2025/12/28 by Daniel Nguyễn, Michael C. Lotspeich‐Yadao, Nathan R. Todd · 1 voice
Psychology · Social Sciences · #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy #Religion, Society, and Development #Religious Tourism and Spaces
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/jssr.70017
openalex publication_date 2025/12/28 · openalex created_date 2025/12/29 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
ABSTRACT In this study, we examine where lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) affirming Christian churches are geographically located across the United States. Notably, many LGBT people practice religion and proximity to affirming churches may provide access to religious capital which supports well‐being. We use the religious economies model to inform hypotheses which we examine using visualization. We first present maps of affirming churches and same‐sex households across US Counties. We then present a bivariate map through combined colors which shows how affirming churches and same‐sex households coexist spatially. We found affirming churches were geographically patterned: more were present in the Northeast, Western, and Northern states in the Midwest. There was an undersupply of affirming churches in the South and some states in the West and an oversupply in some Midwestern and Western states. Thus, where LGBT people live may shape access to affirming churches.