“He Just Wanted Me to Do What Was Best for Me”: Latter-Day Saint Clergy’s Counsel to Sexual and Gender Minorities and Its Impact

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand counsel given to sexual and gender minority individuals by clergy in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS), the impact of that counsel, and individuals’ perceptions of meetings with clergy. Twenty-five current and former members of the CJCLDS who identify as sexual and gender minorities (SGM) participated in 30–60 min semi-structured interviews focused on their interactions with clergy in the CJCLDS. Participants reported receiving various forms of counsel, including encouragement to adhere to church doctrine, counsel focused on self-acceptance, messages that clergy would support congregants’ agency and self-determination, counsel focused on increasing faith, and no answers. Participants reported a variety of perceptions of meetings with clergy including wishing clergy were more educated on the experiences of SGMs, hurtful experiences, expectations of mistreatment, recognition that clergy are doing their best, and gratitude for clergy. Interactions with clergy had long-lasting and far-reaching consequences including loss of trust in religious leaders, restriction of church membership, disengagement from faith, engagement with faith, nuanced or lost beliefs, and impacts on mental health. Results suggest that Latter-day Saints clergy working with SGM individuals may be experienced as most effective when they provide safe and supportive spaces for congregants to share their experiences, use approaches that focus on self-determination and agency, seek education/training from CJCLDS-specific LGBTQ+ organizations, and recognize that many SGM congregants approach interactions with clergy with trepidation and fears of mistreatment.

Tending to the Flock: The Experiences of LDS Clergy with LGBTQ Congregants

“…A second challenge that clergy face is uncertainty over how to actually apply church teachings. Clergy often inconsistently apply and interpret teachings, making it more difficult for LGBTQ+ congregants to feel a sense of stable support at church (Lefevor et al, 2022). This disconnect between church teaching and clergy practice may be a result of unclear guidance on how to properly apply church policy.…”

“…The third and most common challenge that clergy face is lack of preparation for addressing issues of sexual orientation and gender identity (Cadge & Wildeman, 2008). Many clergy from theologically conservative backgrounds lack an understanding of the nature of sexual orientation or gender identity and the diverse experiences had by LGBTQ+ individuals (Lefevor et al, 2022). Many theologically conservative clergy have never had prolonged and meaningful contact with LGBTQ+ individuals (Smith et al, 2009), likely because many LGBTQ+ individuals leave their congregations once they reach adulthood (Lefevor et al, 2018).…”

“…Many theologically conservative clergy have never had prolonged and meaningful contact with LGBTQ+ individuals (Smith et al, 2009), likely because many LGBTQ+ individuals leave their congregations once they reach adulthood (Lefevor et al, 2018). Theologically conservative churches may also actively discourage interaction with LGBTQ+ organizations and communities that do not strictly adhere to church teaching (Lefevor et al, 2022).…”

“…This includes support related to questions regarding the nature of sexual orientation and gender identity, how to negotiate their sexual orientation/ gender identity with their faith, or how to navigate other difficult theological questions (Cadge & Wildeman, 2008;Jacobsen & Wright, 2014). Additionally, LGBTQ+ Christians seek support from clergy for stressors related to whether they should tell friends and family about their sexual orientation/gender identity (Lefevor et al, 2022).…”

Exploring mental health and help-seeking attitudes among sexual minoritized adults in Utah.

“…Similarly, qualitative examinations of LDS sexual minoritized individuals’ experiences with clergy find that they are generally perceived as unprepared or dismissive of sexual minoritized individuals experiences and concerns (Beckstead & Morrow, 2004; McGraw, Chinn, & Mahoney, 2021; Skidmore et al, 2022). However, a number of LDS sexual minoritized individuals also report feeling supported by their LDS clergy, which suggests that some LDS sexual minoritized individuals may have additional avenues of support (Lefevor, Perez-Figueroa, et al, 2022; Moran, 2007). While no studies have yet examined these dynamics among healthcare providers, research on sexual minoritized individuals more broadly have found that sexual minoritized individuals often experience stigma in healthcare contexts and that provider religiousness may be associated with less affirming attitudes (Westwood, 2022).…”