Martine Gross

Living Spirituality and Sexuality: A Comparison of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Christians in France and Britain

Drawing upon two conceptually and methodologically related projects in France and Britain, the authors illuminate lesbian, gay and bisexual Christians’ religious orientations, beliefs and practices. The samples demonstrated striking similarities and differences. Participants generally strongly disagreed with the Church’s censorious teachings on non-heterosexuality, but the British sample appeared more critical. The French sample also experienced a greater degree of psychological and social dissociation. Nevertheless, some participants across samples stayed within homophobic religious structures because of their commitment to integrating their sexuality and spirituality, and to making religious communities more inclusive. This commitment was buttressed by: (1) their conceptualization of the all-loving God and of Jesus Christ as a transgressive champion of social justice; (2) positive personal experiences; (3) the marginalization of church authority in their moral universe; and (4) increasing theological, social and political capital. Theoretically, the authors contribute to debates on contemporary religious and spiritual landscape and identity. S’appuyant sur deux enquêtes identiques, conceptuellement et méthodologiquement parlant, menées en Grande-Bretagne et en France, les auteurs éclairent les croyances, les pratiques et les orientations religieuses de gays, lesbiennes et bisexuel/les chrétiens. Les échantillons présentent quelques différences et similitudes remarquables. Si les participants sont généralement tout à fait en désaccord avec les positions officielles des Églises sur l’homosexualité et la bisexualité, l’échantillon britannique semble plus critique. Les enquêtés français vivent un niveau plus élevé de dissociation psychologique et sociale. Quelques personnes des deux échantillons restent toutefois au sein de structures religieuses homophobes, en tentant, d’une part, d’intégrer leur sexualité et leur spiritualité et, d’autre part, de faire évoluer celles-ci de l’intérieur vers une plus grande inclusivité. Leur effort pour intégrer foi et sexualité s’étaye sur (1) l’idée d’un Dieu aimant chacune de ses créatures et de Jésus-Christ comme un champion de justice sociale; (2) un vécu personnel positif; (3) une certaine délégitimation de l’autorité de l’Église dans l’univers moral individuel; et (4) l’augmentation du capital théologique, social et politique. Les auteurs contribuent aux débats théoriques sur l’identité et le paysage religieux et spirituel contemporains.

Constructive Matching Methodology: Formally Creative or Intelligent Inductive Theorem Proving?

In this paper we explain why, and in what sense, the methodology for inductive theorem proving (IFTP) we develop is creative and we explain why our methodology cannot be said to be “intelligent”, as a human could be, and nevertheless it is suitable for a user-independent automatization of ITP.

Juif et homosexuel, affiliations identitaires et communalisation

English How does one live a plural Jewish and homosexual identity, whose elements are in conflict? By means of a quantitative and qualitative survey—consisting of, on the one hand, an investigation by questionnaire distributed to the members and sympathizers of Beit Haverim, a gay and lesbian French Jewish group, and, on the other hand, interviews with religious homosexual Jews and testimonies collected through public discussion forums—it was possible to describe the variations of this dual identity of belonging. French Comment vit-on une identité plurielle affirmée, juive et homosexuelle, dont les éléments sont en décalage, voire en conflit? Une étude de terrain, quantitative et qualitative, constituée d’une part d’une enquěte par questionnaire auprès des membres et sympathisants du Beit Haverim, groupe juif gay et lesbien de France et d’autre part, d’entretiens avec des Juifs homosexuels religieux et de témoignages recueillis sur des forums publics de discussion, permet de décrire les déclinaisons de cette double appartenance identitaire.

Religious Affiliation, Religiosity, and Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Parenting

ABSTRACT Legalizing marriage and facilitating access to parenting for same-sex couples are controversial subjects in many countries. Based on a survey of 1,861 French heterosexual students, this study examined the effects of gender, methods gays and lesbians use to become parents, religious affiliation (Catholic vs. no religious affiliation), and religiosity (in Catholic participants) on attitudes to same-sex parenting. The participants ranged in age from 18 to 66 (M = 22.27, SD = 5.20), 67% were women, 31% described themselves as Catholic, and 69% had no religious affiliation. The results based on generalized estimating equation analyses indicate that women were more favorable to same-sex parenting than men and that participants across religious groups preferred “traditional” families composed of two, different-sex parents who do not use medically assisted procreation. Of all the methods same-sex couples use to become parents, respondents preferred adoption and rejected surrogacy. Furthermore, Catholic participants were less favorable of same-sex parenting in general than participants without religious affiliation. Higher levels of religiosity intensified that rejection. Gender does not mitigate this effect for Catholic participants, suggesting that religiosity plays a major and independent role in shaping attitudes to same-sex parenting.

Transition to parenthood and quality of parenting among gay, lesbian and heterosexual couples who conceived through assisted reproduction

ABSTRACT Little research has focused on the emotions felt during pregnancy and early parenthood as well as the initial quality of parenting displayed by first-time parents who conceived using assisted reproduction technologies (surrogacy, donor insemination, and in vitro fertilization). Research on primary and secondary caregivers in gay, lesbian, and heterosexual families is especially sparse. The current study examined 35 gay-father families, 58 lesbian-mother families, and 41 heterosexual-parent families with their infants. Families were assessed at home when their infants were 4 months old (±14 days), and each parent participated in an audio-recorded standardized semi-structured interview in which we explored parental feelings during pregnancy, feelings about the parental role, perceived parental competence, the enjoyment of parenthood, expressed warmth, and emotional over-involvement. Heterosexual parents reported less positive feelings in early pregnancy than lesbian parents, while gay parents reported less positive feelings at the end of pregnancy than lesbian mothers and more positive feelings about parenthood during the first post-partum weeks than heterosexual parents. Family type and caregiver role did not interact to affect reported feelings, perceived competence, enjoyment, warmth, and involvement. The present findings elucidate the transition to parenthood among first-time parents who conceived using assisted reproductive technologies.