleveland, TN "Fags-Mobile" was spray-painted onto the bus.

Equality Riders speak about the US military's former Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.

Note: Photos open to media [1]

The Equality Ride is a periodic LGBT rights bus tour across the United States led by young adults and sponsored by Soulforce, a national LGBT nonprofit organization. It seeks to debate LGBT issues with students at conservative Christian colleges and military academies and secular universities.

2005 Rides

The first Equality Ride was the idea of Jacob Reitan, a 23-year-old Christian activist from Minnesota who conducted trial runs prior to the launch. (Spring 2005: Liberty University, Fall 2005: the US Naval Academy.

Liberty University (2005/2006)

Liberty made news in 2005 when students from the Equality Ride visited the university and spoke informally with Liberty students. According to organizers, they were turned away from the library when they tried to donate books about homosexuality. The organizers were also unable to turn over to Jerry Falwell, the founder and chancellor of the university, anonymous letters from alleged current students at Liberty who claim they are gay. They were, however, able to speak with some of the students who attend the school. In March 2006, the Equality Ride returned, resulting in 24 arrests for trespassing when they attempted to cross into campus property after being warned not to.

Don Egle, director of public relations at Liberty, said, "We don’t feel that this situation warrants a comment." When asked about the school's policies toward gay students, Egle said only "we follow Scripture." Falwell reiterated the University's stance when confronted with the issue, "We do not believe in gay marriage or polygamy or any other family form than a man marrying a woman singly." Jake Reitan, director of youth programs for Soulforce, said that the group requested the library accept books that could be added "that students could decide to read or not", and called for the University to designate some place on campus where students could talk about being gay without fear of being expelled or having their parents informed.

In early 2005, SoulForce asked to return and was granted permission by Liberty University to sit in quiet protest in one of Liberty University's weekly convocations.

In April 2006, Falwell allowed Reform Rabbi Eric Yoffie to speak at the university on behalf of gay rights citing legal protections for gay couples. "You oppose gay marriage while we believe in legal protection for gay couples. We understand your reading of the Biblical texts, even if we read those texts in a different way." Falwell said Yoffie's tone was as important as his message.

2006 Rides

Throughout March and April 2006, thirty-three young adults from the ages of 17-28 rode together on a bus creating the first Equality Ride. Inspired by the Freedom Rides of the 1960s, the first Equality Ride traveled to 19 colleges and universities throughout the United States where they confronted policies that they believed to be discriminatory.

Before officially launching the journey, the Equality Riders met with Congressman John Lewis—a member of the original Freedom Ride in 1961 and leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He gave the Equality Riders his blessing and told them, “My mother told me growing up, ‘don’t get in the way; don’t get in trouble.’ I’m so glad I got in the way and got in trouble.” He urged the Equality Riders to “make good trouble.”

Sixteen colleges targeted were faith-based institutions in the Christian tradition. Two were military academies. One was a secular university with an ROTC program. The Riders voted on these schools out of a list of over 200 colleges with similar policies.

The Equality Ride traveled from coast to coast confronting schools they had been in contact with about their impending—and usually uninvited—arrival. The Equality Riders also rallied outside a conference held once every five years by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

After the first several stops, most schools allowed official forums in large group settings and in classrooms. One presentation by the Equality Riders entitled “A History of Violence” portrayed the modern violence against LGBT people in American society in a deeply emotional way, and then encouraged people to stand up against that violence as people of faith. While most schools chose to allow the Equality Riders onto campus, some have arrested Equality Riders for trespassing as they crossed onto campus property, including Liberty University, Regent University, Oral Roberts University, Baylor University and the United States Military Academy.

The military institutions cited their position as enforcement of federal law. Prior to the 2010 congressional repeal of don't ask, don't tell, military institutions were forced to comply with the discriminatory federal policy signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Through this policy, gay service members were unable to be open about their sexual orientation; the Equality Ride maintained this was government-sanctioned discrimination, claiming that over 10,000 gay and lesbian soldiers were discharged between 1993-2005 at a cost of $364 million. The military justified its position as enforcement of federal law and stated it was an issue of “unit cohesion."

Faith-based institutions largely used their interpretations of the Bible as a reason to bar the Equality Riders. For many of the schools, correct exegesis lends itself to a clearly anti-gay interpretation of seven Biblical passages condemning homosexual conduct. These institutions tend to believe in conversion therapy as a solution for students struggling with their sexual identity and orientation, considering acceptance therein damaging to spiritual well-being. Some responses from these schools follow:

Brigham Young University (2006)

Brigham Young University allowed the Equality Riders to come onto campus property and speak to students individually, but prohibited public forums or displays on campus property. The University stated that this was general procedure for any group visiting the campus. At one point the Riders were asked to leave campus for holding what was deemed a public forum and several were later arrested for holding a protest on campus property and refusing to leave.

United States Air Force Academy (2006)

The protesters at the United States Air Force Academy were allowed on base with the same freedoms of the general public. They were allowed access the public areas, but were not permitted into the private housing or the secured Cadet area. All lawful demonstrators were allowed to protest unharassed, while those who violated the rules (for example, handing out literature or speaking with a portable sound system) were arrested for disorderly conduct. It is important to note that all the service academies are considered military bases which means (especially since September 11, 2001 attacks) the security has been increased to protect the military personnel.

2007 Rides

Dordt College (2007)

Dort College and the community of Sioux Center, Iowa, invited Equality Riders on campus for two days of classroom presentations, dialog, meals with students, Bible study, and community meetings. Equality Riders gave a presentation on "Loving Like Jesus" and passed out informational pamphlets titled "What the Bible Says and Doesn't Say About Homosexuality." While Equality Riders were officially welcomed by the college, their bus was vandalized with paint by unknown perpetrators. The school denounced the activity and washed the graffiti off of the bus.

Covenant College (2007)

As Dean of Students at Covenant College, Bruce Voyles told newspaper reporters, "You have to wonder if they were really interested in dialogue or were just making some sort of statement." He reports disappointment that the Riders did not accept the college's initial offer for a visit under very specific guidelines the Equality Ride believed was intended to restrict their message. Twenty-six Riders arrived just outside the entrance, standing along a public street, and were warned by college administrators that they would be arrested if they set foot on campus property. For nearly three hours, dozens of Covenant students prayed and read the Bible with the Riders, and gave out boxed lunches and water to them. Four Equality Riders were arrested by Dade County police on charges of criminal trespassing after entering school property and reading a compact intended to "encourage Covenant College to become an environment that reflects the wideness of God's grace and diversity of the body of Christ."

Baylor University (2007)

Six Equality Riders were arrested by Baylor University police on charges of criminal trespassing when they refused to stop chalking sidewalks, a common practice at Baylor, with what they called "messages of love and hope". Baylor administrators contend that the six were in violation of university policy that allows only school-affiliated organizations to write messages on sidewalks after completing an online application. Baylor e-mailed its faculty and students on the day prior to the Riders' arrival, stating that the university would not allow a dialogue to take place on campus.

Equality U Documentary

Throughout the 2006 Equality Ride, a small film crew documented the journey. Director Dave O'Brien and his team rode with the Riders, filmed important meetings, and watched while the activists made presentations to college groups.

See also

• LGBT-welcoming church programs
• Right to Serve Campaign, a Soulforce campaign that grew out of the Equality Ride

External links

• Equality Ride
• SoulForce
• Washington Post story on the 2006 Equality Ride