An Exploration of U.S. Southern Faith Leaders’ Perspectives of HIV Prevention, Sexuality, and Sexual Health Teachings
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Design, Recruitment, and Sample
2.2. Data Collection
2.3. Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Restricted by Scripture: “Not a Lot of Room in Our Teachings for Homosexuality”
“We go back in biblical teaching concerning relationships. We feel that you should be married couples before you indulge in sexual activities”.
“He (God) made a man for a woman and a woman for a man”.
“There is not a lot of room in our teaching for homosexuality. Homosexuality in our bylaws is not received”.
“We have had members who were living with HIV and they have been embraced…but I’m not saying anything about condoms”.
3.2. Problematic Silence: “They Don’t Talk”
“Many of the people we deal with were brought up in poverty, and it has its own culture. If you’re in a culture where you don’t have a lot of money what do you promote—your, sexuality. I’m a man, you know, I can make babies. That becomes a dominant thing. The more babies you got, the more man you are, you know, in their own thinking”.
“But in the rural areas people are very secretive. They don’t talk so that needs to be broken. If you can break the shell of that you can get more education to them. But they’re very secretive and they will not let you into what’s going on with them so that’s one of the things that I picked up on”.
“Until it hits home you really don’t pay attention until, one of your friends have it, your cousin, somebody. That’s when you want to talk about it”.
3.3. Tackling Multiple Stigmas: “The Church has to Stop Judging and Start Ministering”
“I think that’s part of the reason why the church has been sort of negligent in addressing the issue around HIV because of the church’s stance on homosexuality”.
“The highest rate of suicide now is among lesbians and gays and, also veterans. The alienation that one gets, even with the lifestyle, but they’re human”.
“I say the stigma’s there. We will have brochures on sexuality, HIV/AIDS, risk factors, and everybody that will pass by, like, they don’t see it…But if you leave those out and after everything is over you go back they’re all gone because people do want to know, but it’s just the stigma. They don’t want to be seen there”.
“The guys are not going to come out and talk openly about it because of the stigma that’s attached to the homosexual behavior that’s going on in the jails and it is a lot of it, believe me. I mean our young men—African American males are participating in this behavior big time in the jails. Then they come out of the jails, get back with their girlfriends and that’s why you see the numbers”.
4. Discussion
Study Limitations
5. Conclusions
- Diagnose Pillar—acknowledge premarital sex among congregational members and offer regular HIV testing on church premises to normalize testing and educate members on knowing their HIV status.
- Prevent Pillar—recognize the possibility of congregational members engaging in condomless sex and substance use and offer HIV prevention information on pre-exposure prophylaxis and syringe services programs.
- Treat Pillar—deal with the whole person and promote physical, mental, and spiritual health by encouraging congregational members to access wellness services to improve health outcomes effectively.
- Respond Pillar—maintain transparency with congregations and the surrounding church community of potential outbreaks and become familiar with resources to get needed treatment and prevention services to those affected.
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Topic | % (n) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Not Comfortable | Somewhat Comfortable | Comfortable | Very Comfortable | |
Homosexuality | 7.7 (2) | 7.7 (2) | 26.9 (7) | 57.7 (15) |
Anal sex | 15.4 (4) | 15.4 (4) | 30.8 (8) | 34.6 (9) |
Oral sex | 15.4 (4) | 15.4 (4) | 26.9 (7) | 38.5 (10) |
Vaginal sex | 3.8 (1) | 11.5 (3) | 34.6 (9) | 50.0 (13) |
Condoms | 7.7 (2) | 11.5 (3) | 23.1 (15) | 57.7 (15) |
Topic | % (n) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Not Comfortable | Somewhat Comfortable | Comfortable | Very Comfortable | |
Homosexuality | - | 7.7 (2) | 30.8 (8) | 61.5 (16) |
Anal sex | 7.7 (2) | 23.1 (6) | 26.9 (7) | 42.3 (11) |
Oral sex | 7.7 (2) | 23.1 (6) | 26.9 (7) | 42.3 (11) |
Vaginal sex | - | 7.7 (2) | 42.3 (11) | 50.0 (13) |
Condoms | - | 11.5 (3) | 26.9 (7) | 61.5 (16) |
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Pichon, L.C.; Williams Powell, T.; Williams Stubbs, A.; Becton-Odum, N.; Ogg, S.; Arnold, T.; Thurston, I.B. An Exploration of U.S. Southern Faith Leaders’ Perspectives of HIV Prevention, Sexuality, and Sexual Health Teachings. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 5734. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165734
Pichon LC, Williams Powell T, Williams Stubbs A, Becton-Odum N, Ogg S, Arnold T, Thurston IB. An Exploration of U.S. Southern Faith Leaders’ Perspectives of HIV Prevention, Sexuality, and Sexual Health Teachings. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(16):5734. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165734
Chicago/Turabian StylePichon, Latrice C., Terrinieka Williams Powell, Andrea Williams Stubbs, Nicole Becton-Odum, Siri Ogg, Trisha Arnold, and Idia B. Thurston. 2020. "An Exploration of U.S. Southern Faith Leaders’ Perspectives of HIV Prevention, Sexuality, and Sexual Health Teachings" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 16: 5734. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165734