LGBTQ identity, religion and spirituality
A study about how people in Halifax experience religion and spirituality in relation to their LGBTQ identities, and how that may relate to health and to personal and community well-being.
The authors, BrendaBeagan (Dalhousie) & BrendaHattie (MSVU) interviewed 35 people and say, "Clearly the topic has tapped into something that some people want to talk about. This report summarizes some of what we heard from people we interviewed."
- It is clear that religions have caused and continue to cause immense pain and suffering in LGBTQ lives. The losses have been, and continue to be, enormous. Yet many people continue to long for something, yearn for something. People spoke of a void, an emptiness, a search for greater meaning. Even those who have found spiritual solace, most often through individualized spiritual beliefs and practices, often feel a need to hide that in LGBTQ circles. There is clearly a deep and pervasive tension concerning spirituality in LGBTQ communities. Just as LGBTQ selves were often unwelcome in religious communities, so spiritual selves are often unwelcome in LGBTQ communities.
The report: LGBTQ Identity, Religion and Spirituality (pdf, 25 pages)
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