The Soulforce Equality Ride 2010

Soulforce an organization dedicated to freedom for LGBT people from religious and political oppression through the practice of non-violent means is taking to the road again this year to send 25 LGBTQ youth to colleges and universities that do not allow openly homosexual students.

The Equality Ride is a nationwide bus trip that stops at anti-equality academic institutions and seeks to engage and dialogue on issues relating to sexuality, gender identity and affirming verses in scripture. The students engage in non-violent direct action, and even accept arrest when universities demand they leave their premises and they refuse to comply.

Please support the Equality Ride by making a much needed donation, to support the costs of the bus, food, accommodations, and bail needed for riders.

The 2009 Anti-Heterosexism Conference

The 2009 Anti-Heterosexism Conference is open to everyone; including psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, social workers, educators, clergy, health care professionals, and others who provide services to, or care for, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. The goal of the conference is to explore and begin undoing the heterosexist attitudes that exist on personal, interpersonal, institutional and cultural levels. With information and strategies for building connection and community, health care professionals and educators can advocate for LGBT people and support them in leading successful, happy, and productive lives in the communities in which they work, live, and attend school.

CALL FOR WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS:

Soulforce is seeking workshop presenters for Saturday, November 21, 2009. Presentations should cover one or more of the following topics:

* Understanding the Harm Caused By Heterosexism
* Best Practices for Undoing Heterosexism
* The Dangers of Reparative Therapy, Ex-Gay Ministries, and Efforts to Change Sexual Orientation
* History & Practices of Reparative Therapy and Ex-Gay Ministries
* Therapeutic Models for Helping LGBT People in Health and Mental Health Care
* The Connection Between Religion, Heterosexism, and Reparative Therapy
* Intersections Between Heterosexism, Racism, Sexism, Capitalism, etc.
* The Healthy Reconciliation of Sexuality and Spirituality
* Reflections on the Ex-Gay Experience
* Impacting the Media: Strategies for Sharing Your Story with Confidence
* Building Healthy Relationships After an Ex-Gay Experience
* Ethical Dilemmas Associated with Reparative Therapy & Ex-Gay Ministries
* Social Science Research on Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity
* LGBT Families and Parenting
* Nonviolent Activism and Advocacy Strategies
* Becoming a Powerful Ally

The conference will be held Nov 20-22 2009 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Head over to Soulforce to register or submit a proposal to present.

Nonviolence 4 Equality - Training LGBT People in Civil Disobedience and Direct Action

A call has been issued for non-violent resistance by the LGBT community and allies in our plight to raise awareness that it is time to give us equal rights under the law.

"Today, we affirm that nonviolent strategies such as marches, vigils, demonstrations, public protests, and civil disobedience, seek to create what Dr. King called “healthy tension”. This constructive tension forces those who perpetuate injustice, and society as a whole, to pause, reflect, and consider the ugliness of their prejudices and the indecency embodied in their discrimination. In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. King wrote: “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored."

Add your endorsement to the call for non-violent action and check out the resources and tool kits provided.

Sundays of Solidarity

Between May 17 and June 28, 2009, groups of LGBT and allied people around the country will attend worship services at a church of their choice - a church that is not welcoming and affirming of openly LGBT members and guests. Each group will wear a lapel button that reads "gay? fine by me." For less formal churches we also have a t-shirt with this message. The lapel button (or t-shirt) serves as a conversation starter - opening dialogue with people in the church about faith, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

When that visible act of courage is paired with adequate training, then transforming hearts and minds becomes a bona fide possibility. That's why we've designed a three-part teleconference course and a resource webpage that covers the essentials of Nonviolent communication, Media talking points, and What both the Bible and science really say about homosexuality. Training teleconferences will be held on April 19, April 26, and May 3 at 4pm CST. To register for the trainings go to http://www.soulforce.org/moodle/login/index.php and enter your information.

We hope you will consider organizing a Sundays of Solidarity project in your area. It simply involves choosing a church in your area that could benefit from an SOS visit, using your contact list to recruit others to join you, attending the teleconference training sessions, and then organizing your group to take action on one of the Sundays between May 17 and June 28, 2009. To purchase a lapel button or t-shirt, please visit http://finebyme.org/sos.html.

Soulforce Q Camp

This summer, Soulforce Q Camp will unite young adults - LGBTQ and allies alike - who are interested or engaged in creative grassroots organizing.

• Soulforce Q Camp is an all expenses paid ten day gathering that empowers young leaders to build peer networks, cultivate progressive alliances and connect bold local activism to larger movements.

• Soulforce Q Camp will focus on skills that sustain grassroots work: anti-oppression training, nonviolence, Scriptural analysis (for faith-based social justice work), media relations, fundraising, effective campaign design and implementation.

• Soulforce Q Camp will take place July 10-19 in Texas (location TBD). Travel, accommodations, meals, and educational resources will be covered and provided by Soulforce Q.

• As part of the program, Camp participants are expected to lead an event or campaign in their local community this fall. Soulforce Q will offer stipends and staff support to make this possible.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION HERE
Application deadline is Sunday, May 8.
All applicants will be interviewed and notified of their status by Friday, May 22.
For more information, contact Q@soulforce.org.

Don't Tell Me Who To Love - Ray Boltz/Soulforce (Music Video)

Soulforce an organization dedicated to achieiving LGBT liberation from religious oppression and discrimination through non violent means has come out with a new video on marriage equality. The song is by Ray Boltz a famous Contemporary Christian Artist who came out of the closet recently.

Soulforce's Equality Ride is Desperate for Donations!

Soulforce an organization dedicated to "freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance" sends numbers of students yearly to conservative religious academies and seminaries that bar or are hostile towards queer people. The mission is to create dialogue and inform them of the misinterpretations of scripture. Some campuses allow these activists to come and communicate and others call the police on the riders, which in turn the activists are prepared to get arrested and physically removed from the property in a demonstration of nonviolent resistance. The Equality Ride as it has come to be called has been influential in changing the hearts and minds of students, faculty, and clergy on many of the respective campuses

"The Equality Ride is the signature program of the Soulforce young adults. It saves lives and opens minds. Of the 55 colleges and universities already visited, we've seen significant progress made in the official policies of several schools.

Nearly twenty schools have formed Gay-Straight Alliances and created "Safe Zones" for LGBT students. LGBT students have begun to come out of their closets to their friends, professors and families in order to live whole and complete lives."

Soulforce's Equality Ride is set to launch Oct 1st, 2008. The Equality Ride is in dire need of contributions in light of the fact that a large donation has fallen through. The organization must raise $70,000 to meet the costs of transportation, lodging, food, and expenses for training, as well as bale money.

Please help out the equality ride by donating to Soulforce or sponsoring an individual rider. Please click here to help support the Equality Ride!

Sponsor the 2008 Equality Riders

"The Equality Ride is a traveling forum that gives young adults the chance to deconstruct injustice and the rhetoric that sustains it. The idea is this. We get on a bus and journey to various institutions of higher learning. Through informal conversation and educational programming we explore concepts of diversity, weighing the effects of both inclusive and exclusive ideologies. More practically, we share and gain insights about how our beliefs influence policy and culture, thereby impacting society. Our goal is to carefully and collectively examine the intersection wherein faith meets gender and human sexuality. Such discourse plays an essential role in creating a safe learning and living environment for everyone.

The 2008 Equality Ride begins in October. Get to know more about each member of the Equality Ride and read about how you can sponsor him or her by clicking a name below.

In order to make participation in the Equality Ride possible for all young activists, Soulforce Q covers 100% of the training, transportation, accomodation, food, materials, and Equality Ride apparel for the two-month journey. Your generous donation provides for hotel rooms, meals, books and many other Rider needs. The 2008 Equality Ride would not happen without your financial support. Thank you for fueling our work to move society and faith forward by sponsoring our 2008 Equality Riders!"

Learn About and Sponsor an Equality Rider

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