The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / News / Soulforce activists experience welcome and hostility after campus visit in March

Soulforce activists experience welcome and hostility after campus visit in March

August 30, 2006 by Kelsi Peace

By Kelsi Peace, Features Editor

After the group’s visit to ACU in late March, Soulforce continued its Equality Ride of Christian, politically conservative and military institutions across the nation, experiencing both warm welcomes and cold shoulders.

“The Equality Ride’s goal overall was to bring a perspective that we feel is not freely or openly shared about what it’s like to be a gay or lesbian at a Christian, conservative school,” said Haven Herrin, co-director of Equality Ride.

While at ACU, the group made presentations at several forums where members shared perspectives, invited discussion and gave students a glimpse into life from a side not often heard by ACU students.

Herrin said ACU was gracious for opening the campus to the group.

“It’s a testament to academic freedom that your school welcomed us,” she said.

Though the overall experience was a positive one, Herrin said her reservations about ACU are still somewhat prevalent.

“It makes me very sad for the gay and lesbian students who are on your campus,” she said.

The stop at ACU was near the beginning of Equality Ride’s tour, and the group continued on to Texas A&M, the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities Conference, Biola University, California Baptist University, Azusa Pacific University, Brigham Young University, Colorado Christian University, U.S. Air Force Academy, North Central University, Bethel University, Wheaton College, Eastern University and U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Herrin said visits to North Central University and West Point were disappointing visits, where the group was arrested before arriving on campus and cadets were put on lockdown and forbidden to go within six feet of Equality Ride members.

In spite of these bad experiences, Herrin said the ride was a memorable experience.

“There was a lot of heartfelt conversation,” added Herrin, “So much devotion to understanding.”

The group is taking applications for its 2007 tour and looking to visit schools they have not yet visited.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Soulforce

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

About Kelsi Peace

You are here: Home / News / Soulforce activists experience welcome and hostility after campus visit in March

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
optimistsports Optimist Sports @optimistsports ·
26 Jun

The United Athletic Conference is officially taking the place of the Western Athletic Conference in the 2026-2027 athletic year. The UAC is a joint football effort between the WAC and the ASUN but will now extend to all sports. #acuoptimist #acuathletics #wac #uac

Reply on Twitter 1938240320854008109 Retweet on Twitter 1938240320854008109 2 Like on Twitter 1938240320854008109 7 Twitter 1938240320854008109
Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
ashleyh1607 Ashley Henderson @ashleyh1607 ·
3 Jun

My second year at ACU was full of opportunities that grew me as an individual and a journalist.

In my first year as editor in chief of @acuoptimist, we published six print issues, filmed a 3-hour live election show, and revamped our newscast, all while producing news weekly.

Reply on Twitter 1929734328445178254 Retweet on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Like on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Twitter 1929734328445178254

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acu #abilenechristianuniversity #privatechristianuniversity #collegestudentopinion #acuopinion ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved