Problematizing the secular/religion divide: religion as the Other in contemporary discourses on LGBTQIA+ rights in Sweden
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Abstract
This article conducts a multi-scalar analysis of the dynamics between secularism and religion in contemporary Sweden and highlights a growing divide between them, in the wake of neoliberal reconfigurations of the welfare state and a stronger religious pluralism in public space. In the first part of the analysis, we examine the public debate around conversion attempts and state funding for religious organizations. We show that a stronger culturalization and politicization of religion has resulted in a growing secular/religion divide, shaping religion as the Other and as the opposite of secularity, which, in return, becomes equated with values of equality and freedom. In the second part of the analysis, we highlight how such a secular/religion divide constructs religion as the main problem of religious queer people. Drawing on an analysis of the lived experiences of trans and queer people from Muslim, Jewish and Christian traditions, we challenge this divide. Ultimately, the article proposes that there is a need for more spaces that are both queer inclusive and religiously affirmative, rather than stronger state regulation and limitation of religious spaces, and we present some routes ahead for further research in response to the challenges and vulnerabilities detected.
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LGBT/Queer Jews and Issues Main Topic: Other State and Government: Relations with Religion Comparisons: Between Jews and Non-Jews Secularity, Secularisation and Secular Jews
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This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent
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Problematizing the secular/religion divide: religion as the Other in contemporary discourses on LGBTQIA+ rights in Sweden. 2025: https://archive.jpr.org.uk/10.1080/09589236.2025.2493262
