Digital Commons @ SPU

South Asian perspectives on the LGBTQ community at a Christian institution

Current sociopolitical climates for LGBTQ individuals in South Asian countries are hostile. The negative beliefs that contribute to these climates are reflected in South Asian communities and religious Institutions within America, which can leave lasting impact on South Asian youths. The present study qualitatively analyzes how the South Asian and Christian university contexts intersect to influence the attitudes of South Asian college students. We conducted semi-structured interviews with six participants and used Braun and Clarke’s (2008) thematic analysis to identify and organize themes from the interviews. Some preliminary themes include South Asian communities considering LGBTQ issues to be taboo and participants gaining more awareness of the LGBTQ community from campus protests. We will include some implications for practice, including Christian higher education practice, based on the study findings.