The positive aspects of intersecting religious/spiritual and LGBTQ identities.

Abstract

Religion and spirituality are positive resources in the lives of many individuals (Pargament, Mahoney, Shafranske, Exline, & Jones, 2013). Although much of the existing research on the intersection of religious/spiritual and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ) identities has focused on conflicts in these identities (Fontenot, 2013), a growing number of studies suggests that religious/spiritual LGBTQ people experience positive aspects similar to those emphasized in the general literature. We sought to extend previous findings by asking LGBTQ participants (N ϭ 314) to describe the positive aspects of identifying as both religious/spiritual and LGBTQ. Qualitative analysis revealed that the positive aspects were characterized by 5 themes: (a) Love and Acceptance for one's LGBTQ identity; (b) Deeper Meaning and Purpose due to having an LGBTQ perspective; (c) Empathy, Openness, and Compassionate Action rooted in LGBTQ identity and a passion to actively live religious/ spiritual values; (d) Positive Relationships with families, partners, and communities based in a shared religious/spiritual identity and authentic expression of LGBTQ identity; and (e) Spiritual Strength for coming out and coping with sexual or gender identity stigma and prejudice. Participants' responses suggest that religious/spiritual and LGBTQ identities interact in ways that synergistically enhance each other and may provide an important source of strength and support that can be mobilized in clinical practice.

Relationship of Religiosity and Spirituality to Hazardous Drinking, Drug Use, and Depression Among Sexual Minority Women

“…In the current study, only a small percentage of women indicated that they were not at all spiritual. This finding is consistent with recent qualitative findings that many sexual minority individuals find positive ways to integrate their spiritual and sexual identities (Rosenkrantz, Rostosky, Riggle, & Cook, 2016). Future research on SMW’s spirituality and health-related behaviors will benefit from the use of multi-dimensional measures of spirituality that can be used to test theoretically-driven hypotheses about its possible function a source of support and resiliency.…”

Narrativas fora do armário: a identidade sexual de homens gays na cidade

“…Ela é vivenciada como fonte de opressão externa (da parte da mãe e da aldeia) pelo participante 1 e de opressão concomitantemente externa e interna para o participante 3, cujo relato das primeiras percepções de sua orientação mostra um conflito entre a congruência télica (viver de acordo com valores) e a congruência organísmica (APA, 2009). Por outro lado, assim como em outros estudos (Rosenkrantz, Rostosky, Riggle, & Cook, 2016), a religião aparece como um elemento positivo nas histórias do mesmo participante (3), que nela baseia o seu modelo de relacionamento, e do participante 4, que não vê problema entre sua sexualidade e o engajamento religioso. Tanto a acolhida da comunidade de fé (Ribeiro & Scorsolini-Comin, 2017) como a maneira seletiva de lidar com dogmas e normas que entram em conflito com suas identificações (Dufour, 2000) podem contribuir para tal percepção.…”

Consensual Qualitative Research of LGB Persons’ Counseling Experiences Addressing Religious/Spiritual Foci

“…There is other research that supports positive aspects and protective factors associated with identifying as both LGBTQ and religious/spiritual (Rosenkrantz, Rostosky, Riggle, & Cook, 2016;Rostosky, Danner, & Riggle, 2010). It is therefore not surprising that many LGBTQ individuals who identify as religious have reported an attempt to develop a spiritual identity that is ostensibly less conflictual with their LGBTQ identity (Anderton et al, 2011;Bowland, Foster, & Vosler, 2013;Bozard & Sanders, 2011;Dahl & Galliher, 2012;Pitt, 2009Pitt, , 2010.…”