Meet Cathy, the new AI chatbot and Episcopal Church expert

Unlike many of her religious AI predecessors, Cathy isn’t posing as a pastor or guru but a virtual guide.
A new AI chatbot program called AskCathy offers entry-level access to learning more about the Episcopal Church. (Photo from Pixabay/Creative Commons)

August 6, 2024
By Kathryn Post

RNS

(RNS) — First, there was Xian’er, the cartoon-like, mantra-chanting robot Buddhist monk that China introduced in 2015. Then there was the German “BlessU-2” robot that dispensed blessings using ATM parts, and Pepper, the Japanese robot priest that delivered funeral rites.

Now a new generation of religious AI is emerging with the advent of OpenAI’s ChatGPT — some with mixed success. The latest AI chatbot geared for spiritual seekers is AskCathy, co-launched in June by a research institute and ministry organization and aiming to roll out soon on Episcopal church websites. Cathy draws on the latest version of ChatGPT and is equipped to prioritize Episcopalian resources.

“This is not a substitute for a priest,” said the Rev. Tay Moss, director of one of Cathy’s architects, the Innovative Ministry Center, an organization based at the Toronto United Church Council that develops digital resources for communities of faith. “She comes alongside you in your search queries and helps you discover material. But she is not the end-all be-all of authority. She can’t tell you how to believe or what to believe.”




AskCathy.ai logo. Courtesy image

The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, the executive director of TryTank Research Institute at Virginia Theological Seminary and Cathy’s other principal developer, said all the institute’s projects attempt to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, and Cathy is no different. He told Religion News Service the idea for Cathy materialized after brainstorming how to address young people’s spiritual needs. What if a chatbot could meet people asking life’s biggest questions with care, insight and careful research?

“The goal is not that they will end up at their nearby Episcopal church on Sunday. The goal is that it will spark in them this knowledge that God is always with us, that God never leaves us,” Lebrija said. “This can be a tool that gives us a glimpse and little direction that we can then follow on our own.”

To do that, though, would require a chatbot designed to avoid the kinds of hallucinations and errors that have plagued other ChatGPT integrations. In May, the Catholic evangelization site Catholic Answers “defrocked” their AI avatar, Father Justin, designating him as a layperson after he reportedly claimed to be an ordained priest capable of taking confession and performing marriages.

The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, chief innovation officer of Virginia Theological Seminary. Photo courtesy of Lebrija

Lebrija’s TryTank Institute teamed up with Moss’ Innovative Ministry Center to create a specific retrieval mechanism for Cathy tailored to the Episcopal Church. When asked a question, Cathy first searches her own library of resources for relevant information, then sends that context and the original question to ChatGPT before spouting off an answer. When possible, Cathy cites her sources. Her library, prioritized over the rest of ChatGPT’s resources, includes over 1,000 pages from the Episcopal Church’s website, The Book of Common Prayer and authorized publications from the Forward Movement, a ministry of the Episcopal Church.

Pauline Cheong, professor of human communication at Arizona State University who studies spiritual groups’ use of AI, told RNS via email it is “rather tenuous” to claim, as AskCathy’s FAQ does, that Cathy exhibits “remarkable accuracy,” given that religious chatbots powered by ChatGPT can provide “erroneous and outdated information with false references.”


Photo courtesy of Pauline Hope Cheong, professor, Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University

“Religion and technology have a historically complex and contested relationship, so it is interesting how the presentation of Cathy appears to exhibit the optics of optimism and trust in AI technology,” she wrote.

However, Moss said Cathy incorporates “state of the art” technology as of spring 2024, and her capabilities aren’t comparable to previous religious AI chatbots.

As Cathy developed, Moss and Lebrija realized she could be useful in a range of scenarios: a lay minister leading a parish who is looking for TEC-specific liturgies, a church member parsing through the denomination’s complex bylaws, a priest looking to accelerate their service planning to spend more time with parishioners or a person curious about the denomination’s positions on controversial topics.

“She makes it possible to have a different kind of conversation, which is far lower stakes for people who want to talk about subjects that make them feel vulnerable or defensive,” Moss said. “For example, one of the questions that we’ve gotten quite a bit is about polyamory.”

Peter Levenstrong, an associate rector at an Episcopal church in San Francisco who blogs about AI and the church, told RNS he thinks Cathy could familiarize people with Episcopalianism.

“We have a PR issue,” Levenstrong said. “Most people don’t realize there is a denomination that is deeply rooted in tradition, and yet open and affirming, and theologically inclusive, and doing its best to strive toward a future without racial injustice, without ecocide, all these huge problems that we as a church take very seriously.”

In his own context, Levenstrong has already used Cathy to brainstorm Harry Potter-themed lessons for children. (She recommended a related book written by an Episcopalian.)

Cathy’s creators know AI is a thorny topic. Their FAQ page anticipates potential critiques. In terms of environmental impact, Cathy’s creators report she uses between 3.6kJ and 36kJ of energy per exchange. By comparison, a single Google search uses roughly 1.08kJ of energy, per the FAQ page, and driving to the library to do research has “much more climate impact,” Moss said.

Moss added, that, in terms of privacy, Cathy saves the texts of conversations but not usernames or IP addresses. But even if Cathy is relatively secure, some experts and potential users are concerned that she could become a substitute for human interactions.

David DeSteno, professor of psychology at Northeastern University. Photo courtesy of DeSteno’s website

“I worry about disconnection,” said David DeSteno, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University in Boston who hosts the podcast “How God Works.” “One of the big benefits when it comes to health and wellbeing in religion has to do with building community, coming together, having personal relationships. If people start relying on AI for guidance, or in some ways leading prayer ceremonies at home, I worry it could separate them from actual clergy themselves, who they can form personal relationships with.”

Levenstrong said while concerns about AI replacing human interaction are valid, he doesn’t see that happening as a result of Cathy’s development. He sees Cathy not as a replacement for a priest, but a resource for people who don’t have “an expert on speed dial.” Cathy’s FAQ page notes that Cathy isn’t equipped to provide counseling or spiritual guidance.

Still, DeSteno said users begin to perceive AI as more sentient and spiritual when it doles out advice and shows empathy.

“It can build trust and connection in ways, because you think this thing is understanding you,” DeSteno said. “And if it has malintent, whatever message it’s giving you about how to act or what you should believe, can be much more persuasive.”

In RNS exchanges with Cathy, the chatbot often responded to requests for advice in part by suggesting speaking with a trusted priest, spiritual adviser or professional counselor. In questions about scenarios involving divorce and domestic violence, Cathy expressed sorrow about the difficult situation before listing potential action steps, including ensuring people’s safety, listening non-judgmentally, encouraging professional help and respecting people’s autonomy. She also often offered potentially relevant prayers from The Book of Common Prayer.

RELATED: AI won’t be replacing your priest, minister, rabbi or imam any time soon

For now, AskCathy is still relatively new, and her impact remains to be seen. The designers initiated a “soft launch” at the denomination’s General Convention in June, and the website is live for anyone to use for free. Though AskCathy isn’t an official project of the Episcopal Church, nor is it on the denominational website, individual churches can fill out a form to have the chatbot embedded on their website for free as part of a pilot project.

If you ask Moss and Lebrija, AI is poised to transform the future of the church, regardless of whether the church is ready. To them, Cathy is just one way for the church to wield AI to its own advantage at a time when many in the church are struggling with burnout and a shortage of resources.

“I think the availability of information is going to explode in a new kind of way. We got used to what happened when the web opened up, and suddenly the church got pushed into the territory of livestreaming services,” Moss said. “This, I think, is the next step of that evolution.”

Christian Reformed synod tells LGBTQ-affirming churches to repent or disaffiliate

At its national synod this week, the Christian Reformed Church in North America voted to put congregational leaders on 'limited suspension' if their churches publicly welcome LGBTQ+ members, violating the CRCNA's official stance on same-sex relationships.

ALBERTA HAS THE HIGHEST POPULATION OF CHRISTIAN REFORMED IN CANADA

Delegates sing during the Christian Reformed Church annual synod at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo by Ethan Meyers)

June 21, 2024
By Ethan Meyers


GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (RNS) — At its annual national meeting this week, the Christian Reformed Church in North America, one of the oldest denominations in the United States, voted 134-50 on Wednesday (June 19) to put congregational leaders on “limited suspension” if their churches publicly welcome LGBTQ+ members, violating the CRCNA’s official stance on same-sex relationships.

The synod also voted Tuesday (June 18) to tighten rules for how congregations voice their differences with the ruling body of the denomination and asked for new resources for dissenting churches as they seek to realign or disaffiliate in the wake of the week’s decisions.

Like other Christian denominations in recent years, the CRCNA has been debating inclusion and participation in church life for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. Two years ago, the CRCNA synod voted to include “homosexual sex” alongside other behaviors, such as adultery, polyamory and pornography usage, in its official definition of “unchastity.” The move elevated the church’s stance against LGBTQ+ behavior to confessional status, meaning that anyone who holds office in the church is expected to uphold this belief.



Sandy and Bob Navis visit the Christian Reformed Church annual synod in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo by Ethan Meyers)

Sandy Navis and her husband, Bob, members at Sherman Street CRC in Grand Rapids, came to watch the deliberations, feeling it was important to be a “presence to support the minority of (LGBTQ+)-affirming delegates,” said Sandy Navis. “I really felt called by God to come and be an observer all week … I think things like this need to be witnessed. They shouldn’t be done in private.”

How exactly the decision will be implemented will be left largely in the hands of regional subdivisions of the CRCNA, known as classes (singular: classis). Elizabeth Koning said her church, Hessel Park Church in Champaign, Illinois, is the only church in Classis Chicago South to have a publicly available statement that affirms LGBTQ+ people.

Before attending synod as a deacon delegate this year, Koning said she didn’t know what to expect. “I came here to make sure that our experience as a church was represented, our point of view and understanding of Scripture was represented. And I came here because I really love the CRC, and I am invested in its future, and I was hoping that future would include me,” Koning said.

She added that while there are many conversations ahead about how to proceed at Hessel Park, Koning doesn’t expect her church to be interested in revoking its statement. The church spent more than a year in conversation with its members and other organizations while drafting its statement, according to Koning.

For those in favor of the decision, the move is seen as a chance for everyone in the denomination to follow Christ in “humility and joy,” according to the Rev. Michael Bentley, pastor at Trinity CRC in St. Louis, Missouri. Bentley said pastors have a responsibility to “minister like Jesus did and still say, ‘I love you, I’m calling you out of your sin, and Jesus calls you out of your sin.’”

He emphasized that the move shouldn’t be seen as only applying to certain churches and is instead a reminder that “we are all under the yoke of Christ.”

As the denomination moves forward, Bentley said he hopes that all of its members will be “able to be ministered to and loved and brought to walk with Christ gently.”

But the Rev. Ryan Schreiber, pastor of Grace CRC in Grand Rapids, which has a publicly available statement supporting LGBTQ+ involvement, said the synod vote threatens the existence of the denomination.


The Christian Reformed Church annual synod meets at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thursday, June 20, 2024. (Video screen grab)

The pastor delegate from Classis Grand Rapids East, who said he took on a “very visible” role at this week’s synod, said Grace CRC will now begin the process of disaffiliating itself with the CRCNA. While he appreciates that the synod was “very generous in the terms outlined for churches like mine, that are openly affirming,” Schreiber is deeply concerned that the split over LGBTQ+ will deprive the denomination of needed resources.

“There is a coalition of churches in the Christian Reformed Church that is turning the polity of the Christian Reformed Church into a steamroller,” moving to push out most of the churches in his classis, Schreiber said.

In the CRCNA, a denomination of roughly 200,000 members, he said, this creates a real risk of financial collapse. He claimed that many churches now on the path to disaffiliation have “historically given much more in ministry shares to the Christian Reformed Church than any other classes.”

But Schreiber believed he was also acting in the best interest of the church, saying he was “called to this moment by God to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves.” Schreiber said that in his time in Russia as a missionary, he encountered the concept of “yurodivye,” or “holy fools” — those who challenged the behavior of the Russian tsars on moral grounds.

Describing his involvement with this year’s Synod, Schreiber said he “took on the role of a yurodivye, or God’s fool, in front of an all-powerful Synod.”

Delegates mingle during the Christian Reformed Church annual synod at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo by Ethan Meyers)

Even as it reaffirmed its belief that same-sex sex is sinful, synod delegates declined to call it a “salvation issue,” which may lead some to interpret it as a more egregious sin than others.

The synod also declined to label the belief that the Bible sanctions same-sex marriage a heresy, noting that the overture, or proposed ballot item asking for this belief to be formally declared heretical, “does not meet the high standards of definition and articulation needed for declaring a heresy.”

The synod leaves a bittersweet feeling. Schreiber is grieved by the direction the denomination is moving. “I love the Christian Reformed Church with all my heart … As I said, I am deeply concerned about the Christian Reformed Church, and especially those that I’m leaving behind, gentle conservatives and moderates,” he said.

Sandy Navis wishes the delegates had widened their focus surrounding this year’s decisions. “There’s so much talk that makes it seem as though the churches who are working towards an affirmation of LGBTQ people are like rebellious children. And I think that that dismisses the thought and the consideration and the deep commitment that affirming churches can have to do God’s work.”

 

US sexual health curriculum could force LGBTQ+ students to seek potentially inaccurate education outside of school

Addressing the negligence could be “life-saving”, argue authors of new study, launched during Pride Month

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP

Children across the United States who identify as LGBTQ+ say the sexual health education curricula they receive is leaving them without essential information to make informed decisions about their sexual health – which could force them to seek potentially dangerous advice elsewhere. 

The results of a new, national, peer-reviewed survey, show that these young people — aged 13 to 17 — believe crucial topics surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity are being omitted from sexual health education programs.

Experts who led the study – published today in The Journal of Sex Research, as people around the world celebrate Pride month – say the addition of key items in the curricula could be “life-saving”.     

“The exclusion of LGBTQ+ students from the curricula may contribute to poor health outcomes in LGBTQ+ youth, with some research beginning to document these experiences and provide recommendations for curricula changes,” explains lead author Steven Hobaica, a clinical psychologist and Research Scientist at The Trevor Project, whose mission is to end suicide among LGBTQ+ young people. 

“Addressing this negligence is urgent and could be life-saving.

“Given the current political climate, with legislation attempting to exclude LGBTQ+ information in schools, we encourage policymakers to continue fighting for LGBTQ+ inclusion in curricula as a means to prevent health problems for a vulnerable group.”

Of more than 800 respondents to the survey, most participants reported a lack of LGBTQ+ content in their sexual health education experiences. In order to be educated on sexual health, most were using extracurricular sources including online spaces, friends, and personal experiences with sexual exploration. The authors found that these extracurricular sources are frequently preferred by LGBTQ+ youth; but may lack accuracy and reliability.

Overall, participants described feeling marginalized by curricula that were based on abstinence-only approaches, religious principles, or contained oppressive and suppressive elements – such as negative remarks about LGBTQ+ individuals or skipping required LGBTQ+ content altogether. 

“LGBTQ+ youth expressed a strong desire to learn more about topics related to their sexual orientation and gender identity, highlighting a critical gap in existing curricula,” says co-author Dr. Erica Szkody, who is a Postdoctoral Research Associate, at the Lab for Scalable Mental Health, at Northwestern University.

“Despite the well-known benefits of comprehensive sexual health education, the majority of school sexual health education curricula in the U.S. is non-comprehensive and excludes LGBTQ+ students.

“Our analyses underscore the extent of this exclusion.”

The survey also provided LGBTQ+ young people the opportunity to openly share on their experiences, as well as recommendations for change, in regard to sexual health education:

These suggestions included:

• More LGBTQ+ content in sexual health education curricula, as well as more detail on healthy and diverse relationships (e.g., non-monogamy, polyamory), consent, safety in relationships, and communication skills.
• Creating safe and supportive spaces, while considering legitimate fears due to a possible increase in bullying, as they had heard students make fun of the material or use discriminatory language during past implementation.
• Updating sexual health education materials to reflect LGBTQ+ lived experiences, history, and risk factors.
• Creating sexual health interventions focused on LGBTQ+ experiences and concerns.
• Improving access to reliable sexual health information.
• Creating more accessible sexual health information via other avenues, such as online and through mobile applications.

Summarizing their experiences of sexual health curricula in the U.S., LGBTQ+ study participants left heartfelt responses:

“I wish I was taught about gay sex, sexual orientation, and all the other controversial topics that [are deemed] ‘grooming.’ When kids aren’t taught good sex ed, they learn how to do it in an unhealthy way from other sources like the internet or word of mouth. If we teach children about these topics, they’ll be safer when they become teenagers,” one said.

Another added: “I wish others understood that while the anatomy-related knowledge is important, we need sexual [health] education that is relevant to today’s world. This involves sexual [health] education [about] dangers and safety on the Internet, [same-sex/gender] relations, and education geared towards attraction and feelings rather than a lesson only [regarding] heterosexual procreation. I wish they took our real-life experiences and insecurities into account.”

One more exclaimed: “It is NOT HARMFUL to talk about gender identity and sexuality with high schoolers. It SAVES LIVES.”

The authors hope that their findings contribute to a “critical” policy shift toward including LGBTQ+ young people in sexual health education, a community that is “often underserved”.    

“By including the voices of LGBTQ+ young people in curricula design, we can not only provide the necessary knowledge for youth to engage in healthy relationships and health behaviors, but also can contribute to a more accepting and equitable society for years to come,” states Hobaica.

Although this study incorporated quantitative and qualitative analyses with a large national sample of LGBTQ+ youth, it had limitations. “Given sample size constraints, we could not draw conclusions regarding recommendations from students with specific identities,” explain the authors who state future work could collect similar data from even larger samples for further generalizability and comparisons.

---

JOURNAL

The Journal of Sex Research

DOI

10.1080/00224499.2024.2355564 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

ARTICLE TITLE

Sexual Health Education Experiences and Recommendations from the Perspective of LGBTQ+ Youth

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

17-Jun-2024

 

Preteens use dating apps, and 1 in 4 are sexual minorities: Study

by University of Toronto

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Though most online dating apps have a minimum age requirement of 18 years, a new study finds that a small number of 11–12 year-olds use them. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) preteens are 13 times more likely to report engaging in online dating compared to their heterosexual peers.

The research is published in the journal BMC Research Notes.

"Lesbian, gay, or bisexual adolescents, including preteens, may have limited romantic partner options in their schools, where they may also face discrimination, bullying, and stigma because of their sexual orientation," says lead author Jason Nagata, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. "Dating apps may allow adolescents to easily identify other LGB users in close geographic proximity, whereas it may be more difficult to determine a potential partner's sexual orientation in real life."

The researchers analyzed data from 10,157 adolescents, mostly 11 to 12 year-olds, who are part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. Data were collected from 2018-2020. Adolescents answered questions about online dating app use and their sexual orientation.

The study also found that preteen boys were nearly three times more likely to report online dating compared to girls.

"Preteen boys are more likely than girls to report that social media made them feel more connected with their significant other," says co-author Kyle T. Ganson, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. "Prior research has found that half of boys reported that social media made them feel more emotionally connected with their significant other, compared to 37% of girls."

The higher rates of online dating in LGB and male preteens may reflect trends in general screen use. A related study found that LGB preteens spend four more hours per day on screens in general, including television, videos, social media, and texting, than their heterosexual peers. Similarly, preteen boys spend 45 more minutes of total screen time daily than girls.

"Although online media can have benefits such as connection and socialization for LGB adolescents, parents and media literacy programs should provide guidance to mitigate risks from online dating such as cyberbullying, grooming, exploitation, privacy violations, and the exchanging of inappropriate content," Nagata says. "Parents should talk to their adolescents about media usage, including online dating, and develop rules through a family media use plan."

More information: Jason M. Nagata et al, Social epidemiology of online dating in U.S. early adolescents, BMC Research Notes (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s13104-024-06777-w

Provided by University of Toronto 

Transgender preteens report 13 hours of daily screen time

Study findings show transitioning gender identities is not linked with depression

by University of Texas at Austin

Credit: Mikhail Nilov from Pexels

A longitudinal study of LGBTQ+ youths has found that transitioning gender identities is not associated with depression and that about 1 in 3 gender-minority youths change their gender identity more than once. In fact, the study found higher rates of depression among transgender youths are more closely associated with bullying and victimization.

The findings from a team of researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and in Brazil are outlined in a paper in JAMA Network Open.

The study followed 366 LGBTQ+ young people ages 15–21 in two U.S. cities from 2011 to 2015 and measured depressive symptoms periodically, as well as the young people's self-reported gender identity and other factors.

During the study period, three-fourths of the participants maintained a gender identity consistent with their sex at birth (known as cisgender) throughout the three years, and another 9% maintained a transgender identity during the study period. Variations in gender identity were observed among other participants, including about 8% who reported a transgender identity earlier on and moved to a cisgender identity by the end of the study.

"Exploring gender identity and gender expression is a normal part of adolescence and growing up for some youth," said André Gonzales Real, a clinical psychiatrist and UT doctoral student in human development and family sciences and corresponding author on the paper.

"Depression among transgender youth is a big public health concern, but it's not gender identity or transitioning that is at the root. It's the bullying, rejection and victimization we need to be worried about."

Of the ouths who reported a different gender identity during the study, almost one-third did so more than twice. Among these youths, the rate of depressive symptoms was the lowest of the different groups and remained largely stable throughout the study.

Specifically, researchers found that young people who transitioned from a cisgender identity to a transgender identity were more likely to experience symptoms of depression than those who maintained a cisgender identity throughout the study.

Importantly, when researchers controlled for bullying and victimization, which is more common for transgender youths, there was no statistical difference in depressive symptoms between groups. The finding lends key context to earlier reports of links between youth depression and gender transition.

"We found that gender identity is not the primary driver of mental health. Mental health is related to the environment young people are living in," said Stephen Russell, the Priscilla Pond Flawn Regents Professor in Child Development at UT and an author of the paper. "Being a transgender young person does not lead to depression on its own, but the social environment that many of these young people experience does."

Researchers also concluded that there was no change in depressive symptoms measured before and after transitions to transgender—or to cisgender. Finally, the study found that results were the same regardless of participants' use of hormones and puberty blockers.

Many studies looking at long-term outcomes for transgender and gender diverse youths come from clinical settings. The study is innovative in using a community-based sample, working with young people involved in community organizations serving LGBTQ+ youths.

Maria Inês Rodrigues Lobato of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil is also a corresponding author on the paper.

More information: Trajectories of Gender Identity and Depressive Symptoms in Youths, JAMA Network Open (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.11322 , jamanetwork.com/journals/jaman … /fullarticle/2818886

Journal information: Child Psychiatry & Human Development 

Provided by University of Texas at Austin 

Transgender preteens report 13 hours of daily screen time

 

Autistic-led study reveals urgent priorities for supporting autistic girls and gender diverse youth

by University of Technology, Sydney

Credit: University of Technology Sydney.

A new study led by autistic people and researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) sheds light on the challenges faced by autistic girls, women and gender diverse people within health care, the education system and society.

The research paper, titled "Nothing About Us, Without Us': Research Priorities for Autistic Girls, Women and Gender Diverse People in Australia" and published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, highlights the urgent need for inclusive supports to maximize the well-being of autistic people and provides key considerations for the National Autism Strategy that is currently under community consultation.

Study co-lead Dr. Rachel Grove from the UTS School of Public Health, said the research aims to address the longstanding gaps in understanding the experiences of autistic women, girls and gender diverse people.

"Historically, autism has been viewed through a gendered lens with incorrect assumptions that only boys can be autistic, resulting in oversight and inadequate support. It was critical to ensure that autistic people undertook the research," said Dr. Grove.

Sarah Gurrin, an autistic co-lead on the project said autistic people have often been studied by academics with no lived experience and a narrow view of what autism is.

"This is vital research to help ensure there is not another lost generation of autistic girls, women and gender diverse people."

The researchers heard from over 100 autistic girls and gender diverse people aged from 7 to 17. Parents and health professionals were deliberately excluded to prioritize the perspectives of autistic youth.

As Hayley Clapham, an autistic co-lead in the research explains, "for too long autism research focused on children and young people has predominantly reflected the perspectives of clinicians, educators and parents.

"To ensure that research accurately responds to the needs and experiences of autistic young people, it is crucial that researchers prioritize their inclusion in the shaping and informing of research and outcomes that directly impact their lives."

The findings, distilled into six key research priority areas for autistic young people, provide a roadmap for meaningful change.

The foremost concern expressed by autistic girls and gender diverse young people was the need for greater understanding and support at school, including tailored inclusive support across all educational environments.

One autistic young person told the researchers, "The fact is that I can be in a school system where I don't receive the support I need because I'm not visibly struggling. I think there needs to be more awareness spread of how autism looks and that it's not a little mold that someone can fit into."

Autistic girls and gender diverse young people also want a better understanding of their experiences, strengths and challenges related to puberty, sensory differences, self-regulation needs, and to see themselves represented in society and the media.

As one autistic young person put it, "I didn't really see representation of an autistic person that looked or acted like me, a girl, a teenager, all of these things."

The third priority outlines the pressing need for specialized mental health services tailored to the autistic experience. This is critical given autistic women are 83% more likely to lose their life by suicide than the general population.

One young person said, "I spent years struggling in school until I mentally broke … Why does it take so long to help autistic females? Why do we have to be mentally exhausted?"

Other research priorities included friendships and relationships, and inclusive policies and resources that affirm and respect diverse gender identities and focus on support first. The researchers say this is critical given the greater gender diversity among autistic people.

The final research priority focuses on accommodations to make life easier, such as practical adjustments that alleviate stress, build capacity and promote autonomy.

The researchers also spoke to over 300 autistic women and gender diverse adults, with a further eight key priorities identified, including understanding experiences of trauma, abuse and sexual violence, and addressing barriers in health care, education and the workplace.

One autistic adult spoke of the importance of recognizing the strengths of autistic young people and supporting them to flourish, "I think these girls, these strengths and these brains need to be embraced and utilized. These brilliant, brilliant human beings… I wished that I had those tools, and that I was allowed to thrive and to be who I am when I was that young."

Tess Moodie, an autistic co-lead in the research said, "For years we have been saying there should be nothing about us without us.

"I am hopeful this will set the standard for commitments from future researchers, both for the priorities, but also in authentically collaborating with autistic people in co-development of research.

"This work sets the agenda for future research to help autistic young people live better lives in our neurotypical-centered world."

More information: Rachel Grove et al, 'Nothing About Us, Without Us': Research Priorities for Autistic Girls, Women and Gender Diverse People in Australia, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06330-5

Journal information: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 

Provided by University of Technology, Sydney 

Autistic people's feelings mostly misread—empathy works both ways, research reveals

Polyamory among youth: New research highlights stigma and depressive symptoms

by Eric W. Dolan
May 22, 2024
in Consensual Non-Monogamy

(Photo credit: Adobe Stock)

A recent study published in Psychology & Sexuality suggests that polyamory is not only present among adolescents but also comes with significant stigma and mental health challenges. This research, one of the first to focus on polyamorous youth, found that 16.7% of the participants at an LGBTQ+ summer camp identified as polyamorous or ambiamorous. These adolescents reported higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to their peers.

Polyamory refers to a relationship structure in which individuals have multiple romantic partners simultaneously, with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved. Unlike cheating, which involves secrecy and betrayal, polyamory is based on honesty, communication, and mutual agreement among all partners. Polyamorous relationships can vary widely and do not necessarily involve sexual activity; they may focus on emotional and romantic connections.

Ambiamory is a related term that describes a person’s flexibility in their relationship preferences. Ambiamorous individuals are open to either monogamous or polyamorous relationships, depending on their current situation and the preferences of their partners. Essentially, ambiamorous people do not have a fixed preference for one type of relationship structure over another; instead, they adapt to what feels right based on their circumstances and the dynamics with their partners.

The motivation behind the new study stemmed from the growing visibility and acceptance of polyamory among adults, coupled with a lack of understanding about its presence and impact among adolescents. While polyamory has been featured more prominently in media and research focusing on adults, there has been little exploration of how these relationship structures affect younger individuals.

To investigate whether polyamorous and ambiamorous adolescents experience higher levels of mental health challenges, study author Traci Gillig surveyed individuals at Brave Trails, a summer camp designed specifically for LGBTQ+ youth. A total of 323 adolescents, aged 12 to 17, participated in the research. These participants were selected as they attended the camp during the summer of 2023.

Participants completed surveys at two different points: before the camp began and on the last full day of the camp. These surveys included standardized assessments to measure anxiety and depressive symptoms. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder subscale of the Youth Anxiety Measure for DSM-5 was used to assess anxiety, while the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Short Form was employed to measure depressive symptoms. These tools are well-established in psychological research and provide reliable data on the mental health status of the participants.

In addition to mental health assessments, the surveys asked participants about their preferred relationship structure and their comfort level with being open about their relationship preferences in their home communities. The participants could choose from options like monogamous, polyamorous, ambiamorous, or unsure, and they were also given the opportunity to elaborate on their responses through open-ended questions.

The study also included qualitative elements. Participants provided written explanations about their perceptions of safety and acceptance regarding their polyamorous identity. These qualitative responses were analyzed thematically to identify common patterns and themes related to their experiences and feelings of safety in their home environments.

Gillig found that a substantial portion of the camp’s participants, approximately 16.7%, identified as polyamorous or ambiamorous. These polyamorous and ambiamorous adolescents exhibited elevated depressive symptoms before attending the camp. However, the study found no significant difference in anxiety levels between polyamorous/ambiamorous youth and their peers at the outset, indicating that the impact on mental health may be more pronounced in terms of depressive symptoms rather than anxiety.




A notable aspect of the findings was the impact of the supportive environment provided by the LGBTQ+ camp. All adolescents, regardless of their relationship preferences, showed improved mental health by the end of the camp. Both depressive symptoms and anxiety levels decreased significantly after spending time in this accepting and affirming setting. This highlights the importance of creating supportive spaces for marginalized youth, where they can explore their identities without fear of judgment or discrimination.

Despite the overall improvement in mental health, the study revealed that many polyamorous and ambiamorous adolescents did not feel safe being open about their identity in their home communities. Less than half (44.4%) of these youth felt safe or would feel safe disclosing their polyamorous identity at home. The qualitative data provided deeper insight into this issue, with many adolescents expressing concerns about being misunderstood, judged, or stigmatized if they were open about their relationship preferences.

The thematic analysis of the written responses identified several reasons why these adolescents did not feel safe. The most common reasons included the stigmatization of polyamory, a lack of understanding about polyamorous relationships, and uncertainty or fear about how people would react. Many adolescents mentioned that even those who accepted their LGBTQ+ identity might not be supportive of their polyamorous identity, indicating a specific gap in acceptance and understanding within their communities.

“It was notable that many of the polyamorous teens said they wouldn’t feel safe being out in their home communities,” said Gillig, an assistant professor at Washington State University. “They felt like they would be misunderstood or that people have stereotypes or judgments around what it means for them to be poly, like that they are promiscuous or don’t perceive cheating as a problem.”

“Youths’ experience with being polyamorous or ambiamorous is similar to being LGBTQ+ in that if they perceive that they won’t be supported, then they’re not as likely to disclose their identity at home. We know from research with queer youth that this can cause elevated levels of depressive symptoms,” she added. “My hope is that parents would have an open mind, if their child comes to them and expresses that they identify as polyamorous or if they have questions about it.”

On the other hand, the adolescents who did feel safe being open about their polyamorous identity often cited supportive or indifferent attitudes in their communities, knowing other polyamorous individuals, and a strong comfort with their own identity as reasons for their sense of safety. These protective factors underscore the importance of having visible support networks and fostering an environment where diverse relationship structures are understood and accepted.


The study, “Polyamorous and ambiamorous adolescents: a first empirical look at mental health in an LGBTQ+ sample,” was published online on April 28, 2024.

CHILD MARRIAGE EN MASSE 
Nigerian mass wedding for orphaned girls provokes outcry

Ben Farmer

TELEGRAPH
Fri, May 17, 2024 

Mass weddings are not uncommon in Nigeria, where brides are dressed in red robes - KOLA SULAIMON/AFP


A mass wedding for 100 girls orphaned by attacks in Nigeria has prompted outcry amid criticism that some of the brides may be underage, or being forced to get married for money.

The ceremony supported by a local politician has been condemned by the national women’s affairs minister who has threatened an injunction to stop the nuptials.

Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, the speaker of the local assembly in north-west Niger state, said the wedding was to help constituents who had all lost relatives to attacks on villages by heavily armed gangs.


Mr Sarkindaji has since distanced himself from the wedding and has said the families must decide among themselves, but local clerics have said it should still go ahead next week.

Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, the federal women’s affairs minister, called the ceremony totally unacceptable and demanded an investigation into the ages of the brides and whether they had consented to marriage.

She said: “I have written a petition to the police ... and I have filed a case for an injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do.”
‘Let children be children’

Abiodun Essiet, the president’s senior special assistant on community engagement, also objected.

She said: “I am not against conducting marriage for orphans above 18 years of age if they give their consent to the marriage.

“But I am against under-aged marriage. Let children be children.”

Mass weddings are not uncommon in Nigeria, especially in the mostly Muslim north, where they are seen as a way to help impoverished families manage their expenses.

But underage marriage also happens in rural areas where communities struggle with poverty, insecurity and little access to education.

No details were immediately available on the ages of the orphans.
All wedding expenses paid

In January this year, Muktar Aliyu Betara, another Nigerian politician from Borno state, sponsored a mass wedding for 180 girls from his constituency.

The 17 and 18-year-old girls had lost their parents to jihadist violence.

Mr Betara paid for all the wedding expenses as the families of the brides could not afford the costs.

Mass wedding for Nigeria orphans sparks outcry

Simi Jolaoso - BBC News, Lagos
Fri, May 17, 2024 

Mass weddings are fairly common in northern Nigeria (file photo) [AFP]

The planned mass wedding of about 100 orphans has sparked widespread outrage across Nigeria.

The orphans, some of whom are feared to be underage girls, are set to be married off on 24 May in the north-western state of Niger.

They have all lost parents to attacks by armed bandits, who regularly target civilians across the state.

Nigeria's Women's Affairs Minister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye said she has filed a court order to stop the ceremony.

According to reports, the mass wedding was supported by the Speaker of the Niger State Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, who said local religious leaders had approached him for help funding it.

The Imams Forum of Niger have said that the marriage ceremony should go ahead, insisting that the girls are not below the 18 - the legal age of marriage.

However, critics have expressed concern that some girls may be younger than 18, or being forced to comply for financial gain.

Minister Kennedy-Ohanenye said the girls "deserve better" and that her department was looking into who the 100 girls are, their ages and whether they consented to the marriage.

Her department will offer the girls education and training, she said, adding that if the Niger State speaker attempts to block these efforts "there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Ministry of Women Affairs".

On Friday, senior presidential aide Abiodun Essiet reiterated Ms Kennedy-Ohanenye's plan of action.

Ms Essiet added: "My appeal to all stakeholders is to stop embarking on policies and programs that exploit economically handicapped vulnerable people, increase and recycle poverty, and deepen ignorance."

Human rights activists in Nigeria have launched a petition to stop the plan. As of Friday evening, it has 10,500 signatures.

According to international campaign group Girls Not Brides, 30% of girls and 1.6% of boys in Nigeria are married before the age of 18. Some 12% of girls are married before their 15th birthday.

Child marriages are most common in the northern part of the country, among poor, rural households. It is seen as a way to reduce their families’ financial burdens or to improve political and social alliances.

Northern Nigeria is mostly Muslim and religious and cultural norms, such as polygamy, favour the practice.

Why Are Some Republican Lawmakers Hellbent on Preserving Child Marriage?

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IS NOT POLYGAMY

 

Polyamorous youth report facing stigma, heightened levels of depression

Peer-Reviewed Publication

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY

PULLMAN, Wash. – While increasingly visible among adults, polyamory also exists among adolescents, and as a new study indicates, so does the stigma that can come with it.

A Washington State University study of 323 youth ages 12 to 17 at an LGBTQ+ summer camp found that 54, or about 16.7%, identified as polyamorous or ambiamorous, meaning they were open to either monogamous or polyamorous relationships. These “poly” and “ambi” youth reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than their LGBTQ+ peers.

The study, one of the first to investigate polyamorous relationships in youth, was published in the journal Psychology & Sexuality.

“It was notable that many of the polyamorous teens said they wouldn't feel safe being out in their home communities,” said study author Traci Gillig, a WSU researcher. “They felt like they would be misunderstood or that people have stereotypes or judgments around what it means for them to be poly, like that they are promiscuous or don’t perceive cheating as a problem.”

Polyamory is a relationship structure that involves having more than one romantic partner at the same time with the consent and knowledge of all the partners, so as with monogamous relationships, the secrecy of cheating is considered a breach of trust. Again similar to monogamy, polyamory is primarily about relationships and does not necessarily have to involve sex at all.

This study was limited to a camp for LGBTQ+ youth called Brave Trails, which likely indicates the adolescents came from more accepting families, Gillig noted. However, 30 adolescents still reported they either would not feel safe, or felt unsure if they would be safe, if they were open about being poly in their home communities.

Gillig said it was encouraging that many also felt they would be supported, and 16 of the 54 poly or ambi campers said they were open about it at home.

Adult polyamory has been gaining attention in the news media and on TV with shows that feature poly people on Netflix and Showtime. It has also been the subject of research, which has found that more than 20% of adults have engaged in consensually non-monogamous relationships like polyamory. Another study also found that some poly adults began to understand their identity as poly when they were adolescents.

For this study, participants filled out questionnaires before and at the end of the camp, which included assessments of anxiety and depressive symptoms. They also answered questions about their preferred relationship structure and how comfortable they felt being open with others about it.

The survey allowed campers to write in explanations, and some who felt less safe said that being poly was “a touchy subject” and that even those who accept their LGBTQ+ identity would not be okay with it.

The poly and ambi kids as well as all the adolescents in the study showed improved mental health after experiencing the accepting environment of the LGBTQ+ camp, and Gillig emphasized that support is key for young people who have a marginalized identity.

“Youths’ experience with being polyamorous or ambiamorous is similar to being LGBTQ+ in that if they perceive that they won't be supported, then they’re not as likely to disclose their identity at home. We know from research with queer youth that this can cause elevated levels of depressive symptoms,” she said. “My hope is that parents would have an open mind, if their child comes to them and expresses that they identify as polyamorous or if they have questions about it.”

---

JOURNAL

Psychology and Sexuality

DOI

10.1080/19419899.2024.2340985 

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

28-Apr-2024

Polyamory:  Sex, Love and the Family

BY DAVID ROSEN

 FEBRUARY 1, 2024
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The picture shows three people in a polyamorous relationship. It was taken within a research project at the University of Vienna titling “Polyamory in media, social and identity perspective” – CC BY-SA 4.0

Since the nation’s founding, individuals, religious groups and radical communities have challenged conventional morality.  They have contested the dominant form of monogamous, heterosexual sexuality and the patriarchal nuclear family.

In 2021, only 18 percent – or 23 million — of U.S. households were “nuclear families” with a married couple and children.  This is a significant drop from nearly 60 percent during the 1970s.  According to one estimate, 19 percent of Americans have been involved in sexual threesomes and in 2019 “polyamory” was practiced by 4 to 5 percent of Americans.  In addition, 20 percent have attempted some kind of ethical non-monogamy relationship.  The term “polyamory” links the Greek poly to the Latin amor becoming “many loves,” and describes a variety of romantic or intimate non-monogamous relationships.

Traditional morality has long been challenged.  Often forgotten, between 1852 to 1890, about 20 to 30 percent of Mormon families, members of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, practiced a form of polygamy they called “plural marriage.”  In addition, for much of the 19^th century, “free love” advocates and other sexual radicals battled with what was known as the “social purity” movement over sex and the nature of the family.

Among the most notable free love communities of the pre-Civil War era were: New Harmony, a secular utopian community in Harmonie, IN, founded by Robert Owen; the Brook Farm community in West Roxbury, MA, founded by George Ripley; the Oneida community in NY founded by John Humphrey Noyes; and the interracial Nashoba community in eastern Tennessee founded by Frances Wright, her sister, Camilla, and Robert Dale Owen.

A second wave that challenged traditional family values emerged during the 1920s. This threat was represented by the “new woman” who symbolized the modernization that threatened social purists. And the Prohibition-era speakeasy was the nexus of this new erotic experience.

Having a drink at a speakeasy was an act of transgression: One was committing a crime. When one entered a speak, one crossed the line between the socially acceptable and the illegal and, for many, the immoral. Prohibition also gave rise to the “sex circus,” infamous venues of alcohol consumption and sexual liaison, be it heterosexual and/or homosexual erotic indulgence.

The 1960s forged a counterculture that challenged – and changed! — American values. It was the decade characterized by the oral contraceptive pill, the mini skirt, rock-&-roll, long hair and the growing use of marijuana, LSD and other “psychedelic” drugs. It sparked a “sexual revolution” involving premarital sex and “free love,” often involving mate swapping, group sex and homoeroticism.

It saw the Sexual Freedom League host orgies at a home in Berkley, CA. One estimate found that between September 1966 and the League’s final 1967 Christmas Eve party, over 1,200 people attended their orgies. A second example of this insurgent sexuality was the Sandstone Retreat. Founded by John and Barbara Williamson in 1969, it was located in the hills of Topanga Canyon, just north of Los Angles. It was a unique experiment in erotic exploration that drew a fairly wide and often distinguished following among “free love” advocates.

By the 1970s, with the passage of Civil Rights legislation, the end of the Vietnam War, the rise of the new Christian right represented by Phyllis Schlafly’s defeat of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), the ‘60s counterculture dissipated. However, its challenge to traditional monogamous sex and marriage persisted among the “polyamorous.”

Polyamory emerged in New York in the 1950s when John Peltz “Bro Jud” Presmont formed the polyamorous religious community, Kerista. It embodied the notion of “polyfidelity,” non-monogamous romantic relations among equal partners. During the 1960s, Kerista-inspired storefronts and communal houses operated in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area. It drew admiration from Allen Ginsberg, among others.

Kerista groups consisted of up to twenty-four people dubbed “best friend identity clusters” (B.F.I.C.); discouraged romantic attachment and possessiveness; and two people slept together in a shared bed, but on a rotational sleeping schedule, insuring equal bonding time among B.F.I.C. members of the opposite sex.

Other key figures of the evolving polyamory movement included Oberon (Timothy) Zell (aka Otter G’Zell and Zell-Ravenheart) who founded the Church of All Worlds (CAW), a neo-Pagan group, and the publication, Green Eggs, that promoted polygamous relationships based on the notion of personal divinity. Fred Adams established Feraferi (i.e., “Celebrate Wildness”), a neo-Pagan community that began in Southern California into Goddess worship. In time, CAW partnered with Feraferi to form the Council of Themis and, by the late-70s, some thirty groups were members.

Two women who kept the movement’s spirit alive over the last few decades are Ryam Nearing and Deborah “Taj” Anapol.  Nearing lived outside of Eugene, OR, with her two “husbands.” In ’86, she established Polyfidelitous Educational Productions, a nonprofit group that hosts a conference (i.e., pepcon), “a networking weekend filled with workshops, films, games, dancing, and discussion groups.”  Anapol was a “polyamorous clinical psychologist,” who advocated of erotic spirituality. She co-founded (with Nearing) the magazine, Loving More in 1994. She is the author of Polymore: The New Love Without Limits (1997) and Polyamory in the 21st Century (2010), among other works.

Polyamory has gotten a good deal a media attention, including print and TV/online stories.  To learn more about the polyamory movement, check out The Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy (1997), a sex-positive guide colloquially known as “the poly bible”; Elizabeth Sheff‘s The Polyamorists Next Door (2023); and Christopher Gleason, American Poly: A History (2023).

David Rosen is the author of Sex, Sin & Subversion:  The Transformation of 1950s New York’s Forbidden into America’s New Normal (Skyhorse, 2015).  He can be reached at drosennyc@verizon.net; check out www.DavidRosenWrites.com.

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