GRACED UNDER FIRE: INTERNALIZED HOMONEGATIVITY, SELF-CONCEPT AND IMAGES OF GOD IN GAY AND LESBIAN INDIVIDUALS

This study was designed to investigate how the self-hatred that is internalized by gay and lesbian individuals because of negative social attitudes toward homosexuality relates to their self-concept and images of God. This research integrates and extends such literature by exploring how internalized selfhatred, as it is experienced by gay and lesbian people, relates to self-concept and images of God. Of the 172 men and women, ages 19 to 61, who volunteered to participate in this study, 119 belonged to one of six Jewish and Christian, gay and lesbian affirming faith communities and 53 claimed no faith affiliation. Participants completed the Multi-Axial Gay/Lesbian Inventory, the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, Gorsuch's Adjective Ratings of God Scale and a demographic questionnaire. Results indicate that as internalized homonegativity increased, self-concept decreased. Findings also indicate that internalized homonegativity interacts with images of God in complex ways. Comparisons between participants belonging to a faith community and those with no faith affiliation demonstrate that those who belong to such a community report lower levels of internalized homonegativity They also have less positive images of God. No differences were found between groups on self-concept and negative images of God.