Forgive Me Father for I Have Sinned: The Role of a Christian Upbringing on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Development

Jessica Diane Lapinski*, David McKirnan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study (n = 84) examined the extent to which a Christian upbringing may inhibit same-sex attracted individuals from accepting a lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identity. No significant differences were found between current and former Christians' positive or negative gay identities. Participants who had left Christianity were more liberal and viewed God as hostile. Participants' "outness" as LGB to their primary network was associated with a greater positive and lesser negative gay identity. Participants' LGB network size was not related to either their positive or negative gay identifications. Finally, the participants' sexual histories were not related to their negative identities, but were related to their positive identities.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)853-872
Number of pages20
JournalJournal of Homosexuality
Volume60
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2013

Keywords

  • Christian upbringing
  • LGB identity
  • religion and homosexuality

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education
  • Social Psychology
  • Gender Studies
  • General Psychology

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