Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Family Process
Author ORCID Identifier
Sydney A. Sorrell: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0662-7026
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
Publication Date
2-1-2023
Journal Article Version
Accepted Manuscript
First Page
1
Last Page
42
Abstract
Like other teens in conservative religious environments, LGBTQ+ teens raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS) likely experience unique microaggressions. Furthermore, like other conservatively religious parents of LGBTQ+ teens, active Latter-day Saint (LDS) parents who openly support their LGBTQ+ teens likely both witness microaggressions toward their teens and may personally experience microaggressions. The present study sought to understand parents' and teens' experiences of microaggressions in conservative religious contexts by focusing specifically on the microaggressions experienced by (a) LGBTQ+ teens raised in the CJCLDS and (b) their active LDS parents. Thematic analysis of separate interviews with 19 dyads of LGBTQ+ teens and their active LDS parents (38 total interviews) revealed various ways in which they experienced verbal, nonverbal, and environmental microaggressions. We highlight parents' and teens' shared experiences of microaggressions that may be uniquely related to their religious contexts, such as assumptions that LGBTQ+ teens or their parents are not faithful and exclusionary Church policies. Additionally, we identified microaggressions that specifically targeted parents of LGBTQ+ teens, such as comments suggesting parents should limit their support for their teens. Finally, we found that parents had vicarious experiences with microaggressions through witnessing or learning about microaggressions that targeted their teens. Findings highlight the ways that the religious contexts in which microaggressions occur can influence the way that microaggressions are communicated to and experienced by LGBTQ+ teens – and their parents.
Recommended Citation
Sorrell, S. A., Lefevor, G. T., Bell, J. H., Berg, C. O., & Skidmore, S. J. (2023). “You’re not gay, you’re a child of God”: Microaggressions experienced by LGBTQ+ teens and their parents in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Family Process. http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12863
Comments
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Sorrell, S. A., Lefevor, G. T., Bell, J. H., Berg, C. O., & Skidmore, S. J. (2023). “You’re not gay, you’re a child of God”: Microaggressions experienced by LGBTQ+ teens and their parents in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Family Process. http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12863, which has been published in final form at http://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12863. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.