Queer People and Religious Trauma

Millions of LGBTQ+ people are left with internal turmoil that was created by Homophobic religious ideals.

Religious trauma is defined as ​​”emotional issues people face as they leave authoritarian religions, psychological harm including fear, anger, depression, loss of self, agency, and decision-making.” Religious trauma can lead to a lack of or unstable sense of self, substance abuse, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. 

Though it is not uncommon, one in three American adults have faced religious trauma at one point. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are disproportionately impacted by religious trauma with the effects that take a unique toll on their psyche.

Queer people who grow up in religious spaces often feel torn between these identities. Religious attacks on the LGBTQ+ community feels like a personal attack both on their identity and faith. The process of accepting and loving oneself becomes all the more challenging when queer people face hateful comments such as that “they are going to hell.” Alongside self-acceptance, there is the added concern of external acceptance. Having support from others expedites the process of having love and pride in your identity. However, consistently hearing condemnation leaves a lasting negative effect on one’s self-esteem.

However, of course religiosity and homophobia are not synonymous, and many queer people practice Christianity. Although not all religious people are homophobic, most homophobic people are religious, as  97% of Americans who believe “homosexuality should be discouraged” also believe in God. There have also been Supreme Court cases ruling in favor of religious liberty at the cost of LGBTQ+ rights.

Politics often impact the extent to which symptoms of religious trauma are felt. Policy or presidential elections surrounding the existence and legitimacy of queer people mirrors anti-LGBTQ+ Christian ideology in which politicians use religiosity as their reasoning for homophobia. For example, the Texas Republican Party’s platform is to “affirm God’s biblical design for marriage and sexual behavior between one biological man and one biological woman.”

The religious trauma of queer people under homophobic religious spaces cannot be discounted, and homophobic religious rhetoric has long-term effects that should be more seriously addressed.