Queer Students and Religious Identity Salience: Legal Challenges and a Call for Inclusivity

J Homosex. 2024 Dec 3:1-21. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2024.2431268. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Faith-based colleges often navigate a complex terrain where religious convictions sometimes conflict with the presence of queer students on campus, leading to Title IX discrimination challenges. Within the legal and policy landscape, a critical aspect often overlooked by campus leaders is the provision of resources and support aimed at nurturing queer students' religious identities. Pulling from a sample of n = 887 queer students, multilevel regression results showed that utilizing campus safety and financial aid services, joining an LGBTQ+ student organization, participating in intergroup dialogue, and engaging in religious discussions with other students may contribute to religious identity salience.

Keywords: LGBTQ students; Queer students; regression; religious studies; spirituality.