Neighborhood Vandalized House After Man Painted It In Bright Rainbow Colors

Sep 26, 2023

Several religious bodies have made moves to accommodate members of the LGBTQ+ community following the legalization of same-sex unions. But some religious groups are still holding on to their old traditions, spreading hate and extremism towards the marginalized group. 

One such religious group that has continually brandished its disdain for members of the LGBTQ+ community is the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Not only is the church loud about their hate toward the group, but their website also mirrors their feelings. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the hateful views of the church are so chaotic that its members have been considered extremists and barred from visiting several countries. 

However, in 2012, when a house opposite the church was put up for sale, Aaron Jackson had just the perfect idea of what to do with it. As the founder of Planting Peace, a global nonprofit organization geared towards promoting peace through humanitarian and environmental initiatives, including LGBTQ rights advocacy, Jackson acquired the house to foster a positive change in the face of extremism and homophobia.

Jackson’s idea took its starting steps on Oct. 9, 2012, when his nonprofit organization purchased the house. According to the property records on Zillow, the house was sold to the organization at a cost of $81,400. 

Shortly after the purchase, Jackson and a colleague moved into the property. But it wasn't until months after they moved in that Jackson’s idea for the house came to life. In March 2013, he enacted his plans for the house, ultimately leaving his neighbors, the Westboro Baptist Church, furious.

In March 2013, Jackson, in a bid to spread acceptance and positivity in the face of extremism and homophobia, painted the house in bright rainbow colors and tagged it the “Equality House.” The house, which was evidently painted in the colors of the LGBTQ+ community, also had flags and writings communicating their interests.

Needless to say, the house quickly garnered attention from the media, admirers, and, of course, people who held a strong disdain for the community. As expected, the people who hate the “Equality House” didn’t stop at just hating; they took it a step further by vandalizing the property. 

In 2016, Jackson, in an interview with NBC, revealed that the house had suffered from a series of acts of vandalism, ranging from actions as small as defacing the building to acts as grave as shooting at it.

"The Equality House has been a target for acts of hate and intolerance that reflect the same experiences our LGBT family face every day," Jackson revealed. "Planting Peace frequently receives hate mail and even death threats, but over the past three months we have seen an increase in physical acts of vandalism and violence. While it may seem shocking to some, it's a heartbreaking reality."

Although people's expectations were that the Westboro Baptist Church and the “Equality House” would experience constant rivalry, that has not been the case. According to a 2014 report by The Guardian, the anti-gay church and the peace-loving charity have continued to exist in neighborly fashion. 

“We’re just very happy to have them here,” Rebekah Phelps-Davis, a member of the church, said to the Guardian. 

Although they have chosen to coexist peacefully with Jackson’s organization, the anti-gay church is in no way extending an arm of friendship to them.

What do you think of Aaron Jackson painting the house across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church in rainbow colors? Do you think he is audacious? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to friends, family and those it would inspire.