Gay on God's Campus: Mobilizing for LGBT Equality at Christian Colleges and Universities

by Jonathan S. Coley

Although the LGBT movement has made rapid gains in the United States, LGBT people continue to face discrimination in faith communities. In this book, sociologist Jonathan S. Coley documents why and how student activists mobilize for greater inclusion at Christian colleges and universities. Drawing on interviews with student activists at a range of Christian institutions of higher learning, Coley shows that students, initially drawn to activism because of their own political, religious, or LGBT identities, are forming direct action groups that transform university policies, educational groups that open up campus dialogue, and solidarity groups that facilitate their members' personal growth. He also shows how these LGBT activists apply their skills and values after graduation in subsequent political campaigns, careers, and family lives, potentially serving as change agents in their faith communities for years to come. Coley's findings shed light on a new frontier of LGBT activism and challenge prevailing wisdom about the characteristics of activists, the purpose of activist groups, and ultimately the nature of activism itself. For more information about this project's research methodology and theoretical grounding, please visit http: //jonathancoley.com/book

Genres: LGBT, Religion, Nonfiction, Sociology

208 pages, Hardcover

First published February 2, 2018

Reviews

[Robynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sociological treatise that examined LGBTQ activism at four different Christian universities or colleges in the US. Coley offers a number of valuable insights into these groups and stretches traditional sociological theory to explain some of this behaviour. Over and over he shows that there is more than one way that a person can be an activist. While we tend to equate activism to direct action groups, there are also educational and solidarity (support) groups at work. The success of these groups is best when the group itself aligns most strongly with the identities of its members: activist identities, religious identities, and solidarity identities. No matter what type of group, or identity, is being examined, Coley points out that participants in all of these activist groups are taking on real risk, working alongside others to pursue their goals and seeking to facilitate changes at their institutions. Coley himself concludes his book, "Beyond contributing to sociological theories on activist group participation, the book speaks to the potential for LGBT groups to create change agents – to empower often vulnerable, marginalized student populations and to foster feelings of resiliency and agency." There is a lot of good material here, especially for anyone interested in understanding LGBTQ activism at Christian universities or colleges, or for those hoping to be agents of change themselves.

[Geoffrey Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightfully and compelling study of LGBT student activists on Christian colleges and universities in the U.S. For anyone who works with queer student organizations on their campuses, or with the students who lead and participate in them, I highly recommend.