When Sexual Identity Leads to Loss of Religious Identity: Jehovah\u27s Witnesses and Homosexuality.

Although progress has been made in the acceptance of gays and lesbians within some religious groups, individuals who openly identify as gay and lesbian cannot also be active members of Jehovah\u27s Witnesses. Based on their biblical teachings, Jehovah\u27s Witnesses do not accept and are not lenient toward gay and lesbian members. As a result, gay and lesbian Jehovah\u27s Witnesses make difficult decisions; they either follow the teachings of their religion or openly embrace their sexual identity. The two are mutually exclusive; either decision will likely result in significant loss. The nature of this paper is to discuss some issues related to loss experienced by gay and lesbian Jehovah\u27s Witnesses. Implications for sexual work practice and ethical considerations will be discussed. Keywords: Jehovah\u27s Witnesses, homosexuality, los