Identity Negotiation: Straight-Ally Conservative Christians in the Mid-South

Although recently literature related to the emergence and development of individuals who identify as straight-allies, or heterosexual individuals who advocate for the GLBT community in some way has been completed, little is known about straight-allies who also affirm a conservative Christian identity. Using narrative inquiry and queer theory, this study sought to better understand the experiences and stories of individuals who affirm to these two seemingly dichotomous identities in order to broaden the scope of research on this population. Unstructured narrative inquiries were utilized along with both constant comparison and contextualization for the analysis of this work. Findings indicated that individuals who identified as both a straight-ally and conservative Christian used several different methods to live out these roles concurrently in their lives. This includes both utilization of both critical thinking and individualized interpretations of biblical texts in order to negotiate these identities. In addition, the impact of personal relationships with GLBT individuals, and patriotism also helped participants negotiate their seemingly dichotomous identities. Findings were displayed using monologues and creative analytic practice in order to bring participants\u27 stories to life