Queer practice refers to a range of behaviors, attitudes, and identities that challenge traditional norms and hierarchies in society. It includes non-normative sexual orientations, gender identities, and family structures. Queer people often feel excluded from mainstream religious traditions due to their unique experiences and perspectives on faith, spirituality, and morality.
Some scholars have argued that queerness can also offer new insights into what it means to be holy, virtuous, and spiritually exemplary. This essay will explore how queer practices contribute to the evolution of these concepts and why they are important for contemporary religions and spiritual communities.
Holiness
Historically, holiness has been defined primarily through heteronormative models of gender and sexuality.
Christianity emphasizes chastity, celibacy, and purity as virtues, which tend to privilege cisgender men and exclude LGBTQ+ individuals. Similarly, Buddhism prioritizes monastic life, while Hinduism values family and procreation. In contrast, queer theology challenges these binary oppositions by acknowledging diverse forms of embodiment and intimacy. Queer theologian Elizabeth Stuart argues that "holy bodies" transcend biological sex or social constructs to become "embodiments of divine love." As such, holiness is no longer tied solely to cisgendered masculinity or femininity but rather to acts of selflessness, compassion, and justice.
Virtue
Traditional notions of virtue focus on individual behavior and moral excellence, often rooted in patriarchal ideals like strength, discipline, and honor. By contrast, queer practice offers alternative ways of being virtuous that center care, creativity, and vulnerability. Queer activist Audre Lorde famously wrote: "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." This principle applies to all aspects of life, including relationships, community building, and spiritual growth.
Spiritual Exemplarity
Mainstream religions have long celebrated saints and prophets who embody spiritual perfection.
Many of these figures fail to represent marginalized communities, including people with disabilities, mental illnesses, or criminal backgrounds. Queer spiritual exemplars challenge these limitations by celebrating diversity, resilience, and resistance.
Frida Kahlo's artistic work reflects her bisexual identity and chronic pain while also challenging gender norms through surrealist imagery and indigenous symbolism. Her struggles and triumphs are a source of inspiration for many LGBTQ+ individuals seeking to find meaning in their own lives.
Queer practices challenge traditional models of holiness, virtue, and spiritual exemplarity by emphasizing embodied experiences and intersectional identities. These new archetypes offer religious communities an opportunity to reimagine what it means to be holy, virtuous, and spiritually exemplary beyond cisgendered heteronormative ideals. As such, they may help revitalize faith traditions and make them more inclusive and relevant for contemporary society.
What new archetypes of holiness, virtue, and spiritual exemplarity emerge from queer practice?
The traditional religious and social norms have long been criticized for their heteronormative ideals of masculinity and femininity, which often exclude non-heterosexual identities. As a result, there has been a growing interest in exploring alternative approaches to holiness, virtue, and spiritual exemplarity that are inclusive of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities.