There are more than 200 U.S. colleges and universities that have explicit policies discriminatory toward GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) students, according to Soulforce Q. Since 2006, this young adult division of Soulforce, a social justice organization seeking to end political and religious oppression of GLBT people through nonviolent resistance, has staged Equality Ride. A group of young adults between the ages of 18 to 28 — gay, transgender and straight — take a bus trip to visit some of these institutions in the hopes of changing both policies and perceptions.
“I would hope that we are able to stand on a campus and maybe for the first time be an affirming voice,” said codirector Katie Higgins. On the previous Equality Rides, she has repeatedly heard from students that she is the first openly lesbian person they’ve ever met. “Conversations are happening on these campuses that have never happened before.
“Our goal is to talk to our peers and try to find a way where … GLBT students can go to school without fear of retribution.”
They have witnessed changes ranging from sentiments and attitudes to actual policy revision. Some schools, although not many, have softened some of the anti-GLBT policies. One example is that Samford University used to have certain specific condemnations of homosexuals in their written policies. Now the policies are the same for gays and straights. Of course, those policies pretty much tell everyone to refrain from sexual activity, but it doesn’t single out gays and specifically denounce them.
This year’s route takes its 17 participants, who were carefully chosen from approximately 100 applicants, to 15 schools throughout the South from Oct. 2 to Nov. 13. The complete Equality Ride route and dates of specific visits can be found at www.equalityride.org along with details about the riders and other information about the overall mission.
In the past, Equality Ride also visited military institutions, such as the Naval Academy, but has shifted the focus to mostly faith-based schools, such as Liberty University, Heritage Christian University and Dallas Baptist University. Also included in this ride are HBCUs Morehouse College and Spelman College, which non-discrimination policies, but still have been known to have climates of homophobia and harassment.
“Just because a school doesn’t have a policy on their books doesn’t mean that it is a welcoming atmosphere,” said Higgins. “We are working with students at Morehouse and we have a great day planned. They are welcoming us onto the campus.
