LGBT Americans' Fractured Relationships with Religion

A new Pew survey shows that lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender adults are, in general, less religious than their straight counterparts. As part or a wider survey on LGBT attitudes, values, and experiences, Pew's chapter on LGBT adults and religion shows that about half of LGBT adults (48%) say they have no religious affiliation (compared with 20% in the "general public"). With that said, 51% religiously affiliated, including a "sizable minority" of all LGBT respondents (17%) who also say that religion is "very important" in their lives.

Most LGBT who are religiously affiliated are Christian. (53% of the total religiously affiliated are Protestant, 26% are Catholic and 1% are some other Christian faith.)

More highlights from the study:

    "33% of the affilated say there's 'a conflict between their religious beliefs and their sexual orientation or gender identity.'"
    "When asked to rate six religions or religious institutions as friendly, neutral or unfriendly toward the LGBT population, most LGBT adults (by overwhelming margins) rate all six as more unfriendly than friendly."
    "Similarly, about three-quarters of LGBT adults (73%) say that evangelical churches are unfriendly toward them, about a fifth (21%) consider these churches neutral and just 3% say evangelical churches are friendly toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population."
    "… about three-in-ten LGBT adults (29%) say they personally have 'been made to feel unwelcome at a place of worship or religious organization.'"

CT