S01E45 - Religious Disaffiliation and Sexually Minoritised Groups: A Scoping Review of the Literature

This podcast episode, based on Panagiotis Pentaris and colleagues' 2025 scoping review "Religious Disaffiliation and Sexually Minoritised Groups," explores the intricate and often non-linear journey of LGBTQIA+ individuals as they navigate the tensions between their faith and their sexual or gender identities. Drawing from an analysis of 29 peer-reviewed studies, the discussion highlights how negative religious teachings and exclusionary community practices function as primary "push factors" that make maintaining both identities increasingly untenable for many. The episode unpacks a diverse range of outcomes following disaffiliation, ranging from religious reaffiliation with more affirming traditions to a shift toward personalized spirituality or a complete move into nonaffiliation. Listeners will gain insight into the profound impact these transitions have on mental health and well-being, weighing the risks of losing familial and social support against the long-term benefits of identity affirmation, freedom, and empowerment. Ultimately, the podcast introduces a nuanced framework of "affiliated" versus "disaffiliated" engagement, illustrating that religious exit is rarely a clean break but rather a dynamic process of renegotiating the substance and meaning of faithComplete Citation:Pentaris, P., Freund-Williams, L., & Kapoor, V. (2025). Religious Disaffiliation and Sexually Minoritised Groups: A Scoping Review of the Literature. Journal of Homosexuality, 72(11), 2077–2110.