“I Can Go Off and Then Pray Later About That”: The Relationship Between Spirituality and Oppression in Black Same Gender Loving Men’s Lives

Black same gender loving (SGL) men are subjected to intersecting forms of oppression that negatively impact their well-being. Spirituality is one cultural strength utilized by this group to cope with and combat oppression. However, it is still unclear exactly how spirituality impacts oppression. Informed by optimal conceptual theory applied to sexual and gender minorities (OCT-SGM), the authors used reflexive thematic analysis to analyze interviews with 10 Black SGL men to understand how they made sense of the interplay of spirituality and oppression in their lives. Four themes and two subthemes were generated. The themes were as follows: (1) spirituality guides action-oriented and communal responses to oppression, (2) prioritizing spiritual interpretations to make meaning of oppression, (3) transforming unhelpful emotions into emotions conducive to optimal well-being, and (4) developing self-knowledge to resist oppression. The subthemes were (1a) spirituality informs behavioral responses to oppression that prioritize cultural values, survival, and coping and (1b) relational and communal strategies to respond to oppression. Findings were discussed through the lens of OCT-SGM to ensure the development of culturally appropriate implications for research and clinical work with Black SGL men.