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Abstract

Black queer folks, especially Black queer womxn, have always existed in Christian church spaces. For many, they are allowed to bring our talents to our places of worship–provided that they do not bring their whole queer selves. Additionally, Black queer womxn exist in these spaces but are often punished for bringing all our queerness to the table. When the intersections of church and higher education manifest as religiously affiliated institutions, Black queer womxn struggle to be seen and validated in many ways. As two Black queer womxn at a religiously affiliated doctoral institution, the authors are curious how they navigate their multiple oppressions, especially those highlighted in religious spaces. Their question is: What are the experiences of Black queer womxn at a religiously affiliated institution? The authors attempt to answer this question by the use of duoethnography to examine our experiences as Black queer womxn who are doctoral students at a religiously affiliated institution.