anti-lgbtq state laws – Leave Shame Behind

Excerpt from my paper: Examining the Impact of Anti-LGBTQ State-Sanctioned Violence on LGBTQ Young Adults and Responses in Scholarship to that Impact – A Review of Literature

Introduction

Culture affects how we view sex, and the ‘normalization’ of heterosexuality promotes a socially preferred performance of sexuality (Tonstad, 2018). A commonly held belief by many is that each person they meet is heterosexual – until proven otherwise. The sexual phobias of the few affect the sexual freedom of the many. This enforcement of heteronormative values upon sexual minorities has caused extensive damage to the emotional and spiritual health of the LGBTQ community. Bjork-James (2019) contends that we see conservative Christians coming from a perceived place of moral obligation to inflict state-sanctioned violence (SSV) which in turn fosters an environment that is unsafe and demeaning for the perceived sinful practices of LGBTQ individuals.

State-Sanctioned Violence

The proliferation of anti-LGBTQ state legislation can be seen as a form of SSV where the actions or inactions of a government agency or institution that either sanctions or ignores a population can have a negative impact. Bjork-James (2019) argues that white evangelicals have been working to oppose any LGBTQ rights since the 1970s with justification for this form of oppression being disguised as enforcement of morality, adhering to biblical teachings and not about hate. Bjork-James (2019) argues that conservative Christians claim no wrongdoing in their anti-LGBTQ actions, and they falsely expound their own victimhood due to the increase of civil rights for sexual minorities. Bjork-James (2019) points out that conservative Christians are defending these methods used to maintain a doctrine of heteronormativity by claiming their “criticism of LGBTQ rights is not rooted in personal animus” (p. 281). Bjork-James (2019) contends that conservative Christians’ imperative to maintain moral order in the United States comes from a false notion the country was founded as a Christian nation. As during the time of Anita Bryant, conservative Christians are justifying the increase in SSV today under the guise of ‘saving the children’ from the “homosexual agenda” (Bjork-James, 2019, p. 278).

Over the past decade numerous conservative state legislatures have debated and proposed numerous anti-LGBTQ bills. While many of these bills did not become law for various reasons, the fact they were debated can be seen as a form of SSV in how it affected the LGBTQ community. Cunningham et al. (2022) examine the relationship between anti-transgender rights legislation in state legislatures and the increase in internet searches related to suicide and depression. The article illustrates how an anti-transgender bill in Texas was only debated in committee and had a profound impact on the transgender community. While this bill was never voted on the floor of the Texas House, “reports from a suicide hotline indicate an almost doubling of calls from transgender youth during [that] time” (Cunningham et al., 2022, p. 2). The qualitative research Cunningham et al. (2022) discuss illustrates there is a correlation between the passage or defeat of anti-transgender legislation and the increase of suicide-related searches or decrease in depression-related searches, respectfully.

The systemic nature of SSV has an impact on the larger LGBTQ community as well as individual members. The systemic attacks upon LGBTQ rights we are currently seeing in various part of the United States has increased the potential for individuals to experience violence, including death. Lund et al. (2021) illustrate the implicit and explicit violence perpetrated against members of the greater LGBTQ community, that is viewed as interpersonal and systemic violence, respectfully. Gebhard et al. (2022) “define [SSV] as government entities’ use of violence to control or punish; those entities’ turning a blind eye to violence; and criminal prosecution of those who attempt to defend themselves through intimidation, fear and threat to life” (p. 476). Gebhard et al. (2022) primarily focus on community resiliency in the face of SSV and illustrate how systemic oppression “has been a fixture of the country since its beginnings” (p. 476). Creating stigma of ‘the other’ helps to enlist support to perpetuate SSV from the dominant population. This support of ‘othering’ can also lead to the engagement of individuals to perpetuate this violence towards LGBTQ individuals.

Cunningham et al. (2022) argue that conservative Christians use an illusion of being in the majority with power to inflict SSV through enactment of policies, legislation, and laws to maintain their constant message for the oppression, rejection, and stigmatization of LGBTQ people. Having one’s senses inundated daily that others see them as disgusting, as an abomination, or as a threat to society will have a negative impact, especially if that individual is a religiously-affiliated member of the LGBTQ community. Believing to be morally defective with feelings of guilt or shame about not living up to the higher standards of one’s family or community can begin to elicit an internalized tension that can become a spiritual struggle or religious trauma (Pargament, 2021).

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Bibliography

Bjork-James, S. (2019). Christian Nationalism and LGBTQ Structural Violence in the United States. Journal of Religion and Violence, 7(3), 278–302. https://doi.org/10.5840/jrv202031069

Cunningham, G. B., Watanabe, N. M., & Buzuvis, E. (2022). Anti-transgender rights legislation and internet searches pertaining to depression and suicide. PLoS One, 17(12), e0279420. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279420

Gebhard, K. T., Hargrove, S., Chaudhry, T., Buchwach, S. Y., & Cattaneo, L. B. (2022). Building strength for the long haul toward liberation: What psychology can contribute to the resilience of communities targeted by state‐sanctioned violence. American Journal of Community Psychology, 70(3–4), 475–492. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12596

Pargament, K. I. (2021). Introducing Spiritual Struggles. In Working with spiritual struggles in psychotherapy: From research to practice (pp. 3–24). Guilford Publications. Tonstad, L. M. (2018). Queer Theory: Beyond Apologetics. Cascade Books.

Shame is a debilitating emotion many LGBTQ people learn at an early age. Whenever we did something non-heteronormative that our parent, grandparent, family elder, or teacher felt was unacceptable, we were scolded and informed that this behavior was inappropriate for our gender. This early programming of shame is used as a social control, as well as a device used in rightwing affective political strategies for the continuation of heteronormativity and patriarchy.[1] As a moral emotion like guilt, compassion, regret, and sympathy, shame helps a person to be aware they might potentially be compromising their personal values and placing themselves in a vulnerable position of emotional pain. A person ought to feel shame as either functionally: when they are about to compromise their value system or morally: to sustain personal integrity and develop self-respect.[2] This can be seen as healthy shame. Toxic shame is imposed upon a person by another, as a means of control or oppression.[3]

Toxic hate and shame of homophobia and transphobia

Culture affects how we view sex, and the ‘normalization’ of heterosexuality promotes a socially preferred performance of sexuality.[4] A commonly held belief by many is that each person they meet is heterosexual – until proven otherwise. The sexual phobias of the few affect the sexual freedom of the many. This enforcement of heteronormative values upon sexual minorities has caused extensive damage to the emotional and spiritual health of the LGBTQ community.

The very nature of how conservative heterosexual Christians stigmatize and inflict traumatic shame upon LGBTQ members of their faith communities presents a contradiction to the commandment of love that is at the heart of what Jesus told his followers in Matthew 22:39 – “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The challenges that LGBTQ youth endure as they explore who they are as non-heteronormative individuals can be daunting and traumatic without the added framing of them being seen as an abomination in the eyes of their faith community, where they are seeking connection with God and others.[5] I agree with the notion of any theology or faith community that suggests God receives some and rejects others is not reflective of the teachings of Jesus.[6]

The unjust dispensing of toxic shame towards LGBTQ folks illustrates the moral and ethical hypocrisy seen within the greater conservative Christian community. Offering forgiveness repeatedly to cis-gender heterosexual members who have committed sin, even of a sexual nature happens all the time within conservative Christian communities. However, any consideration for offering a similar forgiveness of LGBTQ members is rejected due to their violation of heteronormativity and going against gender complementarity.[7] The sanctification of heteronormativity instills a hierarchical nature of men being at the top of the order, followed by women and any below them can be considered the “other” or ‘monsters’ and undeserving of God’s love or acceptance.[8] Only through embracing their unhealthy shame, these LGBTQ members can be accepted conditionally into some faith communities—acceptance that is contingent upon their maintaining dispositional shame.[9] This enforcement perpetuates patriarchy and heteronormativity perpetuates an environment for the ‘otherization’ of gender and sexuality outlaws.[10]

Impact of toxic hate and shame on LGBTQ youth

LGBTQ youth face many challenges each day. For those who come from a loving and accepting families, life at home can be a refuge and a place of safety.[11] Too many LGBTQ youth come from homes where they are not fully accepted, where they must either live an inauthentic life or risk being kicked out and become marginally housed or homeless.[12] The pressure to fit in at school with heteronormative peers can cause some LGBTQ youth to have feelings of shame and self-hatred towards their non-heteronormative thoughts and feelings. This can lead to feelings of internalized homophobia or transphobia, which can inhibit living a flourishing life for these youth.

LGBTQ youth are inundated with toxic hate through repeated news reports and articles about anti-LGBTQ state legislatures and similar rhetoric heard in community or around dinner tables. This toxic hate is also very prevalent in U.S. schools:

[H]omophobic students verbally and physically abuse LGBTQ youth in US schools is well documented by the GLSEN study, which found 86.2% of LGBT students experience verbal harassment because of their sexual orientation and 66.5% because of their gender expression (p. xii). It also found that 44.1% of LGBT students report having been physically harassed because of their sexual orientation and 30.4% because of their gender expression.[13]

This study by GLSEN goes on to argue that homophobic and transphobic school environments have a detrimental impact upon the scholastic achievements for these LGBTQ youth.[14] Enduring this toxic hate and shame can become internalized and also impact academic attendance and/or withdrawal from school altogether for these LGBTQ youth.[15] Being a high school dropout can have an economic impact and add to social stigma for these LGBTQ youth.[16]

Homophobic bullying in school effects all youth regardless of their sexual or gender identity. In a recent study from 7 states that included over 15,000 youth, over 7% of the self-identified heterosexual kids surveyed reported homophobic bullying in their schools.[17] This is significant compared to the almost 23% of the queer youth who reported homophobic bullying. This toxic hate can have a detrimental effect on the emotions of those youth receiving it. Feelings of sadness (25.2%) were reported, as well as considering (11.9%), planning (10.2%), or attempting suicide (5.6%) was reported across the board, regardless of sexual identity.[18] The toxic hate and shame experienced from homophobic and transphobic bullying has a negative impact on all youth. This adds to the suffering of LGBTQ youth who are already feeling marginalized and oppressed by their peers as well as by institutions and state governments.

[1] (Graff & Korolczuk, 2022, p. 29)

[2] (Manion, Autumn, 2009)

[3] (Kaufman & Raphael, 1996, p. 67)

[4] (Tonstad, 2018, p. 84)

[5] (Tredwell, 2017, p. 5)

[6] (Flunder, 2005, p. 7)

[7] (‌Moon & Tobin, 2018, p. 454) “gender complementarity, which posits that God created male and female as complementary opposites to be united in marriage.”

[8] (‌Moon & Tobin, 2018, p. ??)

[9] (‌Moon & Tobin, 2018, p. 452) “dispositional shame, namely, the experience of making chronic shame a requirement for the recognition of one’s personhood.”

[10] (Bornstein, 2016)

[11] (Hinojosa, 2021, p. 36)

[12] (Hinojosa, 2021, p. 27)

[13] (Blackburn & McCready, 2009, p. 223)

[14] (Blackburn & McCready, 2009, p. 225)

[15] (Blackburn & McCready, 2009, p. 225)

[16] (Blackburn & McCready, 2009, p. 228)

[17] (Parent, Johnson, Russell, & Gobble, 2020)

[18] (Parent, Johnson, Russell, & Gobble, 2020)

Tag: anti-lgbtq state laws

The Impact of Toxic Hate and Shame on LGBTQ Youth from Anti-LGBTQ State Legislature – excerpt from final paper for 2022 Liberation Theologies course