Thirteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

The Latinx community has largely followed Roman Catholicism beliefs and practices. Throughout history, Latinx culture has been greatly influenced by Roman Catholicism. Religion can be a positive guiding force in one’s life and on the opposite end of the spectrum it can be problematic, restrictive, and unsupporting. Catholic individuals traditionally have more conservative, fundamentalist views on social and religious issues. The intersectionality of being Hispanic, queer, and religious leads to different mental health outcomes. This research focuses on the role religion plays in Latinx mental health specifically regarding anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. This research was gathered via studying different articles, research studies, and books. It also discusses concepts such as religious switching, religious saliency, Magico-religiousness, Fatalism, and the foundations of Machismo and Marianismo. Machismo is viewed as toxic masculinity in a cultural context. Marianismo specifically is a set of values and expectations concerning female gender roles that are based on the Virgin Mary - a highly regarded religious figure within Catholicism. The religious beliefs, cultural norms, and toxic gender roles of the Latinx community all combine to impact mental wellness and this study helps bring awareness to these cultural issues.