Equality Ride

[edit] Background: The First Ride

Throughout March and April of 2006, thirty-three young adults from the ages of 17-28 rode together on a bus creating the first Equality Ride.^[1] 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 discriminatory policies.

College policies confronted by the Equality Ride either specifically banned lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from attending or contain clauses in their lifestyle agreements prohibiting non-heterosexual relationships. Some policies require the expulsion of gay students, while others discourage heterosexual students from supporting a viewpoint other than the school's.

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 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.^[2]

[edit] The Beginning of the Ride

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.”

Under the umbrella of Soulforce based out of Lynchburg, Virginia, the Equality Ride launched its journey right at home. Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University, also based in Lynchburg, was the Ride’s first stop. Liberty University arrested 14 Equality Riders and 10 community members who crossed onto campus hoping to speak with students. The university cited protection of students as well as trespassing as the reason for the arrests.

From there, 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.

[edit] Responses from Colleges and Universities

While most schools chose to allow the Equality Riders onto campus, four arrested Equality Riders for trespassing as they crossed onto campus property. These schools were Liberty University, Regent University, Oral Roberts University, and the United States Military Academy.

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.

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.

The military institutions cited their position as enforcement of federal law. Military institutions must comply with Don't ask, don't tell, a federal policy signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Through this policy, gay service members are 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 states this is 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 reparative therapy as a solution for students struggling with their sexual identity and orientation, considering acceptance therein damaging to spiritual well-being.

[edit] Colleges and Universities Visited by the 2006 Ride