Ep.63 / Faith, Fear & Control: How Religion Was Used to Silence LGBTQ+ Voices
How has religion shaped the way LGBTQ+ people are treated for centuries? And what happens when doctrine is used as a weapon instead of a belief system?
This is the episode that connects the dots — from history and scripture to real-life trauma, survivor stories, global cases, memoirs, and lasting psychological impact.
How Religion Was Used to Harm the LGBTQ+ Community: History, Survivors, and the Truth No One Talked About
For centuries, religion has shaped cultures, communities, and moral systems across the world. For many, faith is a source of comfort, belonging, and identity. But for millions of LGBTQ+ individuals, it has also been a source of fear, shame, and deep psychological harm. The history of religion and its treatment of queer identities is long, complex, and filled with contradiction — often defined more by power and control than compassion.
In the latest full-length episode of HOT AIR, host Joshua Robert explores how religious doctrine has been used not as spiritual guidance, but as a weapon against LGBTQ+ people. From the reinterpretation of scripture to the rise of conversion practices, the episode connects history with human experience and survivor testimonies that reveal the true cost of religious manipulation.
When Doctrine Becomes Control
Many religious institutions claim their teachings are rooted in divine truth. However, scholars and historians have long noted that sacred texts, including the Bible, have been edited, translated, and politically shaped across centuries. Certain verses have been reinterpreted to align with social and political agendas — especially when it came to gender and sexuality. Over time, these interpretations became embedded into theology, spreading fear and misinformation about homosexuality and gender identity.
As churches grew more powerful, they did more than guide spiritual life — they controlled social order. Laws, education, marriage rights, family dynamics, and even personal expression were dictated by religious expectation. Those who didn’t fit into the heterosexual, gender-conforming mold were labeled sinners, deviants, or broken.
For many LGBTQ+ people, that label didn’t just hurt — it shaped their entire self-image.
Survivor Stories That Changed Everything
Around the globe, individuals have spoken out about growing up in deeply religious environments that taught them their identity was shameful or unnatural. Some were sent to camps or therapists meant to “fix” them. Others were subjected to prayer circles, isolation, public confession, or even physical punishment.
One survivor described how, as a teenager, they were forced to attend sessions where their every thought and behavior was monitored under the guise of spiritual healing. Instead of providing peace, it caused anxiety, depression, and long-term trauma. Another account shared how years were spent trying to pray away their attraction, believing they were broken in the eyes of both God and family.
These stories are not isolated — they are echoed in memoirs, interviews, and legal testimonies worldwide.
Conversion Therapy and Faith-Based Harm
Perhaps one of the most damaging outcomes of religious doctrine has been conversion therapy. Often operated under religious guidance, these programs falsely claimed they could change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The reality? They caused lasting emotional and psychological damage.
Major health organizations, including the American Psychological Association and United Nations, have condemned conversion therapy as harmful and unethical. Survivors often report PTSD, suicidal thoughts, self-hatred, and difficulty forming relationships. Yet, in some places, conversion-based practices still occur, hidden behind religious freedom and “spiritual counseling.”
Global Impact of Religious Discrimination
This issue doesn’t only impact North America. In countries where religion is intertwined with government law, LGBTQ+ individuals can face severe punishment — including imprisonment or death. Legal systems, reinforced by religious ideologies, continue to criminalize and dehumanize queer people.
Even in more progressive nations, religious communities still often shape attitudes, voting patterns, school policies, and mental health practices. The line between belief and discrimination becomes blurred, with devastating consequences.
Reclaiming Faith and Identity
Despite the pain, many survivors have found ways to reclaim both their identity and their spirituality. LGBTQ+ affirming churches have emerged. Faith leaders now openly challenge outdated interpretations. Activists and former victims have stepped into the spotlight to protect future generations.
Healing does not mean forgetting — it means acknowledging truth, honoring survivors, and changing the narrative.
That is what this HOT AIR episode is about: not only exposing the harm, but giving power back to the voices that were silenced.
Why This Conversation Matters Now
Religious trauma is still largely misunderstood. Many people suffer in silence, believing their pain is a personal flaw rather than a systemic failure. By speaking openly, sharing stories, and connecting history to the present, we push society forward — toward empathy, awareness, and change.
This episode is not just about the past. It’s about the present. And it’s about what we choose to do next.
And in the next episode of HOT AIR, the lens goes even deeper — into the darkest corners of conversion therapy, with the most intense, raw, and revealing dive yet.