Multiple Identity Considerations Among African American Christian Men Experiencing Same-Sex Attraction

The authors explored the experiences of African American men who identified as Christian and experienced same-sex attraction. Participants completed an online questionnaire addressing experiences of same-sex attraction; meaning attributed to their attractions; the sharing of their experiences with others; and perceptions regarding the intersection of their faith, race, and sexual identity. Most respondents (61.5%)felt different from their peers for gender-related reasons, and most (80.8%) had had homoerotic experiences during the teenage years. Over 40% of participants indicated that their primary identity was Christian, and several shared their experience sorting out attributions and meanings associated with same-sex attraction in light of their racial and/or religious identities.