Experiences of LGBT individuals with Christian upbringing

Abstract

Christianity is one of the religions worldwide that promote heteronormativity, following their belief that it is “normal.” In the Philippines, wherein Roman Catholicism is the main religion, heterosexuality is the norm, and people who do not follow this feel a sense of conflict in terms of their religious and spiritual identity and their LGBT identity. This study explored the experiences of LGBT individuals with a Christian upbringing in the Western Visayas. A qualitative approach was employed and six participants were selected for an in-depth interview, the collected data was then analyzed using a thematic analysis wherein four themes emerged, growing up with a Christian upbringing, navigating through the experiences of being an LGBT and a Christian, perceived outcomes of the actions that LGBT individuals employed, and feelings elicited by the outcomes, which tells us the unique experiences of LGBT Christians.