Zion
My name is Zion, and I'm a bisexual Christian
I knew I was queer when I was 12 years old, but growing up as a Christian meant constantly hearing that the two identities couldn’t possibly coexist. This flawed belief, plus the fear of rejection from my family, kept me in the closet until I was 20.
Pronouns: she/her
Photo credit: Zion archives
I spent my first two years of college at an institution that not only disagrees with homosexuality but strictly outlines the prohibition of all LGBTQ+ identities. Multiple times, I experienced blatant homophobia in the campus chapels where they would describe homosexuality as a mental illness and a direct opposition to living in a Christlike manner.
These experiences were so harmful and left me feeling confused about how the loving God I had grown up hearing about could possibly hold hatred for any of his children, especially towards an aspect of myself which I had fought relentlessly to ignore and change, but to no avail.
After transferring to my current school, I found hope in the form of a faith-based institution that affirmed the possibility of a coexistence of queerness and faith. This transformed my relationship with God and reminded me that my identity is found in Him, and my queerness is simply the avenue through which I display Christlike love to those around me.
I’ve found confidence in allowing myself to embrace being fully known and fully loved exactly as I am, and as a result, I am constantly striving to share this message with those around me who have felt like they didn’t belong in religious communities simply because of who they love.
Queerness is not a choice, and we should not have to sacrifice a fundamental part of who we are in order to feel loved and welcomed in religious communities.
Photo credit: Zion archives
