Identity Interaction: Exploring the Spiritual Experiences of Lesbian and Gay College Students

Abstract

Researchers explored the experiences of 7 lesbian and 5 gay male college students in the area of spirituality. Participants shared the challenges they faced, how they dealt with those experiences and challenges, and how their spiritual identity development related to their sexual orientation. Findings include the categories of reconciliation, nonreconciliation, and undeveloped spirituality, as well as issues of awareness, acceptance, and patterns and relationships related to sexual orientation and spirituality. Five of the participants had reconciled their spiritual and sexual identity, a few were actively struggling with these two aspects of their identity, and others had not yet dealt with this issue and kept the two aspects of their identity separate.

Navigating Community Institutions: Black Transgender Women’s Experiences in Schools, the Criminal Justice System, and Churches

“…There is evidence to suggest that LGBT individuals employ religious beliefs and practices (e.g., prayer, attending worship services, meditation) to cope with VDH they experience related to their marginalized identities (Bockting and Cesaretti 2001;Fullilove and Fullilove 1999;Love et al 2005). However, religiosity may be a double-edged sword for some LGBT individuals (Golub, et al 2010), particularly black individuals demonstrating non-normative gender and sexuality.…”

LGBTQ+ Young Adults on the Street and on Campus: Identity as a Product of Social Context

“…Sexual minority college students may also express more fluid identities if they do not conform to heteronormative expectations of roles and statuses (Abes & Kasch, 2007). The college context prompts lesbian and gay college students to engage in processes of self-actualization that can result in experiences of identity conflict (Love, Bock, Jannarone, & Richardson, 2005).…”

Comparative study of freshmen college student beliefs and values between representative private and public institutions of higher education in Kentucky.

“…Conversely, there is a positive correlation between spiritual struggle and emotional distress or depression (Bryant & Astin, 2008). These issues affect all students in one way or another (Astin, 2005a;Helminiak, 200~;Love, Bock, Jannarone, & Richardson, 2005). Given the reality that the first year tends to set the course for one's college career, it is critically important that higher education continue to seek to increase its effectiveness at engaging students in their pursuit of holistic development from the beginning.…”

“…Interest in spirituality is increasing among academics in higher education (Greenway, 2006;Love, Bock, Jannarone, & Richardson, 2005;Love & Talbot, 1999;Love, 2001). Personal development in the area of spirituality is a life-long process.…”

“…However, they found that the same spiritual struggles exist which points to the importance of encouraging appropriate attention to spiritual development among students regardless of institutional type. Love et al (2005) explored the relationship between spirituality and identity development of lesbian and gay college students. Spirituality among this population is especially a sensitive issue as they typically define it in religious terms and are mostly rejected by religious institutions (2005).…”