Changes in Religiosity Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Emerging Adults

2020/05/05 by Brandi Woodell, Philip Schwadel · 8 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy #Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology #Religion and Society Interactions

paper · doi:10.1111/jssr.12653

Abstract

Abstract Highly religious Americans are relatively likely to oppose lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) rights and many churches are unwelcoming to sexual minorities, which may lead LGB Americans to retreat from religion. To assess this possibility, we investigate trajectories of religious change for sexual minorities and other emerging adults. We use two longitudinal data sources (National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health and the National Study of Youth and Religion) to explore how sexuality predicts the likelihood of decreasing religiosity in emerging adulthood. Results show that three different operationalizations of sexual minority status—attraction, behavior, and identity—are each strongly and consistently associated with disaffiliating from religion and declines in religious service attendance. On the other hand, sexual minority status has inconsistent and relatively small associations with changes in prayer. We conclude by discussing how these results further understanding of religion, sexual identity, and the current generation of emerging adults.

Citations

• Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties.
• Is Polarization a Myth?
• Risk and Religion: An Explanation of Gender Differences in Religiosity

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• Examining the differential protective effects of women's spirituality and religiosity on alcohol and marijuana use by sexual identity. [europepmc]
• Strategies for Coping with Minority Stress among Queer Young Adults: Usage Frequency, Associations with Demographics, and Mental Health. [europepmc]
• Correlates of Christian Religious Identification and De-identification among Sexual and Gender Minorities: A U.S. Probability Sample. [europepmc]
• Variations in Religious Development by Sexual Orientation: Results from a Nationally Representative U.S. Sample. [europepmc]
• Is Religious Coping a Protective Factor, and for Whom? A Moderation and Subgroup Analysis on Loneliness and Suicide Attempts Among LGBTQ+ Adults Raised as Latter-Day Saints. [europepmc]

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