Being LGBT in the Bible Belt: How Being Raised Religious in the South Impacts LGBT Individuals
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Sociology
Minor
Psychology
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Nititham
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
What does being LGBTQ mean for individuals in the South with religious backgrounds? Through this research I want to gain further knowledge about the experiences of LGBT people who were raised in the South with religious backgrounds. The significance of this research on a societal level is that America is often referred to as a “Christian Nation” which impacts most of its citizens whether they’re Christian or not. The scholarly significance of this research is to add to already existing scholarship surrounding this topic. The thematic areas that this research comes from are social institutions and social organization. The branch of sociology that this research falls under is sociology of sexualities. To conduct this research I conducted three semi-structured interviews, and intend to further this research to conduct more interviews and surveys to deepen understanding of the experience of individuals who are LGBT and grew up religious in the South. The presentation includes a literature review of relevant scholarship, theoretical framework, methodology, analysis, and conclusion.
Spring Scholars Week 2026
Political Science and Sociology Department Panel
Being LGBT in the Bible Belt: How Being Raised Religious in the South Impacts LGBT Individuals
What does being LGBTQ mean for individuals in the South with religious backgrounds? Through this research I want to gain further knowledge about the experiences of LGBT people who were raised in the South with religious backgrounds. The significance of this research on a societal level is that America is often referred to as a “Christian Nation” which impacts most of its citizens whether they’re Christian or not. The scholarly significance of this research is to add to already existing scholarship surrounding this topic. The thematic areas that this research comes from are social institutions and social organization. The branch of sociology that this research falls under is sociology of sexualities. To conduct this research I conducted three semi-structured interviews, and intend to further this research to conduct more interviews and surveys to deepen understanding of the experience of individuals who are LGBT and grew up religious in the South. The presentation includes a literature review of relevant scholarship, theoretical framework, methodology, analysis, and conclusion.