Abstract
Religious institutions (“the church,” mosques, synagogues, temples, etc.) have been a source of refuge and support for LGBTQ+ individuals, especially those who are Black and Brown. LGBTQ+ individuals may come from families that have strong religious/spiritual views and may be active in their respective faith communities, enjoy the fellowship of community worship, and enjoy the services. They feel a connection to their higher power and feel a familial bond with those in that community. LGBTQ+ individuals may also experience trauma from their faith communities. From not being able to live authentically, being subjected to heteronormative views of dating and relationships, being shunned by family and members of their faith communities, not being allowed to assume leadership roles in their places of worship, to being told they are sinful, demonic, filthy, unclean, LGBTQ+ individuals often believe they have been abandoned by the same folks that profess love for all. This book chapter discusses the roles that faith communities play in the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals and ways that mental health professionals can provide support for those who feel a strong connection to their faith communities and even though they have experienced trauma from those communities, they still want to be involved in those communities. The chapter will also explore those who have Pagan identities or who are atheist/agnostic. The chapter concludes with a case scenario.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
American Counseling Association. (2017). Resolution on reparative therapy/conversion therapy/sexual orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) as a significant and serious violation of the ACA code of ethics. Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/reparative-therapy-resoltution-letter-head_edited.pdf?sfvrsn=8ed562c_4
American Medical Association. (2019). LGBTQ change efforts (So-called “conversion therapy”). Retrieved from https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2019-12/conversion-therapy-issue-brief.pdf
American Mental Health Counseling Association. (2014). AMHCA statement on reparative or conversion therapy. Retrieved from https://www.amhca.org/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=eae41719-9650-cec8-c247-655d9ef45c37&forceDialog=0
American Psychiatric Association. (2018a). Position statement on conversion therapy and LGBTQ patients.
American Psychiatric Association. (2018b). APA reiterates strong opposition to conversion therapy. Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/apa-reiterates-strong-opposition-to-conversion-therapy
Anton, B. S. (2010). Proceedings of the American Psychological Association for the legislative year 2009: Minutes of the annual meeting of the Council of Representatives and minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors. American Psychologist, 65(5), 385–475. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019553.
Beagan, B., & Hattie, B. (2014). LGBTQ experiences with religion and spirituality: Occupational transition and adaptation. Journal of Occupational Science, 9(2), 92–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2014.953670.
Beagan, B., & Hattie, B. (2015). Religion, spirituality, and LGBTQ identity integration. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 9(2), 92–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538605.2015.1029204.
Burke, D. (2019). In a survey of American Muslims, 0% identified as lesbian or gay. Here’s the story behind that statistic. CNN. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/28/us/lgbt-muslims-pride-progress/index.html
Cane, C. (Director) (2015). Holler if you hear me: Black and gay in the church [Film]. BET.
Cheng, F. K. (2018). Being different with dignity: Buddhist inclusiveness of homosexuality. Social Sciences, 7(4), 51. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci7040051.
Davis-Young, K. (2019, March 29). For many native Americans, embracing LGBT members is a return to the past. Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/for-many-native-americans-embracing-lgbt-members-is-a-return-to-the-past/2019/03/29/24d1e6c6-4f2c-11e9-88a1-ed346f0ec94f_story.html
Day-Vines, N. L., Wood, S. M., Grothaus, T., Craigen, L., Holman, A., Dotson-Blake, K., & Douglass, M. J. (2007). Broaching the subjects of race, ethnicity, and culture during the counseling process. Journal of Counseling and Development, 85(4), 401–409. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12069.
Douglas, K. B. (2006). Sexuality and the Black church. In R. S. Keller & R. R. Ruether (Eds.), Encyclopedia of women and religion in North America (pp. 1300–1304). Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
DuBowski, S. S. (Director) (2001). Trembling before g-d [Film]. Cinephil.
Eshel Online. (n.d.). Eshel online. Retrieved from https://www.eshelonline.org/
Greer, B. (2016). Gay nightclubs and Black churches are sanctuaries. Here’s how to make them safer. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soloish/wp/2016/06/13/gay-nightclubs-and-black-churches-are-sanctuaries-heres-how-to-make-them-safer/
Griffin, H. L. (2006). Their own receive them not: African American lesbians and gays in Black churches. Cleveland, OH: Pilgrim Press.
Harris, A. C. (2009). Sex, stigma, and the holy ghost: The black church and the construction of AIDS in new York City. Journal of African American Studies, 14(1), 21–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-009-9105-6.
Higa, D., Hoppe, M. J., Lindhorst, T., Mincer, S., Beadnell, B., Morrison, D. M., Wells, E. A., Todd, A., & Mountz, S. (2014). Negative and positive factors associated with the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Youth & Society, 46(5), 663–687. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X12449630.
Horowitz, J. (2020). In shift for church, Pope Francis voices support for same-sex civil unions. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/21/world/europe/pope-francis-same-sex-civil-unions.html
Human Rights Campaign. (n.d.). Stances of faiths on LGBTQ issues: Roman Catholic church. Retrieved from https://www.hrc.org/resources/stances-of-faiths-on-lgbt-issues-roman-catholic-church
Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Parveen, S., Bhuiyan, M. I., Gourab, G., Sarker, G. F., Arafat, S. M., & Sikder, J. (2009). Living on the extreme margin: Social exclusion of the transgender population (Hijra) in Bangladesh. Journal of Health, Population, and Nutrition, 27(4), 441–451. https://doi.org/10.3329/jhpn.v27i4.3388.
Maxwell, C. (2013). Writer discusses the Black church and anti-gay sentiment. Windy City Times. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.monmouth.edu/docview/1412851352?OpenUrlRefId=info:xri/sid:summon&accountid=12532
McGeorge, C. R., Carlson, T. S., & Toomey, R. B. (2015). An exploration of family therapist’ beliefs about the ethics of conversion therapy: The influence of native beliefs and clinical competence with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 41(1), 42–56. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12040.
Miller, R. L. (2007). Legacy denied: African American gay men, AIDS, and the Black church. Social Work, 52(1), 51–61. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/52.1.51.
Muslims for Progressive Values. (n.d.). Muslims for progressive values. Retrieved from https://www.mpvusa.org/
My Jewish Learning. (n.d.-a). Judaism and LGBTQ issues: An overview. Retrieved September 5, 2020, from https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/judaism-and-the-lgbtq-community-an-overview/
My Jewish Learning. (n.d.-b). Orthodox Judaism and LGBTQ issues. Retrieved September 5, 2020, from https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/orthodox-judaism-and-lgbtq-issues/
National Association for Social Workers. (2015). Sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) and conversion therapy with lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender persons. Retrieved from https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=IQYALknHU6s%3D&portalid=0
Nove, C. R. (2018). Becoming un-orthodox: Stories of ex-Hasidim. By Lynn Davidman. Jewish History, 31(3–4), 395–398. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10835-018-9300-x.
Pew Research Center. (2020a). Views about homosexuality among agnostics. Retrieved September 3, 2020, from https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-family/agnostic/views-about-homosexuality/
Pew Research Center. (2020b). Views about homosexuality among atheists. Retrieved September 3, 2020, from https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-family/atheist/views-about-homosexuality/
Picq, M. L. & Tikuna, J. (2019). Indigenous sexualities: Resisting conquest and translation. Retrieved from https://www.e-ir.info/2019/08/20/indigenous-sexualities-resisting-conquest-and-translation/
Pitt, R. N. (2010). “Killing the messenger”: Religious Black gay men’s neutralization of anti-gay religious messages. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 49(1), 56–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2009.01492.x.
Quinn, K., & Dickson-Gomez, J., (2014) “Love the sinner, hate the sin”: Examining Black faith leaders’ perception of homosexuality and HIV [Paper presentation]. American Public Health Association 142nd Annual Meeting & Expo, New Orleans, LA, United States.
Ratts, M. J., Singh, A. A., Nassar-McMillan, S., Butler, S. K., & McCullough, J. R. (2016). Multicultural and social justice counseling competencies: Guidelines for the counseling profession. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 44(1), 28–48. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmcd.12035.
ReformJudaism.org. (n.d.) Reform Jewish views on LGBTQ equality. Retrieved September 5, 2020, from https://reformjudaism.org/reform-jewish-views-lgbtq-equality
Robertson, D. L., & Avent, J. R. (2016). African American counselors-in-training, the Black church, and lesbian-, gay-, and bisexual-affirmative counseling: Considerations for counselor education programs. Counseling and Values, 61(2), 223–238. https://doi.org/10.1002/cvj.12039.
Shapiro Sanfran, R. (2013). A multidimensional assessment of Orthodox Jewish attitudes toward homosexuality (3520925) [Doctoral dissertation, Seton Hall University]. ProQuest Dissertation Publishing.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2015). Ending conversion therapy: Supporting and affirming LGBTQ youth. Retrieved from https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Ending-Conversion-Therapy-Supporting-and-Affirming-LGBTQ-Youth/SMA15-4928?print=true
Tozer, E. E., & Hayes, J. A. (2004). Why do individuals seek conversion therapy? The role of religiosity, internalized homonegative, and identity development. The Counseling Psychologist, 32(5), 716–740.
Zauzmer, J. (2017). Damaged by the church? This pastor has a congregation full of ‘recovering Christians.’ The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/03/08/amid-a-wave-of-church-hurt-one-boston-pastor-tries-to-repair-christians-relationship-with-god/
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ford, D. (2021). The Salve and the Sting of Religion/Spirituality in Queer and Transgender BIPOC. In: Nadal, K.L., Scharrón-del Río, M.R. (eds) Queer Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74146-4_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74146-4_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-74145-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-74146-4
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)