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SOULFORCE PRESS RELEASE: March 23, 2006
For Immediate Release
Contact: Richard Lindsay, 646-258-7193
richard@equalityride.com
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(Shawnee, OK) – Soulforce Equality Riders were confined to the student center of Oklahoma Baptist University today as they spoke, prayed and sang with students. The media presence made the small space seem even smaller, as four local TV stations and several local and national print journalists recorded the event.
OBU administrators heavily restricted Rider contact with students, not allowing formal presentations or handing out literature. Despite these severe restrictions, Equality Riders found OBU students to be open to and eager for dialogue on issues concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students at the school.
“We want to make it clear that although today we are abiding by the boundaries set by the administration, any limitation to the discussion about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lives is unacceptable,” said Jacob Reitan, Equality Ride co-director. “When we return tomorrow, we intent to step outside those boundaries and challenge them. It is up to the administration as to whether or not they will allow a more in-depth dialogue to take place.”
A lesbian student who has worked with Soulforce to help plan the stop at Oklahoma Baptist University spoke anonymously to local and national media about conditions for LGBT students at the school. She spoke of cases of harassment toward LGBT students that did not receive sufficient attention from the administration, including threatening letters left in the mailboxes and shouts of “fag” and “dyke” directed at students perceived to be gay. She reported that LGBT students are afraid to come forward with cases of harassment for fear that they will subject themselves to scrutiny of their sexual orientation and risk expulsion.
The administration has targeted the student who spoke out as struggling with her sexuality and she has been sent to “counseling” with an OBU-appointed minister. Despite the time and money she has already put into her education, she continually fears being summoned to the Dean’s office to be told she is no longer welcome at OBU.
On Friday, in addition to the continued discussions on campus, at 1 PM there will be a community meeting at Lions Club Park located at the Southeast corner of North Airport and West Federal Streets near Oklahoma Baptist University campus in Shawnee.
Despite the chilly greeting from OBU administration, the Riders were warmly received on Wednesday evening at the Church of the Open Arms, a UCC congregation in Oklahoma City. The Riders had dinner with church members and shared stories and testimonies from the road. On Thursday night, the Riders will be meeting with LGBT community leaders and press members at an Oklahoma City restaurant.
For more information on the Equality Ride visit www.equalityride.com/media.
Soulforce’s purpose is freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance.