Evangelical Group: More Difficult to Come Out as Christian Than Gay

An evangelical group says that it’s now easier to come out as gay than as Christian, pointing to reports of higher-than-ever LGBTQ+ acceptance and a trending decline in Christianity, especially amongst Generation Z.

Is it seriously harder to come out as Christian than gay?

Tables Have Turned?

The comments came from David Smyth from the Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland (EANI) in an address to an education committee at Stormont, one of Ireland’s main parliamentary buildings, over how relationship and sexual education (RSE) is taught in schools. 

Young people now feel "it is much more difficult now to come out as an evangelical Christian in school than it is to come out as LGBT," Smyth said during the address. He argues that the tables have turned against Christians, and now they are the ones facing prejudice at home and in the classroom.

Smyth was there to fight against what he views as "scientifically inaccurate content" in sex education, including "material which confuses and conflates biological sex with gender identity, and teaches that children can choose to become a man or a woman, or both or neither."

"There's so much common ground between Christians and non-Christians when it comes to the teaching of healthy relationships, consent, preventing violence against women and girls, sexualisation," Smyth argued. "I do sense some suspicion in some quarters that Christian ethos equates to indoctrination or brain-washing."

LGBTQ+ Stats

While it’s true that LGBTQ+ youth report being more comfortable coming out now than in years past, many still face prejudice - including from their own families.

According to The Trevor Project, the LGBTQ+ community is vastly overrepresented in homelessness statistics. 28% of LGBTQ+ youth experience homelessness or housing insecurity, often due to religious parents kicking them out of the home. 

In fact, their '2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health' found the following:

• 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year
• 75% of LGBTQ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime
• Only 1 in 3 LGBTQ youth found their home to be LGBTQ-affirming

Which Coming Out is Harder?

There are few statistics showing possible prejudices young Christians face at home and at school. But it's tough to imagine that only 1 in 3 Christian youth have a home that affirms their faith, for example, or that nearly half of all young Christians seriously considered ending their life.

But is there still something to Smyth's comments?

Generation Z is the most LGBTQ+-friendly and least Christian generation in American history. And statistics show that Christianity is on a widespread decline all across the western world. Recent reports show that Christians make up just 64% of the religious makeup of the United States, for example, when as recently as the 1990s that number comfortably sat at about 90%. Statistics show that Christianity is on its way to being a religious minority by plurality within the next 50 years. 

On the other hand, LGBTQ+ youth say they feel more comfortable now more than ever coming out… but does that mean they truly feel safe? According to The Trevor Project, 46% of LGBTQ youth who came out before age 13 reported they were physically threatened or harmed due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, and 34% of LGBTQ youth who came out after age 13 report the same.

What do you think? LGBTQ+ acceptance is on the rise, and rates of Christianity are on the decline - but does that actually make it easier to come out as gay than Christian?