Homosexuality as Haram: Relations among Gender, Contact, Religiosity, and Sexual Prejudice in Muslim Individuals

Abstract

Most research on sexual prejudice has focused on Western and Christian samples. Using the framework of social identity theory, we investigated the relations among gender, contact, religiosity, and sexual prejudice in a sample of 166 heterosexual Muslim individuals (70.7% from Saudi Arabia) residing in the United States. Consistent with prior research, men reported higher levels of prejudice than women did, especially toward gay men. Higher levels of religiosity predicted higher levels of sexual prejudice for both men and women, but the association was stronger for women. Additionally, more frequent and positive contact with friends and/or family members who were lesbian or gay predicted less sexual prejudice. However, contact was more strongly associated with less sexual prejudice in women than in men. Exploratory analyses revealed that more time spent in the United Sates predicted lower levels of sexual prejudice, and participants from Saudi Arabia reported more sexual prejudice than Muslims from other countries. The current research contributes to the understanding of factors that influence sexual prejudice within Islam and sheds light on the heterogeneity of attitudes within this group of individuals. Furthermore, our findings may help inform efforts to decrease sexual prejudice and increase awareness, advocacy, and future research within Islamic cultures.