Hayden Reynolds

Reunion: the Stories of men Reconciling Their Spirituality and Homosexuality Hayden Reynolds

This book explores the process of men reconciling their spirituality and homosexuality. Using an organic transpersonal research method, 12 gay men participated as coresearchers in semi-structured interviews. The major themes of the study were: Self-denial, Exploration, Affirmation, and Self-acceptance. Some of the ancillary themes were: Early spiritual connection, Early awareness of same-sex attraction, Early awareness of societal/familial attitudes about gayness, Rejection by others because of gayness, and Lack of models for how to be. Coresearchers were also asked questions to illuminate shifting meaning ascribed to spirituality and gayness over time. The majority reported that the meaning of gayness had become more positive over time. Less homogeneity was found in the shifting meaning of spirituality. The research project supports that the spiritual journey of gay men has unique features, and posits new ways to research the intersections of homosexuality and spirituality.