Overcoming Internalized Homophobia<br/>

Overcoming Internalized Homophobia

Yeamah Logan

Day 1 of 7: What Is Internalized Homophobia

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

Internalized homophobia, which is also internalized sexual stigma, is something we rarely have honest discussions about within the Christian LGBTQ+ community.

It’s completely understandable why we don’t talk about it, though. It is uncomfortable. It’s shame-inducing to admit not wanting to be a visible part of the larger LGBTQ+ community. Or admitting you still hold many of the same beliefs that non-affirming theology teaches. It’s hard & confusing to admit “I think I may be an abomination” while knowing it is not something you chose.

When we peel back the discomfort, we may find questions about procreation, STDs, the appearance & implications of being “too friendly” to children, the pitch of our voice sounding too feminine, our clothing appearing too masculine, etc.

These questions & concerns are evidence that we have drank the kool-aid of society’s homophobia, which can (and often does) unfortunately lead to self-harm, leading to suicidal ideation and suicide. Internalized homophobia causes serious mental health issues that we cannot avoid.

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The way “out” begins with awareness. A really helpful definition of internalized homophobia is that it refers to the personal acceptance and endorsement of sexual stigma as part of the individual's value system and self-concept. It is essentially owning the negativity, biases, and hateful perceptions of LGBTQ+ people whether you’re out (of the closet) or not.

Here’s an analogy that has helped me understand it better:
Internalized homophobia is like someone painting an awful caricature of you, and then you make it your profile picture on every social media platform. Or you take down your mirror and replace it with the awful drawing. Basically, you see yourself the way others—who dislike you, don’t understand or accept you—see you.

The Bible states, in Romans 10:17, that faith comes from hearing the message. Christian LGBTQ+ individuals are experiencing deadly levels of internalized homophobia or sexual stigma because so many of us have been led to believe and put our faith in the external homophobia preached and taught in our homes, schools, and churches.

It is easy to fall into the temptation of just wanting to be “normal” like many have taught us, but in 1 Corinthians 10:13 it states:

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (NLT)

This is the way out.

Take some time to journal/reflect about times you’ve noticed that internalized sexual stigma has shown up in your life.

*Herek, G. M., Cogan, J. C., Gillis, J. R., & Glunt, E. K. (1998). Correlates of internalized homophobia in a community sample of lesbians and gay men. Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, 2, 17-25.

Day 1 of 7: What Is Internalized Homophobia

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