The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

Desire between people in the queer community, in the context of Christianity, is a motif that is explored in this collection of short stories. In “Eula,” two best friends explore their sexual relationship periodically; while Caroletta can imagine being happy in a relationship, Eula’s ingrained ideas about same-sex attraction prevent her from even entertaining the thought. “Snowfall” presents the challenge of growing up in a place where queerness is seen as something to be ashamed of, where a mother will only “pray for [her daughter’s] soul” rather than meet her partner (84). The main characters leave their homes in pursuit of a place that will be more accepting of their identities, and in the process, they feel displaced. “Jael” shows the experience of a young girl entertaining her queer identity through fantasies of her preacher’s wife.

Allusions to the Bible are an important symbolic aspect of the short stories in this collection as queer identities, sexuality, and family relationships collide with different beliefs within Christianity. Eula is compared to Ruth in the Bible, waiting for her Boaz, a man, to come and marry her and “save” her (3). In “Dear Sister,” Renee quotes scripture, delusional about her relationship with her deadbeat dad: “Honor thy father and thy mother—” In response, her sister explodes and says “When did that motherfucker ever honor you? Or me?…Or anybody but his own trifling self? I ain’t honoring shit” (30-31).