A lot of gay teens have experiences with religion. These can be both positive and negative. Here GLBT teens share some of their thoughts on this force in their lives.
From Derin
I’m 16 and my parents are hardcore Catholics that hate homosexuals, so when my friends accidentally let slip that I was gay over this summer, my life was hell and kind of still is. I have to lie a lot and lie about where I go and what I’m doing. It's weird, my parents will actually let me go over to a guy's house but not a girl's.
I think about God, and I wonder if I’m here to show God if my parents can love me as I am. [Though] so far they haven’t. My parents think they’re open minded and good, but the way they indirectly hate me hurts a lot.
From purple kazoo
I've been out [as a lesbian] for about two months just because I can't keep my secrets and my immediate family is Unitarian Universalist, that is, really liberal and totally accepting.
From Bee
Being gay is most defiantly not wrong. It’s something you can’t choose or stop. I take it as a gift & an honor because not every one can handle it. I believe everyone that’s gay is special in God’s eyes because He only picks the strong ones that he knows can handle it.
From Nick
I might be bisexual. I am not fully sure yet. Anyways, I am Christian and God loves us all. I don’t think he would put people like us on this planet if he did not want them. My older brother recently became a “Hard-core” Christian. So I never asked him if he thinks gay people go against Christianity. I was raised a Christian and I still am.
Many teenagers have become atheists. I have seen it and most teenagers I talk to are atheists. I still go about the Christian belief. I was born this way, I used to hate it. Now I do not really care. I haven’t come out yet, but I do not wish I was different anymore. I am just worried about the future and what I am going to do. God bless.
From Mhhhhmz
I went through A LOT when I came out. I am a Christian even though I am gay. But I don’t understand why, just because I’m gay, I have to choose my faith or love. It’s just wrong. I have been with a certain girl for over a year and I am very happy. You can’t control who you fall in love with. You just can’t. So, all the gays out there, don’t think there is something wrong with you. There is NOTHING wrong. All you can do is accept yourself. I hope everyone finds who they are and how to deal with it.
From Steven
I choose to be celibate, though I am very much gay and a born again Christian. I understand that many people have trouble accepting me. That’s exactly what it is - it is THEIR problem. After a lot of crying and some wonderful counselors, I have accepted myself completely and am so wonderfully at peace with myself.
From lesbiangirl
Many [gay guys and lesbians] turn away from religion, which should be a place to turn to for comfort, God loves everyone! so why would we chose to let all of this happen to us? We don’t. We just accept reality that people are stupid and hateful.
From TheOddOne
I came out to my religious group that I was trans (ftm) and man did they flip their lids. Every now and then I have someone [else] yell at me for it, but not in the way "they" [my religious group] did. I was told over and over again that trans people didn't exist ("Oh," I thought, "but I'm right here") and that God had this "plan" for me as a girl (Yeah, a plan for me to try to kill myself, no doubt). So they set up a trans-reversal thing on me--stupid idiots couldn't figure out why I was so sad and miserable after that. It's a wonder I still believe in God after all that...
From Hannah
i really love Jesus and i love women and i really beleive that Jesus loves me. it can be really hard for a gay Christian teen to accept themselves, or to find where they stand with scripture, especially if your church is anti-gay. but personally i find that the best way of discerning god's plans for you, is to ask him :)
i'm just saying that for anyone who truly loves god and feels they are gay, don't despair- you're not alone! don't be disillusioned by extreme fundamentalists telling you that there's something wrong with you.
If you have any experiences with religion as a GLBT teen, you can share them here.
