Religion and Homosexuality
Religion and homosexuality have always seemed to have opposing views. However,
research shows that they may not be as far apart as we may think. Some religions, such as Islam,
make it very clear that its members absolutely do not condone homosexuality. Meanwhile, others
are far more accepting and some even think its an important part of life. There are many gay
people that do not feel comfortable in religious settings and this tends to cause a serious
internalized homonegativity.
It is a quite common theme for homosexuals to shy away from formal religion and
religious practices. While some have found accepting congregations and attend regularly, others
tend to look towards spirituality instead of religion. Many hold their faith near and dear, but feel
as though they are not accepted by the church, so they choose to deal with God by themselves.
Some individuals say they sought out their partners for their religious beliefs or commitment to
spiritual growth. Some even describe their relationships as imbued with spiritual meaning and
say their deity is at the center of their relationship (Rostosky, Riggle and Brodnicki).
Many of the studies show that homosexuals that strongly identify with their religion have
a strong sense of internalized homonegativity and even homophobia. This is part of the reason
why religion is viewed so negatively among this demographic, but there is still a strong
importance on spirituality. There are many non-affirming churches and the majority of them are
run by people referred to as traditionalists. These are people who take the doctrine and
everything it says very seriously and very literally. However, some denominations work to offer
cultural tools and identity reconciliation for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender)
individuals (Fuist, Stoll and Kniss). Even with this kind of support, as a whole, gays feel as
though they deal with a negative stigma attached to their sexual orientation. Many use a coping
method for this referred to as role-flexing. This modifies their behavior in order to adapt to a
particular situation (Balaji, Oster and Viall).
One of the studies went through major world religions and gave research behind their
views of homosexuality. The indigenous religions of Africa and the Americas and Shintoism all
believe that homosexuality is a natural and integral part of life. Christianity, Hinduism,
Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism are all viewed as relatively indifferent to the subject. The
only partial exception being Christianity, which has views from absolutely supporting to
absolutely condemning. Islam and Judaism both view it very negatively (Helminiak).
The debate over whether or not humans are born with their sexuality still exists. People
who tend to favor science over religion are generally more accepting of the gay community,
because they believe there is a natural explanation for homosexuality. In the same manner,
people who are more in tuned with their religion tend to be less accepting, because they believe
that homosexuality is a choice and not something designed by God (Whitehead and Baker).
Unfortunately, there is no cure for close-mindedness. Even though they are not losing
their spirituality, it is not surprising that many homosexuals choose not to affiliate with a religion
due to the lack of acceptance. The amount of rejection and internalized homonegativity and even
homophobia in the church today is sad. However, religion is becoming increasingly more
accepting of all walks of life.
Religiosity, internalized homonegativity and outness in Christian men who
have sex with men
Objective: To examine the correlation between religion, internalized homonegativity and
outness among Christian men in the United States.
Method: 2716 men completed a survey (170 questions) about their sexual partners. Eligibility
for the survey included: being male, 18 years of age or older, a resident of the USA and
acknowledging having had sex with another men at least once during ones lifetime. All major
ethnicities represented in the US were included. The answers of 1165 Christian men were
analyzed.
These men were separated into subcategories based on affiliation: Catholic, Lutheran,
Presbyterian, or other Protestant, and Evangelical Christians. They were able to rank religiosity
and its important in their everyday life. They were also able to rank their internalized
homonegativity by answering questions such as personal comfort with being gay and social
comfort with gay men. They also rated their degree of outness. Again, they were separated
into even more confined subcategories by age, education and ethnicity. All participants were
asked if they had contracted HIV.
Results: The demographic variable showed that more Latinos are Catholic, Whites are Mainline
Protestants, and Blacks make up the greatest number of Evangelical Protestants. Compared to the
other two, Evangelical Christians proved to be younger, less educated and experience higher
levels of religiosity. In turn, they also experience a higher level of internalized homonegativity
and a decrease in outness. Mainline Protestants are the most like to be out among the groups.
Transnational religious networks: sexuality and the changing power
geometries of the Anglican Communion
This paper surveyed people in the Anglican Communion across three countries (US, UK
and South Africa) about their views on homosexuality. These were done at international events,
and in different parishes in different national contexts with different authority structures. This
was done to remove the international comparative study threat, so that it would avoid
comparing commonality of experiences and not be read as universal. Complex connections
(flows of money, resources and discourses) were followed so that the complex geometry of
power could be revealed. It shows how prejudices can intersect in complex ways to facilitate
but also cancel each other out. Findings concluded that traditionalists are much more concerned
about the increasing contemporary views on homosexuality of the progressivists and often come
off as homophobic. However, there were cases were traditionalists seemed to be able to put their
differences aside and worship together with members of the homosexual community- this is due
to the ability to look past the differences of people to the sameness that lies beneath.
Religion and Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage Among U.S. Latinos
Objectives: This study examines how religiosity affects U.S. Latinos view on homosexuality
and same-sex marriages. It focuses mainly on participation and affiliation, but other variables,
such as biblical beliefs, clergy clues and religious politicization were also taken into
consideration.
Methods: The results were analyzed from a sample of 4,016 Latinos that were all at least 18
years of old. The survey was conducted by telephone in either English or Spanish according to
preference. They were asked to vote either in favor of same sex marriage or against it. They were
also asked about their religion, and those affiliated with a Protestant background were asked to
list their denomination.
Results: With Catholicism as the reference group (due to the high number of Latinos that
affiliate with the Catholic Church), evangelical Protestants and members of sectarian groups had
extremely high levels of opposition to same sex marriage. Also, Mainline Protestants that do not
regularly attend church, secular Latinos, and Catholics that do not attend Mass every week are
more likely to view same sex marriage less negatively.
Religious Affiliation, Internalized Homophobia, and Mental Health in
Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals
Hypothesis 1: LGBs who attend religious services in non-affirming settings will have higher
levels of internalized homophobia than LGBs who attend services in affirming settings and those
that do not attend religious services at all.
Hypothesis 2: Among those who attend in non-affirming settings, the more frequent their
attendance, the higher their level of internalized homophobia is.
Hypothesis 3: Attendance in non-affirming religious settings will be related to internalized
homophobia but not to global self-esteem (an individuals positive or negative attitude toward
the self as a whole).
Hypothesis 4: Black and Latino LGBs will gave greater attendance in non-affirming religious
settings compares to Whites. These groups will more likely have higher levels of internalized
homophobia.
Hypothesis 5: Exposure to non-affirming religious settings will be associated with more
depressive symptoms and less psychological well-being.
Sample: Participants surveyed were: between 18-59, had lived in New York City for at least 2
years, self-identified as gay or bisexual, Black Latino or White, male or female (not
transgendered). The sample size was 396. Each ethnicity and gender was equally represented in
the overall sample.
Methods: Participants were first asked to identify their religious affiliation, how often they
attended religious services, and whether or not these services were geared toward the
homosexual community. Employment, net worth and education variables were accounted for.
Participants were asked to assess their own internalized homophobia, self-esteem, feelings of
depression and overall psychological well-being based on a series of questions.
Results: Participants who attended in non-affirming religious settings had significantly higher
internalized homophobia than those who never attended (consistent with hypothesis 1).
Individuals who attended in non-affirming religious settings more frequently did not differ in
levels of internalized homophobia from those who attended less frequently (inconsistent with
hypothesis 2). Both non-affirming affiliation and frequency of attendance in non-affirming
settings were unrelated to self-esteem, but this was related specifically to ones sense of him- or
herself as a gay, lesbian, or bisexual person and not to global self-esteem (hypothesis 3). Latinos
had more internalized homophobia than Whites, but the Black community did not have
statistically significant differences from Whites (hypothesis 4). No support was found for
hypothesis 5.
Role Flexing: How Community, Religion, and Family Shape the Experiences
of Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men
This study examined the reasons behind the disparity in young black men who have sex
with men (MSM). 16 young men (19-24 years of age) from the Jackson, Mississippi area were
interviewed about their experience as an MSM. Some of these young men were HIV positive,
and some were not. They were asked about their families, religion and their community, and how
these variables influenced them. They were also asked about the ways in which they manage
their sexual minority status. Overall, these men feel as though they deal with a negative stigma
that is attached to their negative orientation in all the categories asked about. To manage this,
most of them cope with role flexing. Role flexing is when an individual modifies their
behavior in order to adapt to a particular situation. This stigma also attached a sense of
internalized homophobia to many of these men.
Homosexuality in World Religions:
A Case Study in the Psychology of Spirituality
The topic of this article is psychologically grounded spirituality in the face of religious
pluralism, and religious belief about homosexuality provides a case in point. It begins by going
through a list of major world religions and their views on homosexuality. All of the results are
based on generality of the belief system on that religion, not specific to any member.
Indigenous religions of Africa and the Americas- Homosexuality was integral to life, not to be
resisted, but considered a sacred calling.
Hinduism- Aware but not supportive of homosexuality.
Buddhism Generally neutral regarding homosexuality.
Confucianism and Taoism- Both clearly unconcerned about homosexuality.
Shintoism contains no moral code, but believe moral behavior is natural to human beings,
therefore allowing them to accept homosexuality.
Judaism- Negative toward homosexuality.
Christianity- often indifferent, a wide range of opinions ranging from absolutely supportive to
absolutely condemning.
Islam- condemns homosexuality without question.
Overall, homosexuality is viewed as a spiritual experience. Psychologists should help people
accept their homosexuality and integrate into their lives fully. It also calls for psychologists to
challenge religion. The authors main point is summed up in one sentence, Good psychology
and good religion in productive cooperation should easily be able to foster good living.
The Meanings and Manifestations of Religion and Spirituality among
Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Adults
Objective: To explore religious and spiritual practices among LGBT individuals and the
meanings they ascribe to religion and spirituality.
Method: Qualitative and Quantitative answers were collected from 498 LGBT individuals
attending a Northeastern Pride festival. This was done by a paper and pencil survey. Quantitative
categories included: sociodemographics, religious affiliation, religiosity and spirituality,
religiosity and subjective spirituality, salience and spiritual salience, and religious participation.
The qualitative questions were two open-ended choices. What does spirituality mean to you?
and What does religiosity mean to you?.
Results: They collectively defined spirituality in terms of ones relationship with God and self.
Religion was defined as communal worship and was viewed negatively. These individuals
were much more spiritually affiliated than they were religiously. However, many LGBT
individuals still identify with a religious affiliation they grew up with, which may cause them to
be more intent on finding their place in the world and fighting the misconstrued ideas about
homosexuality.
Beyond the Liberal-Conservative Divide: Assessing the Relationship Between
Religious Denominations and Their Associated LGBT Organizations
Hypothesis: Groups connected to each other through a religious tradition will share similar
orientations towards the moral order, shaping the kinds of rhetoric they use and the kinds of
claims they can make.
Methods: The written records left behind by debates and conflicts were examined, but only for
the 25 largest denominations in the U.S. They analyzed official statements and other materials
from public websites and from websites of LGBTs associated with these denominations (70).
They were put into Kniss multi-dimensional heuristic map.
Results: Denominations with individualistic orientations towards moral authority and
collectivist moral projects offer cultural tools for LGBT to construct activist and reformist
disclosures. Denominations that have a collectivist view of moral authority and pursue more
individualistic moral projects provide cultural resources which allow for identity reconciliation
for LGBT individuals (82).
The Protestant Work Ethic, Religious Beliefs, and Homonegative Attitudes
Objective: To examine the influence of the Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) on homonegativity.
Hypothesis: Those with high PWE scores would display more homonegativity.
Method: 166 18-24 year old, Christian, college students from three Midwest colleges were given
a survey. Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) was measured by a Mirels and Garrett scale. They asked
5 questions about religious beliefs answered on a 7-point scale. Homonegativity was measured
by Morrison and Morrisons 12 item scale, and were also answered using a 7-point Likert Scale.
Results: PWE was significantly correlated with homonegativity in zero-order correlational and
the multiple regression analyses (hypothesis 1). Those with high religious beliefs would have the
more negative attitudes towards homosexuality was supported by zero-order correlations and in
multiple regression (hypothesis 2). Zero-order correlations and the regression supported the
hypothesis that those who believe homosexuality was a choice would have a higher level of
homonegativity (hypothesis 3). There was no evidence to support that there is a significant three-
way interaction between those three variables (hypothesis 4).
This study shows that strong religious beliefs have a strong correlation with
homonegativity. Also, the more someone believes that homosexuality is a choice, the stronger
their homonegativity.
Its My Inner Strength: Spirituality, Religion and HIV in the Lives of Young
African American Men who have Sex with Men
Goal: To develop an effective HIV prevention approach that is grounded in the context of young
mens lives.
Method: 15 HIV-positive and 16 HIV-negative African American men who reported having sex
with a man within the last 6 months, living in the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area, between the
ages of 18-30 were interviewed for 90 minutes. Question topics included: family, work/school,
religion/spirituality, peers, sexual identity, HIV disclosure and community involvement.
Interviews were then examined for major themes of religion and spirituality.
Results: Prominent themes during the interviews were: issues regarding spirituality, religion,
motivations for participation in formal religious institutions, homophobia expressed by the
church and the desire to detach oneself from formal religion. Spirituality was identified as a
driving force in these mens lives. However, around half of them have completely stopped
affiliating with any religious institutions. It is suggested that an effective HIV prevention
approach would have to be culturally grounded.
Religion and Public Opinion about Same-Sex Marriage
Objective: To analyze the relationship between religion, measured in terms of religious
affiliation and religiosity, and public opinion about same-sex marriage, civil unions, and a
federal constitutional amendment that would prohibit gay marriage.
Method: 1,610 adults (18+) were surveyed by phone around one month after same-sex marriages
in San Francisco received a lot of media coverage. Demographics such as gender, age, race,
region and religion were all taken into account.
Results: The only two variables that were not statistically significant predictors of opposition of
gay marriage were Evangelical Protestantism and marital status. Being a member of any
religious group (other than EP or Mainline Protestantism) increases the likelihood that one will
support gay marriage. When one professes concern about moral values, they are more likely to
oppose gay marriage.
Conclusions: Religion has a powerful effect on attitudes toward gay marriage. Non-Protestant
individuals tend not to oppose gay marriage or civil unions. However, espousing traditional
attitudes on morality and secularism increases the likelihood that an individual will oppose gay
marriage. Also, the higher someone holds moral values, the more likely they are to oppose same-
sex unions. Theoretically, the strongest correlation between religion and the Federal Marriage
Amendment would be positive. However, some conservatives are never for the amending of the
Constitution.
Homonegativity and its Relationship to Religiosity, Nationalism and
Attachment Style
Hypothesis 1: Religiosity will be associated with homonegativity, which will be stronger for
participants with specific religious alignments.
Hypothesis 2: Nationalism will be related to homonegativity.
Hypothesis 3: The relationships between religiosity and homonegativity, and nationalism and
homonegativity, will be moderated by adult attachment style. Specifically, those with lower
attachment security are predicted to be more homonegative within their degree of ideology than
the more securely attached.
Method: 290 citizens of from 19 countries completed a survey on the internet. Participants were
between the ages of 18 and 65. Participants had a great range in religious affiliation diversity.
The questions were as follows: consent form, demographic questions, attachment measure,
nationalism measure, religiosity measure, then explicit homonegativity measure, concluding with
the attitudes towards homosexuals. The answers were split into two groups: secular and
religious.
Results: Results confirmed the hypothesis that higher religiosity predicts higher homonegativity,
particularly for individuals who identify with a religious ideology (hypothesis 1) (582).
Results also supported hypothesis 2- as scores on nationalism become higher, so does
homonegativity (584), and the third hypothesis that homonegativity, religiosity and nationalism
are moderated by adult attachment style.
An Exploration of Lived Religion in Same-Sex Couples from Judeo-Christian
Traditions
Objective: To examine the ways in which same-sex couples incorporate religion into their
relationships.
Method: 14 same sex couples (12 female, 8 male) that had been together at least a year and were
both legal adults (18+) were interviewed alongside their partners. They were asked to describe
their religious backgrounds and traditions, how their religious/spiritual identities had changed
over the years, and how their sexual identities interacted with their religious/spiritual
identitiesthe spiritual/religious journey or process that they had experienced together and how
their religious/spiritual values influenced their relationship (391). They also each filled out a
demographic questionnaire.
Results: 14 of the 28 individuals in the interview were out to their religious communities. 68% of
them believed they were at least moderately religious and 89% reported moderate to extreme
spirituality. 71% said their faith was very important to them. 21 members believed in God and 26
of the 28 said their religious belief was a basis for how to act and live on a daily basis. 20 of
the individuals were Protestant, 2 were Catholic, 2 were Jewish, and 4 claimed no affiliation.
39% said they attend a regular religious service once a week, and an additional 28% said they go
1-3 times a month. Some of the partners said they sought out a partner with the same religious
beliefs or commitment to spiritual growth as them. Those members described their relationships
as imbued with spiritual meaning (393). Many claimed that their deity centered their
relationship and helped strengthen it. They said their spiritual worldview provided support for
living as a same-sex couple (393). Couples admitted to moving toward more liberal
denominations than the ones that had grown up in. Half of the couples said this was because
their own religious beliefs and worldviews had evolved during the course of their relationship
(395). 12 of the couples are active members or actively seeking somewhere to be members of a
congregation.
These integrations have not come easy to these couples however. They report several
challenges they have faced. Many of them talked about the religious beliefs of their families and
how generally unaccepting they are. They also discussed the difficulties of finding a church body
that accepted and loved them because of their relationship.
