Legend
In response to homophobic anti-LGBTQIA+ protests held by the outspoken Westboro Baptist Church, a man decided to buy the house across the road for the church itself and painted it with a giant pride flag. Hero.
Aaron Jackson – who runs his own LGBTQ+ advocacy group, Planting Peace – purchased the property back in 2012 after spotting it go up for sale just over the road from the controversial church group. He decided to paint in rainbow/Pride colours a year later and dubbed it, “Equality House”.
Although it has seen everything from graffiti to bullet holes over the years, it still stands bright today and remains the headquarters for his organisation, as well as a stance against the church’s hateful views.
Westboro Baptist Church has long been rapped in controversy and according to the man who painted it, Mike McKessor, it isn’t just the LGBTQ+ community that it discriminates against. As well as subjects such as Islam and abortion, McKessor said to the LA Times: “I’m a veteran too, and those guys mess with veterans, not just the gay people. They mess with everybody.”
As such, he said he was happy to take on the project and that when people would drive past, they would stop when driving to congratulate him and Jackson for making a statement.
Jackson is about as acitivst as they come, having not only taken on Westboro but also paying for the college tuition of fellow teen ally, Gavin Grimm, planting a Pride flag in Antarctica and even sending one to outer space. Now that’s impressive.
In a world filled with so much unnecessary hate, it’s heartwarming to see people not only do the right thing but do so in a way that helps divert the attention from the bastards that are so clearly desperate to hold it. Good on you, Aaron.
