In a polarised milieu that too often posits “queer” and “Christian” as competing realms, this book explores the complexities of identity development, religious traumatisation, and the task of creating safe faith spaces in which LGBTQA+ people can find healing, particularly in the Evangelical context. First, Joel Hollier examines the historical path of Evangelicalism, providing context for the current terrain of the “culture war” we find ourselves in. He then parses out experiences of gender/sexuality and religious/spiritual identity development, grounding them in an evolving theoretical base. Finally, Hollier offers a rounded critique of Evangelical church structures and mechanisms of trauma that hinder the healing process, along with potential sources of healing. Central to this work are the voices of LGBTQA+ people whose stories weave together a deeper understanding of the harms the Church has perpetrated, and the path forward.

Through the rich stories of eight participants, the author explores the psychological, spiritual, and ritual dimensions of religious trauma among queer people. Drawing on current scholarship in the field of trauma studies, the author makes a case for religious trauma as an important frame to understand the experiences of queer people in non-accepting faith communities. Though previous scholarship has limited the recovery from religious trauma to those who exit religious communities, in this research the author analyzes participant stories to understand how queer people might find healing in accepting religious communities. Using self-psychology to understand the depth of trauma experienced in non-accepting communities, the author explores the experience of God and sexual identity within non-accepting communities. Through these narratives, the author demonstrates the potential for post-traumatic growth and life beyond conservative faith communities. Petersen argues for a number of key recommendations for congregations and pastoral caregivers that seek to welcome those who have experienced religious trauma.

This inspiring text offers a collection of case studies from expert clinical social workers who work closely with survivors of LGBTQ-related sexual trauma. The book covers a wide range of topics, such as gender and sexual minority asylum seekers, the embodiment of queer identity, the role of religion, regionality in the LGBTQ experience, and effective use of gay affirmative therapy. Each chapter is framed by key questions that encourage students and mental health practitioners to "think through" the specific needs and challenges of LGBTQ individuals who have experienced sexual trauma. Additional resources include an example of effective supervision and an example of a case conceptualization. Drawing on the importance of narrative social work and the record of experience it provides, The Social Work and LGBTQ Sexual Trauma Casebook is an essential text for students and clinical social workers working with LGBTQ survivors of sexual trauma.

The Routledge Handbook of Queer Rhetoric maps the ongoing becoming of queer rhetoric in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, offering a dynamic overview of the history of and scholarly research in this field. The handbook features rhetorical scholarship that explicitly uses and extends insights from work in queer and trans theories to understand and critique intersections of rhetoric, gender, class, and sexuality. More important, chapters also attend to the intersections of constructs of queerness with race, class, ability, and neurodiversity. In so doing, the book acknowledges the many debts contemporary queer theory has to work by scholars of color, feminists, and activists, inside and outside the academy. The first book of its kind, the handbook traces and documents the emergence of this subfield within rhetorical studies while also pointing the way toward new lines of inquiry, new trajectories in scholarship, and new modalities and methods of analysis, critique, intervention, and speculation. This handbook is an invaluable resource for scholars, graduate students, and advanced undergraduate students studying rhetoric, communication, cultural studies, and queer studies.

In Intersectional Identities of Christian Women in the United States: Faith, Race, and Feminism, Amanda Hernandez explores the complex relationship between Christianity and feminism in the United States. Often, feminism and faith are seen as contradictory to each other. Through sociological analysis that includes content analysis, survey data, and interviews with over forty Christian women, the author argues this seeming contradiction is rooted in white supremacy. Further, she examines how whiteness, racism, and experiences of sexism shape feminist identities in religious contexts. By centering the experiences of Christian women, this study challenges existing narratives and calls for a more nuanced understanding, of feminism and faith in the United States.

This book has two goals: to educate healthcare professionals about the effect of identity-based adversity on the health of their LGBT patients, and to outline how providers can use the clinical encounter to promote LGBT patients’ resilience in the face of adversity and thereby facilitate recovery. Toward this end, it addresses trauma in LGBT populations; factors that contribute to resilience both across the lifespan and in specific groups; and strategies for promoting resilience in clinical practice. Each chapter includes a case scenario with discussion questions and practice points that highlight critical clinical best practices. The editors and contributors are respected experts on the health of LGBT people, and the book will be a “first of its kind” resource for all clinicians who wish to become better educated about, and provide high quality healthcare to, their LGBT patients.

Trauma therapist Teresa B. Pasquale offers healing exercises, true-life examples, and life-giving discussion for anyone suffering from the very real pain of church hurt. Pasquale, a trauma survivor herself, understands the immeasurable value of our wounds once we've acknowledged them and recovered in community. That's why the wounds are "sacred," and the hope this book offers is a powerful message to anyone suffering from this widespread problem. This book explores the nature of emotional wounds, trauma, and spiritual hurt that come from negative religious experience. Some of the features are: Stories from a wide range of persons hurt by negative religious experience Healing and contemplative practices to help readers explore their own spiritual story and practical ways to move towards personal healing A journey through the experience of trauma in religious settings and how it is both relatable to other forms of trauma and distinctive -- outlining both facets An exploration of the author's own personal and professional understanding of hurt, trauma, PTSD, and the power of resiliency and healing

Sexuality, gender, gender identity, and gender expression are fluid constructs, and the ways in which identity development intersects with organizations and exists in society are complex. The book is comprised of a range of multi-disciplinary and globally inspired perspectives representing leading-edge scholarship by authors from over a dozen countries on a range of issues and contexts regarding LGBTQ identity and experience. It is intended for a wide readership: those who are in LGBTQ-related academic fields; those who want to broaden their coursework by offering supplemental readings that center the perspectives of LGBTQ identities; and those who want to acquire knowledge and education on the subject of LGBTQ identity. There are 36 chapters written by scholars in fields such as social work, law, queer studies, business, human resource management and development, entrepreneurship, criminal justice, economics, marketing, religion, architecture, sport, theater, psychology, human ecology, and adult education. The chapters can be read in sequence, and the book can also be used as a reference work for which educators, practitioners, and non-academics can identify and select particular chapters that inform areas of inquiry.

This volume is an attempt to serve as a venue for giving a voice to queer people from all faiths and no faiths to describe how they negotiate or have negotiated spiritual violence in their lives, as well as the voices of heterosexual allies who strive for the inclusion of queer people as a counter narrative to spiritual violence of full inclusion and embracement and demonstrate that some communities of faith do not operate from paradigms of violence, but instead operate with love, affirmation, and inclusion. These counter narratives are important. This volume is a collection of narratives that describe a variety of experiences – stories of pain and rejection, joy, and overcoming and transformation. The voices of the authors in this collection are a mixture of personal narratives, theoretical or academic thought, and because art and spirituality often go hand-in-hand, some of the authors offer the reader more creative writing that reflects their ideas.