Younger LGBTQIA2S+ People Aren’t All That Interested in Religion

Reporter Bob Smietana of religionnews.com posted an article based on research that shows that younger members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community have little to no interest in religion. 

I am not surprised. Sad, but not surprised. Religious communities (leaders and congregations) have done their best to send out either a confusing message, or have down-right abused and neglected LGBTQIA2S+ young people, as well as those who are older for generations. Yes, some religious communities are now more welcoming and affirming, but the majority are still hesitant to welcome those of us who are queer. How can we, in the Church, be surprised by the disregard that LGBTQIA2S+ feel and think towards religious communities, when we have watched and heard that homophobic bigotry from our leaders and congregations for so many years?

The research was conducted by Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), and gathered more than 22,000 survey participants in all 50 states in 2022. 

This is what the research showed: "PRRI’s researchers found that about 10% of Americans overall--almost half (46%) of them under the age of 30--identify as LGBTQ: 3% as gay or lesbian, 4% as bi, 2% as something else. Nearly one quarter of Americans under the age of 30 identity as LGBTQ(23%). According to the report, LGBTQ Americans are more likely to have no religious affiliation (50%) than Americans in general (26%). They are also much more likely to be Democrats (48%) than Republicans (8%). And among no-Christian Americans, about 1 in 5 identify as LGBTQ.”

Other notable findings from the survey:

* The majority of those in religious institutions support anti-discriminations policies;

* The majority of those religious institutions that welcome and affirm LGBTQ people are Democrats over Republicans;

* The majority of those in religious institutions that affirm LGBTQ people don’t believe that businesses should discriminate against LGBTQIA2S+ people, and our weddings.

Here’s a link to the article: https://religionnews.com/2023/03/23/prri-report-lgbtq-americans-tend-to-be-young-and-have-no-religion/ 

Religious institutions that have shown LGBTQIA2S+ little regard--including the Church--are now reaping what was sown over the generations of Christians. While those of us who are older LGBTQIA2S+ members have a memory of being part of a church, or participating in church life while we were in the closet, and our faith is alive and well even with all the things that a church threw at us about being gay, there is now a generation coming to age in which there is no memory of going to a church and participating in the rituals of a faith community. To them, religious institutions or faith communities are not necessary for living a full life. Granted, there is still a drive to find a community with others which is formative and significant in one’s life. But that can also be found in a gay men’s choir, a yoga practice, a bar, or an athletic team, or an LGBTQIA2S+ center in an urban setting. 

Will LGBTQIA2S+ find a home in a faith community some day?

The story is still unfolding and being told, with more chapters to come...