Exploring the role of LGBT-affirming churches in health promotion for Black sexual minority men

Abstract

In the USA, Black sexual minority men (BSMM) remain disproportionately impacted upon by HIV and other sexual health issues. Individuals who attend church have lower rates of morbidity and mortality than those that do not; however, church attendance presents a paradox of being protective for some health outcomes and a risk for others among this population. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) affirming churches may offer support, but little is known about the role of LGBT-affirming churches in the lives of BSMM and how they may impact HIV and other health outcomes. This study explored the role of LGBT-affirming churches in the lives of BSMM. Nine focus groups (N = 52) were conducted in Baltimore City, Maryland between December 2017 and April 2018. Thematic analysis evaluated domains related to how men perceived, experienced, and engaged with LGBT-affirming churches. Three primary themes identified: (1) preferring traditional church environments over LGBT-affirming churches; (2) experiencing the LGBT-affirming church as a space of acceptance, emotional healing, and modelling loving same-sex relationships; and (3) perceiving LGBT-affirming churches as opportunities to engage community members to promote the well-being of BSMM. A secondary theme identified involvement in the house and ballroom community as an LGBT-affirming religious experience.

Keywords:

• Black sexual minority men
• church
• health promotion
• HIV
• USA

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This article was made possible with help from the Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research, an National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded program (P30AI094189), which is supported by the following NIH Co-Funding and Participating Institutes and Centers: NIAID, NCI, NICHD, NHLBI, NIDA, NIMH, NIA, FIC, NIGMS, NIDDK, and OAR. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.