1.10 Faith Community’s Impacts on Values and Beliefs Around Sexuality

How a person views, interprets, and/or practices faith shapes their beliefs on sexuality. While some faith systems have certain rules and values related to sexuality, much variation exists between individual faith leaders within the same faith system. While some leaders may wholeheartedly welcome discussions about sexuality, sexual orientation and gender identity, and sexual and reproductive health, others may deem the topics to be taboo, inappropriate, or prohibited. Despite their personal viewpoints, individual faith leaders may be bound by the rules and restrictions of the larger organized body that governs their own smaller faith community.

The degree to which a person actually abides by the expectations of their faith system is largely individual. While some people have a strong belief in many aspects of their faith, subscribing to those particular rules around sexuality may or may not be in line with their own values. So while it’s important to remember that even though someone says they are from a particular faith system, it doesn’t necessarily mean they follow all or any of the overarching practices related to sexuality within that faith.

Faith systems also have the ability to shape how a person understands their own sexuality and the experiences they go through. For some, this results in positive and healthy outcomes, while for others it can end in feeling personal shame and guilt around sexuality, their sexual orientation, or gender identity. It’s important to acknowledge cases where faith leaders have used their positions of power, control, and trust to sexually, physically, and/or emotionally victimize members of their faith community and cause significant harm. It’s also important to remember that people who don’t align themselves with a particular faith, as well as those without faith, still have personal values around sexuality. All of these possibilities have the ability to impact individuals throughout their lives.