Personal and Professional Discord: Examining Religious Conservatism and Lesbian-,Gay-,and BisexualAffirmative Counselor Competence

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) orientations can evoke strong reactions that are often based on personal beliefs that seemingly conflict with professional standards calling for LGB-affirmative counseling. This study examined the relationship between religious conservatism and LGB-affirmative counselor competence. Controlling for education level, political conservatism, and LGB interpersonal contact, the results indicate that, as religious conservatism increased, LGB competency significantly decreased. The strongest predictor of LGB-affirmative counselor competency was religious fundamentalism, whereas multicultural course work was not a significant predictor.