Herland Sister Resources

The email below is from Lauren Topliffe, an Okla. Baptist University student who was at Church of the Open Arms with the Soulforce Equality Riders.  In a Newsweek article about the Equality Riders she came out as a lesbian OBU student.  She was asked to write something for the Voice describing what has happened since.
First, I must apologize for not keeping you all updated like I promised to do. Between the craziness of the time that the Equality Ride was at OBU, trying to handle the backlash from my coming out, and then attempting to stay caught up in my classes this semester, my life has gotten pretty hectic. Thank you to all of you who have written me encouraging emails, called to check on me, and been thinking about and praying for the Equality Riders and the GLBT students at OBU. You are greatly appreciated. I want to let you know that I have been completely overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support that I have been shown over the past few months.
Here is a very general, brief update. If anyone has further questions or comments, please email me and I will be happy to talk about any of this in more detail.
The Equality Ride’s visit to OBU was very positive. The administration made huge steps forward by allowing the Equality Riders on campus in the lower GC (student center) to have discussions with students, talk about the experiences of GLBT students at OBU, discuss the Bible and what it says (and doesn’t say) about homosexuality, and sing worship. It was an incredibly powerful experience. Many students showed up to be a part of that discussion, which was encouraging. OBU did closely monitor which media they allowed on campus, and kept a very strong presence in those discussions and interviews. The Riders had many restrictions placed on them, and did their best to work within those limitations. They changed their plans slightly in order to be gracious guests on the campus and show that they were seeking dialogue rather than conflict. Although I found a few of the Equality Ride’s decisions frustrating, I definitely feel that the Equality Ride’s presence at OBU had a powerful, positive effect and pushed the students and administration towards change. 
There were many GLBT students on campus who were experiencing our community in this way for the first time, and watching them interact with gay people who told them that they (the GLBT students) are acceptable just as they are was transformational for me. It reinforced in me just how much we need to make ourselves available and out. This has been the main thing that I have taken from the experience and challenge myself with as I go into the day. The way that I am viewed on campus has changed, and I am trying to remember that I am probably being watched. I have used those students who experienced safety in who they are, maybe for the first time, as motivation to spend time on campus when it would be easier to go somewhere safe and hide out, and continue to hold my head up without apology for who I am and what I stand for.
GLBT issues have continued to be a major theme on campus over this past month. Every week since the end of February there has been at least one article in the school newspaper about something related to the Equality Ride or the administration’s response to the Newsweek article (which focused on the Equality Ride’s time at OBU).
Scott Jones, pastor of Cathedral of Hope in OKC, is coming to Shawnee once a week and leading a discussion/Bible study with whoever wants to attend. Our first meeting was held on campus and attended by mostly straight students wanting to discuss the scriptures often used to condemn homosexuality. Scott handled himself and that discussion quite impressively. The second meeting was attended by mostly gay students who were needing encouragement and time to safely relax and be themselves, and so that is exactly what we did.
Now, about the policy. OBU went into the Equality Ride defending their policy and stating that it was based on scriptural truths. They were not willing to compromise. However, their actions have spoken otherwise. It has been decided that my coming out in Newsweek is NOT in violation of the Human Sexuality policy and, therefore, no action will be taken against me. Coming out is no longer unacceptable at OBU. “Practicing or promoting” does not include coming out. Yesterday I received some really encouraging news. There is an OBU student who has spent the last 5 semesters in “reparative therapy” because she refuses to say that she is straight to be released from the mandatory counseling. She approached the woman who has provided her counseling during their last session and told her that she was not going to go to the counseling anymore. If I have not violated the policy, neither has she. There was a discussion among the administration about that, and they decided that she no longer has to attend the reparative therapy.
OBU’s harassment and discriminatory harassment policies are going to be my next big focus. I made an official complaint and requested that they change these policies to include sexual orientation. It would be a huge step towards making OBU safer for GLBT students. As the policy is now written, GLBT students have no defense against this type of harassment. If they are harassed, they are not guaranteed protection if they are to report it. It is very possible that the focus would be on their sexual orientation rather than on the harassment. President Brister has made several comments about student safety being his top priority (in regards to the Equality Ride’s presence at OBU) and I suggest that we hold him accountable to that statement. The safety of GLBT students is not ensured at OBU right now, and that needs to change.  Regardless of the administration’s stance on homosexuality, all students have a right to feel safe and go through their college experience without harassment due to their sexual orientation. If you are interested in helping push for this particular change, please let me know and I will contact you when the time comes about what you can do to help.