Abstract
A large literature studies the views and discourses of Western, and especially American, conservative Christians with respect to homosexuality; only a few examine the discourse of Christians in non-Western countries, and none focuses on non-Western Christians with advanced, overseas education and careers. This paper examines the discourse of South Korean Evangelical women with overseas, educational or career experiences. I draw on 15 in-depth interviews with current and former members of a Seoul-based, Evangelical mega-church. Transnational, evangelical women show comparatively mild-minded and tolerant views toward homosexuality and LGBT persons. The women illustrated two pathways to reconcile their conflicting beliefs in conservative religion and human rights: first, the values of equity and meritocracy; and second, personal contacts with LGBT persons. This study suggests that for transnational migrants, traditional religiosity is challenged and constrained by sustained experiences in liberal, pluralistic societies.
Highlights
Most sociological and public opinion studies find increasingly liberal attitudes toward homosexuality and support for the civil and legal rights of same-sex couples [1,2,3]
Most of the literature studies the interaction of gender, education, and religiosity in Western countries and especially in the USA; only a few examine the discourses of Christians toward homosexuality in non-Western countries, and practically none focuses on non-Western Christians with advanced, overseas education and careers
Homosexuality and LGBT discourses in Korea are largely separated into two opposing camps: the human right discourse led by LGBT activists touts universal respect and love for lesbians and gays, whereas the traditional sin discourse of conservative Christians oppose deviance from biblical values and the hetero-normative family ideal [8,11]
Summary
Most sociological and public opinion studies find increasingly liberal attitudes toward homosexuality and support for the civil and legal rights of same-sex couples [1,2,3]. What are the discourses of nonwestern, evangelical, transnational women with respect to sexual minorities? Homosexuality and LGBT discourses in Korea are largely separated into two opposing camps: the human right discourse led by LGBT activists touts universal respect and love for lesbians and gays, whereas the traditional sin discourse of conservative (evangelical) Christians oppose deviance from biblical values and the hetero-normative family ideal [8,11]. This article examines the moral discourses of ethnically Korean, evangelical, transnational women. South Korea, I show how evangelical, transnational women explain their moral reasoning on the rights of LGBT people
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