Religion and Spirituality, Youth

Just as with heterosexual youth, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) youth interact with religion and spirituality in their personal lives. This entry explains how contacts between LGBQ youth and religion and spirituality have historically been negative, punitive, shaming, and guilt-ridden experiences. This discussion includes an analysis of the efforts by some fundamentalist religious groups to use reparative and/or conversion therapy to change the sexual orientation of LGBQ youth to that of heterosexuality. This entry concludes with a discussion of how some of today’s LGBQ youth are experiencing a much more positive relationship with religion–spirituality than did previous generations of LGBQ youth.