Sexual and Gender Identity Lab (SGI)

Faculty Advisor: Mark A. Yarhouse, Psy.D.

The mission of the Sexual and Gender Identity (SGI) Lab is, from a Christian worldview, to further our understanding of sexual and gender identity, and the intersection of these identities with religious identity, and to be a resource to students in training and those in the community who are stakeholders in these discussions. We do this through research, training, and consultations.

We conduct original research on sexual or gender identity and faith to help us further our understanding of these complex experiences for individuals, to be a resource to families navigating these experiences; and to be a resource to Christian institutions (e.g., churches, colleges and universities, campgrounds, parachurch ministries, and so on) as they make decisions about these topics and how to best serve others.

Current Projects

• Christian Sexual Identity (XSI) Project – a four-year longitudinal study of Christian college and university students navigating sexual identity and faith.
• The Marin Foundation (TMF) Project – we are analyzing data from 200 Christian parents whose loved one came out as LGBT.
• Celibate Gay Christians – we are currently analyzing data from 300 celibate gay Christians on measures of attachment, mental health and psychological well-being, religiosity, and milestone events.
• Mixed Orientation Couples – this is a line of research on the experiences of sexual minorities and spouses in mixed orientation marriages.
• Christian Gender Identity (XGI) Project – a two-year longitudinal study of students at Christian colleges and universities navigating gender identity and faith.
• Transgender India (TG India) – a qualitative study of the experiences of transgender persons in India.

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