“LOVE THE SINNER, HATE THE SIN” – NEGOTIATING THE INTERSECTIONS OF SPIRITUAL AND QUEER IDENTITIES IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

This qualitative study seeks to understand the fluid, complex and multi-faceted experience of being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) and Christian in Singapore’s socio-political, cultural and religious context and how LGBTQ+ Christian young adults navigate and negotiate intersections of their sexual, gender identities and religious faith. Adopting a qualitative grounded theory approach, 10 interviews were conducted with LGBTQ+ young adults between the ages of 21 to 32 years old. This study sought to heighten the visibility of LGBTQ+ narratives in a heteronormative socio-cultural setting that often invalidates and obfuscates queerness and explore spaces for queerness and Christianity to intersect and co-exist in Singapore’s Christian faith communities. Participants’ narratives illuminated the struggle of coming out and being out to their religious family members, friends and significant others. For them, their Christian faith can prove to be a comforting solace in the darkest of times but also an outlet of internalised guilt as religious anti-LGBTQ+ discourse remains rife. Religion and sexual and gender identities can mutually coexist but at times their intersecting spaces are fraught with anxiety and even peril. Pastoral staff, church leaders and members of the faith all have a part to play for LGBTQ+ believers to truly feel at home in the church.