2021 Student Research Conference:
34th Annual Student Research Conference

Rejection, Integration, and Everything In-between: An Analysis of Recent Models of Queer-Religious Identity Negotiation


Alix M. Medler
Dr. William Ashcraft, Faculty Mentor

Research concerning individuals who identify as both LGBTQ and religious, but experience conflict between these identities, has grown immensely over the past 20 years. An understanding of how such individuals negotiate their identities is important to research in fields that consider the intersection of queer people and religion. Despite this, the only fully developed model regarding this negotiation currently available – Eric Rodriguez and Suzanne Ouellette’s four-part model and the related conflict frame – has faced serious criticisms by Orit Avishai. I will argue that these criticisms are not fatal; however, recognizing this fails to solve the foundational problem that neither this model, nor any alternative model in development, has been rigorously validated. As such, it is vital to the progression of related research in many fields such as religious studies, psychology, and sociology that a model(s) is validated to be an accurate representation of this queer-religious identity negotiation process.

Keywords: LGBTQ identity, Religious identity, Identity conflict, Identity negotiation

Topic(s):Philosophy & Religion

Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Oral Presentation

Session: 16-5
Location: https://flipgrid.com/a8b68415
Time: 0:00

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