For LGBT students and their allies at Mississippi College, fear is a fact of life. The school has an official policy that bans “homosexual activities,” and the conservative atmosphere at the Southern Baptist school in Clinton, Miss. burdens most of its LGBT students with four years of fearful, closeted silence. The harmful impact of this environment isn’t limited to gay students, though. Straight allies, including faculty and students, are scared to voice support for their LGBT friends and peers because it would risk their standing with the administration.
On Thursday, March 22, the East bus of the Soulforce Equality Ride visited Mississippi College in hope of creating a dialogue about the harm that comes from antigay policies and teachings. Our visit marked the first time that a group with an affirming and loving view of LGBT people was heard at MC. The school’s administration made it clear to us that we were not welcome on their campus. Although the administrator I spoke with said that in general he believes in the importance of dialogue, it was clear that the school only liked the exchange of ideas if they could control the perspectives shared.
In light of the environment, it wasn’t surprising that many MC students and members of the conservative Clinton community responded to news of our visit with fear. Leading up to our arrival, I heard a variety of unfounded negative rumors about our goals and “agenda.” I was told that students were afraid of our presence and that some planned to throw rocks. I heard of protests planned by outside groups; the Clinton police department even indicated that one group intended to surround the Equality Ride bus and prevent the riders from disembarking.
The city of Clinton further complicated our visit by attempting to restrict our constitutionally protected right to assemble peaceably. The police department indicated that we would need to apply for a permit simply to be able to stand on public sidewalks. If we wanted to assemble as a group, we could only do so in an obscure location far from the main campus area. The police also stated that Equality Riders would be arrested if we walked on public sidewalks in the city of Clinton in groups of more than three. These restrictions were a clear attempt to prevent our message from being heard, and they paralleled the way in which the campus environment at MC silences the voices of LGBT students. But we were determined to be heard. After a day of phone calls and with the help of a strongly worded letter from the ACLU of Mississippi, the city reluctantly removed these unconstitutional restrictions.
Despite the chilly reception from the Mississippi College administration and the city of Clinton, our bus arrived to hundreds of interested students waiting to speak with us. From the moment we arrived, it was clear that most of the students did not agree with our views. I was encouraged, however, because unlike the school’s administration, many of these students believed in the importance of open and honest dialogue. They believed that it is possible to have a respectful conversation with someone, even when you disagree. We stood on public property on the edge of campus and talked openly about our lives and experiences as gay and transgender people who are loved and affirmed by God; it was an opportunity for positive voices about LGBT people to be shared in a place where the environment of fear usually prevents them from being heard.
During our time in Clinton, the Equality Riders encountered some of the difficulties that LGBT people and their allies in this community face on a day-to-day basis. People told us they were disgusted by our views and refused to shake our hands. Women handed out antigay literature. A Clinton police officer told us that we weren’t wanted and yelled at our bus driver to leave town. But these moments of resistance were overshadowed by the brave students who greeted us with supportive signs, who stood with us as we talked about the reasons for our visit, and who shared their own stories of the difficulties they have faced as a result of homophobia. Our visit to Mississippi College helped to open up a dialogue on campus, but the courage of the school’s gay students and their straight allies is what will help make sure it continues.
The Equality Ride bus proclaims very visibly: “Faith Forward: Social Justice for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People.” As you might imagine, many heads are turned when we roll into small, conservative towns like Clinton. But LGBT people exist everywhere, and we all deserve a safe and respectful environment. In places like Clinton, fear plays a powerful role in the mind-sets that exist about homosexuality. But a truthful message is ultimately stronger than fear: God loves all of His children, regardless of their sexual orientation.
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