Yes Gawd!

Royal G. Cravens, III is a Senior Research Analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center. He is a previous recipient of the Bailey and Cynthia Weber Awards from the American Political Science Association and has held fellowships with the Social Science Research Council and Public Religion Research Institute.

“Through convincing analyses of unique survey data, Royal G. Cravens III challenges popular wisdom about LGBT people, religion, and politics. Not only do most LGBT people in the United States identify as religious, but also many of them report positive experiences within their religious groups. Furthermore, LGBT people who are active in supportive faith communities are more likely to engage in pro-LGBT political activism than those who are not. Yes Gawd! is the most comprehensive analysis of religion, politics, and LGBT identity that I have ever come across. Any scholar interested in these topics should buy this book.”-Jonathan S. Coley, Associate Professor of Sociology at Oklahoma State University, and author of Gay on God’s Campus: Mobilizing for LGBT Equality at Christian Colleges and Universities “It is often assumed in U.S. politics that religion and LGBT people are incompatible categories, or even at odds with one another amidst an ongoing culture war. Relying on a diverse set of socio-historical sources, Cravens questions this construction of LGBT identity and religion. By relying on a rich and diverse set of social surveys, Cravens challenges us to rethink the role of religion in LGBT life and political affairs. He convincingly argues and empirically shows that religion is consequential to the political meaning of LGBT identities in politics, such that LGBT political behavior is not fully understood without considering religion. Cravens is attuned to the intersectional and complex ways religion may affect LGBT people. Yes Gawd! charts a clear course for future scholarship, and it undoes the constructed notion that LGBT identity and religion are in conflict with one another.”-Andrew R. Flores, Assistant Professor of Government at the School of Public Affairs at American University and Affiliated Scholar at the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law "Cravens builds on his previous research by examining the religious experiences of LGBT persons and considering how these experiences influence participation in two arenas: electoral and LGBT-identity-related politics.... Significant findings include the positive effect on the politics of participation in affirming faith traditions and the reciprocal relationship between religion and politics. The book is well organized and heavily referenced, lending itself to scholarly contemplation.... Summing Up: Recommended."-Choice "This book is a treasure trove of resources and data for any social science scholar interested in the life experiences of LGBT individuals and the influence of their faith community on their political activism. Cravens III offers a socially inclusive perspective on this topic.... In fact, any further research on this topic should definitely include this book as a reference.... [T]his book is an in-depth, evidence-based, well-resourced presentation of the topic."-Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought "[A]n excellent resource.... Cravens masterfully documents that, contrary to popular belief-especially across American popular culture, LGBT people are quite religious: the author shows this through, among other things, religious identification, the importance they attribute to their religiosity, prayer, and attendance. What makes this book remarkably strong is the way the author weaves various data sets into his argument.... [T]his book is an important read for anyone studying religion, sexuality, and politics."-Journal of Contemporary Religion