He Just Wanted Me to Do What Was Best for Me
Latter-Day Saint Clergy's Counsel to Sexual and Gender Minorities and Its Impact
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3522344 |
|---|---|
| Authors | G Tyler Lefevor (0000-0003-4510-7306, Utah State University, corresponding author), Adlyn M Perez-Figueroa (0009-0008-5532-4500, Utah State University), Samuel J Skidmore (0000-0002-8428-2273, Utah State University), Kirsten A Gonzalez (0000-0002-5499-6152, University of Tennessee at Knoxville) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 492 |
| Publication date | 2022-05-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/rel13060492 |
| OpenAlex | W4282036463 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 42 |
The purpose of this study was to understand counsel given to sexual and gender minority individuals by clergy in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS), the impact of that counsel, and individuals' perceptions of meetings with clergy. Twenty-five current and former members of the CJCLDS who identify as sexual and gender minorities (SGM) participated in 30-60 min semi-structured interviews focused on their interactions with clergy in the CJCLDS. Participants reported receiving various forms of counsel, including encouragement to adhere to church doctrine, counsel focused on self-acceptance, messages that clergy would support congregants' agency and self-determination, counsel focused on increasing faith, and no answers. Participants reported a variety of perceptions of meetings with clergy including wishing clergy were more educated on the experiences of SGMs, hurtful experiences, expectations of mistreatment, recognition that clergy are doing their best, and gratitude for clergy. Interactions with clergy had long-lasting and far-reaching consequences including loss of trust in religious leaders, restriction of church membership, disengagement from faith, engagement with faith, nuanced or lost beliefs, and impacts on mental health. Results suggest that Latter-day Saints clergy working with SGM individuals may be experienced as most effective when they provide safe and supportive spaces for congregants to share their experiences, use approaches that focus on self-determination and agency, seek education/training from CJCLDS-specific LGBTQ+ organizations, and recognize that many SGM congregants approach interactions with clergy with trepidation and fears of mistreatment
Disengagement theory · Faith · Gratitude · Sociology · Theology · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Gender Studies · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology · Gerontology
Tending to the Flock
The varying effects of clergy counsel on religiousness and health among Latter-day Saint sexual and gender minorities
Religious Disaffiliation and Sexually Minoritised Groups
Rejecting, Welcoming, Accepting, or Affirming? Theological Orientation, Marginalized Identity, and Attitudes Toward Religion
I'll Walk with You
Suicide Risks and Protections in Religious Communities
Affirming Faith Experiences and Psychological Health for Caucasian Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals.
Coming-Out to Family Members and Internalized Sexual Stigma in Bisexual, Lesbian and Gay People
Religious Conflict, Sexual Identity, and Suicidal Behaviors among LGBT Young Adults
Religious sexual minorities, belongingness, and suicide risk
The Influence of Pastors’ Ideologies of Homosexuality on HIV Prevention in the Black Church
Clergy Attitudes About Ways to Support the Mental Health of Sexual and Gender Minorities
To Be Jewish and Lesbian
Psychological distress among sexual and religious minorities
Belongingness and depression among LGBQ Mormons
We are scared of being kicked out of our religion!”
Internalized heterosexism, religious coping, and psychache in LGB young adults who identify as religious
What happens if the cross falls and crushes me?”
The role of internalized homonegativity in the faith and psychological health of lesbians
Religiousness and Minority Stress in Conservatively Religious Sexual Minorities
The Effects of Contact on Sexual Prejudice
Suicidal ideation among active and nonactive/former Latter‐day Saint sexual minorities
An Opening in the Congregational Closet? Boundary-Bridging Culture and Membership Privileges for Gays and Lesbians in Christian Religious Congregations
When and why is religious attendance associated with antigay bias and gay rights opposition? A justification-suppression model approach
Sex and the sinner
Mental Health Implications in Mormon Women’s Experiences With Same-Sex Attraction
Mormon Clients’ Experiences of Conversion Therapy
Institutionalized Norms, Practical Organizational Activity, and Loose Coupling
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Specific Aspects of Minority Stress Associated With Depression Among LDS Affiliated Non-Heterosexual Adults
Sexual Orientation Complexity and Psychosocial/Health Outcomes
To Welcome or Affirm
Reducing Internalized Homonegativity
Beyond the Dichotomy
Facilitators and Advocates
Intra-Organizational Constraints on Churches' Public Witness
Talking about Homosexuality
Continuity and Change in American Congregations
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |