Homesexuality: An Autoethnography By Carlos Gerena

Homesexuality in the context of religion has been viewed by many with contention. Historically members of society agonize with maintaining a balance of faith and sexual identity and/or preferences; consequently, that power struggle is still present in today’s culture. Conflict between Religious Beliefs and Sexuality: An Autoethnography by Carlos E. Gerena is a study written by a gay Latino man who grew up with strong faith and confliction with his homosexuality. Using the autoethnographic style of writing, he conveys his personal lifetime experiences as a homosexual with non-supportive family members and a Christian fellowship that both “loved the sinner, hated the sin.”

The goal of Mr. Gerena’s study was “to contribute knowledge to the social

I was baptized Baptist, and while my worship only spanned a couple of years the influences of the church were strong with resounding messages of love and compassion. I identify as a bisexual woman and to this day my family is not privy to my preferences, moreso for my privacy. Gerena says “Aware of the negative attitude the church and my family had on homosexuality, I painfully kept it to myself throughout my adolescence.” (Gerena, 2019). I avoided these conversations simply because I did not want to explain myself or have my family question my choices. Just like the writer, I instead chose to live a double life between family, friends, and my community and concealed my sexuality. Not because I was ashamed or had a fear of reprisal but because deep inside I felt like my preferences were wrong. The opposition of homosexuality was present in my upbringing as I recall statements like “that’s gay,” used as a disrespectful way to describe dislike for something. The author’s story was powerful, and correlates to my personal histories and the lessons I continue to learn

Mr. Gerena’s data stemmed from societal themes such as gender norms, religion, familial strain, homophobia and its adverse effects. In my current class, God and Human Sexuality, we studied the patriarchal nature of the catholic church and how today’s society stems from early foundational beliefs. The author recalls criticism of his “feminine” manerisms by family and friends and had no support or guidance. He often tried to find ways to conform to the standards of his community through servitude, cultural relevance, and conversations with God. I’ve learned the diversity in religious teachings and how religious practices influence an individual, both positively and negatively. Mr. Gerena’s stories help solidify the need to seek answers through grit and truth to