My research project revolves around how religion plays a critical role in the Latinx LGBTQ community. The reason I chose this topic is due to the way I was brought up. Throughout my childhood, I grew up in a very Catholic household. I attended Sunday mass every week and took part in any events that occurred in our parish. However, even at a young age, I didn’t completely agree with everything the Catholic religion believed in. Confession ? Of course. Forgiveness? Absolutely. Believing in God? Yes sir. Being gay is a sin? Now this is where I drew the line. At a young age, I questioned this and on many occasions ended up arguing with my parents about this. In my 8 year-old mind, it made no sense that a loving God would disapprove of someone for being different or condemn someone for loving the same sex. During this period, a person in the family came out. As a result, he was criticized by many for coming out as gay since that wasn’t what a Catholic was supposed to identify as. However, throughout all of this, I was surprised to see that the person I least expected to help them open their doors when everyone else closed their doors. I later came to learn that even though my family member was shunned from the parish and from those around them, they maintained strong faith in God and everything they had learned throughout their years. Even though I saw many slowly begin to accept him, I realized that those who attended weekly mass continued to keep their distance.
Gloria Ladson-Billings discusses Du Bois’s Double Consciousness and uses this concept to indicate that one has to understand the “position of inclusion and exclusion” (Billings, p. 260). The use of Double Consciousness shines a light on the communities that are being excluded in religious settings. Ladson-Billings makes the point that many individuals tend to walk in two separate worlds at a single time. Pope Francis is an example of this in regards to his outlook in the issue of LGBTQ Catholics. Pope Francis announced that we as a church have to be more accepting of those who identify as LGBTQ. It was so amazing to see someone finally talk about those who identify as part of the LGBTQ in the Catholic church and most importantly make it clear that we have to become more accepting of them. After this speech, Pope Francis was attacked by various criticisms but did not back down from what he said and stated that we should treat each other like “brothers and sisters.” Pope Francis has to assume this role as Pope and has to abide with what the church practices but it is clear to see that he is not in agreement with all Catholic beliefs and practices when he tries to create a bridge between LGBTQ individuals and Catholicism. By completing this project, I hope to change the perspective certain people have over the LGBTQ community and the church. I am aware that many people have attempted to bridge together the church and LGBTQ community and many are working to have this done, but with the completion of this project, I hope to help accelerate the process. I strongly believe that by connecting the church and those who identify as part of the LGBTQ community, we would get rid of this false division we have created in the church. As a result, I believe this will bring families together and allow many to express their sexuality.