Mormon Mixed-Orientation Marriages: Variations in Attitudes and Experiences by Sexual Orientation and Current Relationship Status

Legerski, Elizabeth Miklya; Harker, Anita; Jeppsen, Catherine; Armstrong, Andrew; Dehlin, John P.; Troutman, Kelly; Galliher, Renee Vickerman

doi:10.1080/1550428x.2016.1159163

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Current and former LDS SM are commonly exposed to nonaffirming beliefs by lay ecclesiastical leaders, family members, and peers. These beliefs include that SM are spiritually weak or flawed because of their attractions (Beckstead & Morrow, 2004; Mattingly et al, 2016); that their attractions are a temptation to be controlled, avoided, or changed (Simmons, 2017); that God disapproves of them, their attractions, and any same-sex sexual behaviors (Beckstead & Morrow, 2004; Jacobsen & Wright, 2014); that they must either live a celibate life or enter into a mixed-orientation marriage to be able to get into heaven (Legerski et al, 2017; Simmons, 2017); that they may be changed into heterosexuals in the afterlife (Simmons, 2017); or if they engage in same-sex sexual behaviors, then they will be forever separated from their families in the afterlife (Jacobsen & Wright, 2014; Mattingly et al, 2016). Perhaps as a result, samples of current/former LDS SM find increased adverse mental health outcomes including internalized stigma, religious/spiritual struggles, depression, and suicide risk (Dehlin et al, 2014; McGraw et al, 2021; Simmons, 2017).…”

Section: Lds Beliefsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Affirming and nonaffirming religious beliefs predicting depression and suicide risk among Latter-Day Saint sexual minorities.

McGraw¹,

Skidmore²,

Lefevor³

et al. 2023

Journal of Counseling Psychology

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Sexual minorities (SMs) who are current/former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDSs) report high levels of depression and risk for suicide. Recent research has suggested that specific LDS religious beliefs may be related to these negative mental health outcomes. Using two independent online samples of current/former LDS SMs (Sample 1 = 403; Sample 2 = 545), we tested associations of affirming/nonaffirming LDS beliefs with depression and suicide risk cross-sectionally (Sample 1), and then longitudinally (Sample 2) tested if religious/spiritual struggles and internalized stigma mediated these relationships. Cross-sectionally, nonaffirming LDS beliefs were associated with higher depression, but effects disappeared when religious/spiritual struggles and internalized stigma were entered in the model. Affirming LDS beliefs were unrelated to depression and suicide risk. Longitudinally, after including earlier levels of internalized stigma, religious/spiritual struggles, depression, and suicide risk as controls, nonaffirming beliefs indirectly predicted more depression 2 months later (Time 3) through internalized stigma at 1 month (Time 2). These results suggest LDS beliefs may play an important role in the development and experience of depression for LDS sexual minorities.

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Section: Lds Beliefsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Affirming and nonaffirming religious beliefs predicting depression and suicide risk among Latter-Day Saint sexual minorities.

McGraw¹,

Skidmore²,

Lefevor³

et al. 2023

Journal of Counseling Psychology

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show abstract

“…This analysis complements earlier work on mixed-orientation marriage among current or former members of the CJCLDS. With a sample of 240 persons in such a relationship who were recruited online, Legerski et al (2017) obtained valuable insights about variations in reasons for marriage, the disclosure experience, and levels of attraction and attitudes toward sex in both the LGBQ and heterosexual partners. Among their findings were that previously married LGBQ partners, who had experienced pressure to marry as a solution to manage their sexuality, reported lower attraction and higher levels of aversion to their opposite-sex spouses.…”

Section: Mixed-orientation Marriagementioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual Complexity: A Comparison between Men and Women in a Sexual Minority Sample of Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

2022

Self Cite

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We report here some of the results from an online survey of 1612 LGBTQ members and former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS, Mormon). The data permitted an exploration of diversity—individual similarities and differences within and between the sexes. Men and women were compared with respect to sexual identity self-labeling and behavior (i.e., identity development, disclosure, activity), orientation change efforts, marital relationships, and psychosocial health—these variables in the context of their religious lives. More women than men self-identified in the bisexual range of the sexual attraction continuum. Both men and women had engaged in extensive effort to change their sexual orientation. Only about 4% of the respondents claimed that those efforts had been successful, and the claims were for outcomes other than an alteration in erotic feeling. In general, only those who identified as bisexual reported success in maintaining a mixed-orientation marriage and continuing activity in the church. For both men and women, measures of psychosocial and sexual health were higher for those in same-sex relationships and those disaffiliated from the church.

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“…Perhaps it reflects heterosexuals' lack of understanding sexuality. Alternatively, bisexuals may be more accurate given that they are more likely to be in mixed-orientation relationships than monosexual individuals (Buxton, 2004;Gates, 2011;Goldberg & Gartrell, 2014;Legerski et al, 2017;Power et al, 2012).…”

Section: Bisexual Infidelity Concernsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are You Two Just Friends? Emotional and Sexual Infidelity Across Sexual Orientations

Yim

Tanzer

Satchwell

et al. 2022

HSSR

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Lesbians are unlikely to ask if it is possible for women and women to be friends. Bisexuals have friends of each sex. It seems that it is primarily heterosexuals who have trouble with sex-of-attraction friendships. This study examined how participants perceived the emotional and sexual infidelity of their partner’s relationship with a friend differing across sexuality and biological sex. Our participants consisted of a combined sample across two studies (n = 532), participants completed measures of their perceived emotional and sexual infidelity towards 10 controlled behaviors that their partners committed with the partner’s friends. The data revealed that participants were more concerned with perceived emotional infidelity with sex(es)-of-attraction friends as a function of participants’ sexual orientation, sex, and their lover’s sexual orientation. Our evidence shows that when in relationships, people feel most threatened by the friend of the partner who possesses the same biological machinery as them. Furthermore, results suggest that people are also more likely to be threatened by their partner’s friend, who may have a mutual attraction towards their partner. The effect of the same biological machinery and the mutual attraction on perceived infidelity is additive. The pattern is seen across heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual relationships.

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Mormon Mixed-Orientation Marriages: Variations in Attitudes and Experiences by Sexual Orientation and Current Relationship Status

Cited by 10 publications

References 30 publications

Affirming and nonaffirming religious beliefs predicting depression and suicide risk among Latter-Day Saint sexual minorities.

Affirming and nonaffirming religious beliefs predicting depression and suicide risk among Latter-Day Saint sexual minorities.

Sexual Complexity: A Comparison between Men and Women in a Sexual Minority Sample of Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Are You Two Just Friends? Emotional and Sexual Infidelity Across Sexual Orientations

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