Cover Story

by Karissa Clark

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Equality Ride Protests Sexual Conduct Policies Across Nation

The Equality Riders are visiting Christian colleges and universities
that have policies prohibiting homosexual behavior.
--Karissa Clark, photo

Even in Portland, the Equality Ride bus turns heads. The flamboyant purple charter bus is decorated with bright yellow words: "Social justice for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people."

Inside, the spiky hair and pierced eyebrows of these college students makes them look like typical Portland students, but they come from all over the United States, representing the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities as well as Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic and Mormon faiths. Last year Equality Ride, a youth-based group that works to reconcile faith communities and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, identified 200 private, mostly Christian, college campuses that have policies prohibiting homosexual activity.

Inspired by the freedom rides of the civil rights era, 57 college students set out in two buses March 1, 2007, to challenge 32 of those schools. The west bus, carrying 26 students, visited George Fox University on April 5 to dialogue with students and administration about their policy.

Equality Riders believe that committed faith and a homosexual identity are compatible. Amy Brainer-Medellin, an Equality Rider, said, "It is a misperception that these things are mutually exclusive." It is dehumanizing, she said, to try and separate the sexuality of a person's being from the rest of her identity by using cliches such as "love the sinner, hate the sin." Ms. Brainer-Medellin, one of the Equality Ride directors for the visit at George Fox University, organized events with the college's administration.

Another Equality Ride goal is to urge the universities to reconsider "slap-sticker, slam-dunk sorts of homosexual conduct policies," Alexey Bulokhov, co-director of the west bus, said.

They wish to challenge schools that have policies which condemn homosexual behavior, whether as an identity or as a set of actions.

After visiting George Fox University, they were welcomed by Central Lutheran Church in Northeast Portland, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Central Lutheran welcomes gays and lesbians into its church body and does not consider "sexual orientation" to be a sin. They invited Equality Ride to the church's Saturday Easter vigil.

The riders shared their stories and dinner with congregation members. The storytellers showed a mixture of resolve and exhaustion from their month on the road together.

Mr. Bulokhov described their fatigue as "Equality Ride tired."

"It's where you're physically tired and exhausted from living out of a bus, but spiritually and intellectually, this is such an enriching process. Your brain and heart go at a hundred miles an hour no matter how tired your body is," he said.

In preparation for their visits, the group studied the Bible and read literature surrounding the critical questions. They also read about the unique doctrinal and ethical standards held by each university.

"Not all Lutherans are the same," Mr. Bulokhov said, "and it turns out not all Quakers are the same."

The Equality Ride bus stops at each university along its two-month route, whether or not the university welcomes them. By April 5, halfway into its program, the west bus was not welcomed at Notre Dame University, Ind.; Wisconsin Lutheran College, Wis.; or Brigham Young University, Utah.

Although the Equality Riders are unable to step onto the campuses without permission from the administration, individual students welcomed them in every instance. In the case of Brigham Young University, the west bus met with a group of 70 students in a private home where students asked questions, some even speaking out in public about their own homosexuality, despite the threat of suspension.

"That is why," Ms. Brainer-Medellin said, "when the administration refuses to have the conversation, you know that the students are hungry for the conversation, and we honor that."

During the visit to George Fox University, students gathered around the Equality Riders in the student cafe to ask questions and dialogue.

"We were very impressed with the respectful way that the students engaged us." Ms. Brainer-Medellin said. "They didn't remain superficial. They were willing to dig deep, to go into Scripture, to ask the hard questions that were on their minds."

Brad Lau, vice president for student life and the spokesman for George Fox University's administration regarding the Equality Ride, said they were initially contacted by Equality Ride and responded to them with a letter explaining the Scriptural basis for their firm position that sex is to be between a man and a woman.

But the letter said that George Fox University would still be a hospitable campus if Equality Ride decided to visit. Mr. Lau said that the visit did not affect the policy or position of the school but highlighted the need of the community to address and support those who struggle with same-sex attraction.

Multnomah Bible College is also on the Equality Ride's list of 200 universities that believe homosexuality to be sexual immorality. The Student Life handbook lists sexual immorality as a violation of biblical absolutes and states that counsel or even dismissal may be appropriate discipline for such behavior.

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