My posts here are commentaries also posted on www.goqnotes.com an LGBTQ resource/news site:
March 17
Yesterday we got together and talked about SouthEastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS). The administration was reluctant to let us do much more than attend Chapel with students and staff. They added that they thought it was "ludicrous" for us to request time for open dialogue with students on campus and denied our requests to hold workshops or discussions. I'm not sure what is so crazy about an institution of higher learning allowing for students to have a safe space to talk and ask questions, especially when these students are going to graduate and one day find themselves in need of answers to questions on the intersection of justice, faith, and sexuality.
The Stop Planner, Kimmy DeVries, decided to accept their invitation to Chapel; after all, she believes that it came from a place of love. Chapel and service went smoothly. Aside from personally perceiving the Minister to be extremely sexist, it was a good sermon with an honest message. Ironically, the message was on "practice what you preach" and the gap between your faith and your character.
Essentially, the sermon is exactly what the Equality Ride is all about. Our goal is to allow the schools that we visit to re-examine the ways in which they act toward the LGBTQ community and the ways in which Christian values call us to actually behave. SEBTS has a policy that discriminates against queer students. The school holds a vague school policy that deams "homosexual behavior" as synonymous to sexual immorality and this, in our view, does nothing to promote safety for the queer community on campus. We believe that this is equal to spiritual violence and can easily be understood to justify other kinds of violence.
So after Chapel we spoke to students that came up to us for about twenty minutes. I had great conversation with three female students. The conversation switched back and forth between the Bible, ethics, and morality. It was deep and yet lighthearted. Moments in time that feel like you're talking to old friends. As I looked around I noticed that I was not the only one. There were dozens of students interested in chatting with us! Unfortunately, security sternly asked that we leave. Afraid of getting arrested, we had to go.
We drove on the big, queer bus to a corner right outside of school grounds and vigiled. The songs attracted some students, including one of the girls who I was speaking to earlier! We continued talking, and even though we debated on some fundamental beliefs of scripture (most notably that I don't believe being queer is a sin) we absolute agreed that justice is a cornerstone of Christianity.
Soon after we moved on to a public park where even more students showed up to continue dialogue. It was a beautiful sunny day and perfect for making friends. Some students and Riders were engaged in heady discussion and debate, however, it was never angry or violent. I truly believe that Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary could have easily provided a space for all this to occur, and it is a shame that they blew a chance at providing all their students an opportunity to practice what they preach.
March 18
As Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Campbell University are relatively close to each other, this year the Equality Ride decided that we could reach out to students of both campuses during a three day stop. Normally it is emotionally as well as mentally draining to visit a campus. Not that I’m complaining, this is what drives me, but justifying our views, beliefs, and identities day after day is not an easy task. As the bus drove into the parking lot this morning we were all exhausted from yesterday and yet still very excited since Campbell invited us on and agreed to host us for most of the day. After SEBTS’ experience yesterday I believe I can speak for everyone when I say we hoped for a warmer welcome.
It was extremely disappointing to see that the schedule for the day was so tightly controlled. Again, there was very little time allowed for student/Rider interaction. After a presentation by our Riders in the auditorium that went pleasantly well, instead of continuing with the lively discussion, the President of the school talked about Campbell history for over an hour. It was a deliberate tactic on their part in order to deter and derail conversation. Afterward we were ushered out to a campus tour and then to a closed area for lunch that was “by invitation only”. During lunch the speaker talked about football and school legends for at least a half hour, after cutting off dialogue between the Riders and students that had begun organically. Even though the moderator did his best to frustrate our efforts the students were genuinely interested in engaging us. One gay and out student in particular has worked ceaselessly to have a Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) approved on campus and boldly spoke out, telling the moderator that he was sorely disappointed at the school’s stance and their inability to take action. It was a shining moment. While the 25 of us have many wonderful points to make, ideas to share, and are eager to engage in conversation Alexey Bulokhob (2006 Rider) said it best when he said: “The Equality Ride bus is like a giant mirror. Each school that we visit gets to view themselves in it and how their campus reflects Christian love.” Because of this we always prefer when we can sit back in amazement as students stand up for what is right and just in the face of administrators and faculty that have forgotten what those values look like.
Some of us were talking afterwards and agreed that whatever the welcome we receive it will be properly judged only after we are gone, once we can evaluate the welcome queer students on campus continue to experience. After leaving campus we got together close by with queer students and talked together about their experiences at Campbell, their frustrations, and their need for a safe space to talk and continue to share. I felt saddened that I did not have the opportunity to connect and share with more students today. It felt awful to be so controlled and manipulated, treated so much less than I am used to by my own Christian brethren! The boldfaced lies by faculty and deliberate minimal student interaction was discouraging, but we find hope in the courage of the students who are working diligently to create a safe space on Campbell University and we are committed to working with them until this goal is achieved.
In love, justice, and solidarity…
Sabrina
March 19 - Chapel Hill
The Equality Ride visited UNC Chapel Hill today. We met up at the LGBTQ Resource Center on campus, met with supporters, and also showed a screening of "Equality U", a documentary of the first Equality Ride in 2006. It is our hope that if students and community members are aware of our efforts since they are right around the corner from the schools we visited, Southeastern Baptist Theoogical Seminary and Campbell University, they would be willing to help. Indeed, many UNC students signed up to be a part of the winds of change that are blowing through these other school!
As I sat with my fellow Riders at the resource center playing games and chatting with UNC students it struck me that I felt safe. I felt sure and at ease and safe. My fellow Riders and the students from UNC all chatted and spoke out loud words like "queer" and "gender" and "lesbian" without worrying about a backlash or consequences or losing their community. It was the first time that I was on a school campus and felt almost at home and it really struck me that this was how all students could feel everywhere, without toppling the faith or moral structure of the school. These thoughts sat heavy on my chest because I know that it will be a long time before the sense of safety UNC students felt is experienced by students everywhere.
Tomorrow we travel to Daytona, Fl to attempt to enter an entire community where homophobia persists. As someone who is originally from Miami, it never occurrred to me that Daytona would be an unwelcoming town. However, it has been very difficult to have people even respond to our letters! So our big, queer bus is on its way out of the Bible Belt for a little bit, but not yet out of the woods!
Follow us at: Soulforce.org or write to me at Sabrina_Diz@equalityride.com
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