At the Intersection of Sexuality, Spirituality, and Gender: Young Adults’ Perceptions of Religious Beliefs in the Context of Sexuality Education

College provides a developmental context for examining students’ deeply rooted beliefs about sexuality and religion. We conducted an analysis of 95 written narratives from undergraduate students regarding their perspective on how their study of sexuality has challenged, informed, or strengthened their own childhood and current spiritual and/or religious beliefs. Although most students were raised with traditional religious training (e.g., Catholic, conservative Christian), young women, unlike young men, were far more likely to define themselves by their childhood faith and practices. Young women also revealed the extent to which they felt responsible for maintaining the proscription of chastity before marriage. Four trends (remained steadfast, strengthened, shaken, and informed) were found in terms of how participants felt that sexuality education had influenced their religious or spiritual views.