We visited Valley Forge Christian College in Phoenixville, PA as our first stop. This Assemblies of God institution is located just 40 minutes outside of Philadelphia, my hometown. Listing homosexuality as sexual immorality, I am outraged that such a space exists in my community.

The weeks between our first training in Austin and our time in Phoenixville were spent preparing. We met with a lot of GSA type groups at local colleges: Temple, West Chester, Arcadia. We outreached to local Metropolitan Community Churches and REFUGE, the queer alliance at Eastern University. We even contacted queer organizations in Philly and rallied their support.

We spent our first night in Phoenixville getting acquainted with the area. We immersed ourselves in the coffee shops and eateries along Bridge St, talking with community members and patrons. We even took over the open mic night at Steel City with special performances by Mia Tu Mutch and Jennifer Luu. These long sips of coffee and tasty treats were a calm moment before the storm.

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In Seattle, we plan to meet on April 11th with Seattle Pacific University and Northwest University, both of whom are located in a city which was ranked 10th for gay cities by Syracuse University. Seattle is surprisingly “more gay” than my hometown Philadelphia which boasts a gayborhood and has GLBT-affirming high schools.

It is surprising that Seattle would even have schools which hold discriminatory policies. In attempting to locate Northwest University’s policy, I came across a document entitled “FAQs On Equality Ride”, which specifies that “sexual intimacy is reserved for heterosexual, monogamous marriage…If a student acknowledges his or her homosexual tendency while at Northwest, he or she will not be asked to leave as long as he or she agrees to engage in ongoing dialogue with our campus ministries staff and live by our Community Life Standards.”

Presumably, a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender student on Northwest’s campus should live a chaste, closeted life and strive to change their innermost being, the intrinsic aspects of their identity. Although being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is not a choice, you should choose differently anyhow. Otherwise, you’ll probably be asked to leave.

Seattle, unlike some of its resident private institutions, does not discriminate. Mayor Nickels supports marriage equality and it is illegal to discriminate in the workplace against sexual orientation or gender identity.

The city council of the city of Seattle welcomed the 2007 Soulforce Equality Ride with an official proclamation today. Seattle’s city council officially recognizes and celebrates Wednesday, April 11, 2007, as Soulforce Equality Ride Day.

Although our identities as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and allies are not affirmed by Seattle Pacific University or Northwest University, we have been more than welcomed by the entire city of Seattle.

Advocacy of a homosexual lifestyle (whether implied or explicit) or any behaviors that indicate homosexual conduct, including those not sexual in nature, are inappropriate and violate the Honor Code.

As demonstrated above, the Brigham Young University Honor Code is unclear in its policy toward LGBT students and their allies. What exactly is homosexual conduct and, aside from genders involved, how does homosexual conduct differ from heterosexual conduct? As a straight ally, where are the lines for me? Can I celebrate the loving relationship between two same-gender partners? Can I participate in a rally? Can I wear a rainbow, even as a small pin on my purse?

Today, unwelcomed from Brigham Young University, we headed to Utah Valley State College (UVSC), an open and safe state college not far from BYU. In their grand ballroom, we were able to host our presentations about Christianity and its role within the LGBT community as well as the LGBT community and its role within Christianity. Interested BYU and UVSC students littered the audience with attentive ears.

This evening, we headed to the Provo Library to host a panel discussion. Among the panelists were Mike (an Equality Rider and BYU alumni who identifies as a gay man), Melissa and Lauren (current BYU students who both identify as lesbians), Tristan (a current BYU student who identifies as straight) and Daniel (a BYU alumni who identifies as a gay man). They were asked heated questions: if you had the chance to change anything about BYU to make it a better place for LGBT students, what would you do and why? How have the school’s anti-LGBT policies affected your student life at BYU and, most importantly, how has this affected your own faith journey with God?

Overall, the consesus is clear: the limitations placed on students by Brigham Young University’s Honor Code restrict academic freedom and personal and spiritual growth. Unable to discuss LGBT issues (either positive or negative) and clearly distinguish expectations for all students equally, students are unable to progress personally and academically. They are unable to learn the truth about sexual and gender identity and carry their misinformation like heavy crosses into society. They take these school-implanted prejudices into the work world as teachers, counselors, social workers, doctors, parents. The seeds planted on campuses like BYU are harmful to our families, to our communities, and to society as a whole.

It is estimated that approximately 4 LGBT individuals, many of them unable to reconcile their identity with their faith, commit suicide every day.

The seeds planted at BYU blossom into the knives, pills, nooses, guns and other devices that our youth are using to destroy themselves. These are the seeds that sprout into hate, discrimination, and prejudice. Schools like BYU that openly discriminate against LGBT students by creating hostile and unsafe enivronments, are also creating the farmers who will continue to sow these seeds. This must stop. New seeds must be planted. Lives depend on it.

Seeds of love, understanding, and inclusion–seeds that recognize all people as equal and as children of God–are available to us, but too few schools are willing to plant them. As a result, at BYU and schools like it, the old seeds of hate and discrimination continue to take root and spread through our fields like dangerous weeds.

It is my desire as an Equality Rider to replant these fields and yield new crops of inclusion, love, and understanding.