Polyamory and Christianity: Navigating Identity Gaps and Hegemonic Discourses

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of the present study was to understand the identity negotiation of Christians who practice polyamory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eighteen polyamorous Christians. The data was then qualitatively analyzed using the communication theory of identity. The findings indicated that identity gaps in the personal, relational, and communal frames were produced by mononormative discourses of Christian identity. Participants navigated these identity gaps by redefining the boundaries of Christian identity and utilizing various strategies to maintain, strengthen, and assert these redefined boundaries. This study contributes to critical interpersonal and family communication research by applying CTI to polyamorous Christians, supporting and extending research on identity gap navigation, and focusing on processes of hegemony and resistance in identity gap navigation.