Making It Make Sense: Black Undergraduate\u27s Negotiation of Spiritual and LGBTQ+ Christian Identities Within the Black Church

For Black LGBTQ+ individuals, spirituality and sexuality can often conflict as the Black community tends to be more spiritual than other demographics and historically exhibited exclusivity towards the LGBTQ+ community. This research examines how Black LGBTQ+ youth at the University of Mississippi handle the intersectionality of race, spirituality, and sexuality and makes recommendations about ways to improve the lived experiences of Black LGBQT+ Christians and to promote LGBQT+ positive attitudes within the Black church. This research study was conducted using qualitative methods with purposeful sampling. The data yielded results that discovered Black youth identify with Christianity, engage in oppositional identity work and identity synthesis, and have a mix of teachings from the Black church. The conclusions from this research found that the Black LGBTQ+ youth form an LGBTQ+ Christian identity and find churches that affirm them and support them. Future recommendations regarding evaluation and education can be made within the Black church to further inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community