The Profane and the Sacred

Drawing from personal experience in a fundamentalist religious group, this work examines the intersection of religious institutions, LGBTQIA+ identities, and religious abuse. It creates a space where queer individuals feel valued, celebrated, and venerated, countering the negative messages often encountered in religious settings. By reclaiming veneration for the queer community, it promotes admiration and respect for its members. Critiquing institutions that perpetuate harm, it highlights the ongoing struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community and the need for change. It recognizes that within this community, patriarchy and racism persist, with queer women, trans people, and people of color being especially marginalized. By focusing on the most underrepresented and impacted individuals, it addresses the intersectional nature of oppression in religious contexts. This work acknowledges how misogyny and gender-based discrimination affect the queer community, creating a space that celebrates the diversity of gender identities.