"It Doesn't Say Except, It Just Says Love Each Other": Mapping Spiritual Reconciliation among LGBTQ Older Adults

The concept of religion can be a complex topic for therapists to address with their clients, as the relationship between individuals and their faith is contextualized by both personal and societal beliefs and values. Those who identify with a marginalized gender identity and/or sexual orientation ex...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of feminist family therapy Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 55 - 84
Main Authors Bower, Kyle L., McGeorge, Christi R., Bermudez, J. Maria
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Binghamton Routledge 02.01.2023
Taylor & Francis LLC
Subjects
Childhood
Expectations
Faith
Gender identity
Lesbianism
LGBTQ people
Life course
Life history
Love
Mapping
Meaning
minoritized sexual orientation and gender identity groups
older adulthood
Older people
Religion
Religiosity
Religious beliefs
Sexual orientation
spiritual reconciliation
Spirituality
Therapists
Transgender persons
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:The concept of religion can be a complex topic for therapists to address with their clients, as the relationship between individuals and their faith is contextualized by both personal and societal beliefs and values. Those who identify with a marginalized gender identity and/or sexual orientation experienced further complexities resulting from family systems and social expectations that shape the meaning and purpose of religion, faith, and spirituality. Although previous research has addressed the complexity of religion within this demographic, few have explored how religiosity shifts over a lifetime. To address gaps in the literature, we analyzed life-story narratives from 13 White, gay, lesbian, and transgender older adults (i.e., over the age of 45). We developed a conceptual map depicting potential pathways of religious and spiritual involvement, spanning childhood to older adulthood. We conclude with clinical considerations for therapists that underscore the importance of including sociohistorical contexts that influence personal meaning regarding religion, faith, and spirituality within the therapy process with older adults who hold marginalized sexual orientations and gender identities.
ISSN:0895-2833
1540-4099
DOI:10.1080/08952833.2022.2136829