The Impact of Allyship on Sexual Minority Adults in Religious communities: does Finding an Ally within the Family’s Religious Community Moderate the Relationship Between Emotional Support and Depressive Symptoms in Sexual Minority Adults who Have Experienced Rejection

This study proposal asks: does finding an ally within the family’s religious community moderate the relationship between emotional support and depressive symptoms in sexual minority adults who come from religious families, specifically where siblings have rejected them? The hypothesis for this study proposal will be proven correct if the impact of emotional support on depressive symptoms is strengthened when an ally is present. This research is important because many LGBTQIA+ people are impacted by religious institutions, especially when it comes to mental health (Heiden-Rootes et al., 2021). Future research in this area is needed, specifically with transgender folks.