OPENING THE DOOR
Historically, the Christian Church has done a poor job of handling the topic of sexuality and the LGBTQ+ community. Ignorance and pride have led to terrible judgment, acts of hate, and dehumanization toward LGBTQ+ individuals, which then also leads to poor mental and spiritual health, addiction, and even suicide.
How can graphic design be used to address the subject of homophobia among Christian individuals and environments on a personable level? How can it help to bring about awareness as well as healing?
AUDIENCE
This project is mainly intended for individuals who profess a Christian faith, but lack a knowledge or understanding of homophobia and the damage it causes, as well as other LGBTQ+ topics.
It could be for a parent, grandparent, sibling, friend, church member, etc.
MESSAGE
Homophobic environments and internalized homophobia leads to poor mental health, addiction, and even suicide.
Understanding the true, Christian Gospel, and how to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals, will help heal and even avoid these problems.
SUBJECT RESEARCH
This project required a heavy amount of research. A lot of time was spent reading books, essays, articles, as well as talking with a consultant on the subject matter. People To Be Loved by Preston Sprinkle as well as articles by Pieter Valk and the Williams institute were important resources in this research.
As I gathered and sorted information, I wrote an essay. This essay was broken into sections that function as the script or content for the project’s spreads.
DESIGN RESEARCH
In terms of design, I looked into graphic novels, comics, and zines as inspiration. I wanted the piece to be personable. It needed to feel handmade but also well organized and structured. John Hendrix’s Mythmakers was a huge inspiration for the design of the booklet, as well as The Bible Project, Watcha Mean, What’s a Zine, and small comics like Chick Tracts and Stop Project 2025.
It was also important to understand how to convey large, heavy amounts of information in balanced ways.
DESIGN PROCESS
The project involved a large amount of sketching and formatting, starting with pencil sketches, and transitioning to digital formats.
It was important to consider the audience and what would connect with them verses what would deter them.
This project couldn’t feel preachy or like propoganda. It needed to feel genuine and personable.
Also, an audience that is likely more conservative could be detered by bright pride colors verses a design that is more muted and traditional in its colors.
Through studying, consultaion, and sketching, a four panel comic emerged that would become the defining design of the project.
ProCreate was used to create paint and pen textures, along with custom and hand-written type. Dark gray and soft yellow work well as muted colors indivdually, but combined, have a striking contrast.
But, the biggest part of this project is the illustration. Illustration and visual storytelling have incredible power to create impact that words alone would not. It was important to plot out effective imagery that fit with the content in a way that flowed smoothly and engaged the audience well.
FINAL RESULTS
The booklet is 8” x 5.5” when closed. Large enogh to appreciate the illustration but small enough for sharing with others.
The final piece has a total of twenty spreads, including the front and back cover.
Looking at these spreads, you can see the progression of the narrative in the balance of the gray to yellow colors. There’s a light introduction, and then a deep dive into the dark, heavy subject matter, before easying out into a more positive light of creating a heart posture and space that isn’t homophobic.
This project was created with all my love and respect for every individual as the Image-bearer of God that they are.
Sexuality and faith are big parts of my life. It’s been a big journey. What Christ has done in my life is incredible!
It has hurt me to see so much damage done to individuals in the name of Christianity when it comes to sexuality and gender. It’s been on my heart to bring some reparation and share the real, true Gospel. Not one of moral superiorty, ignorance, and hate, but of genuine humility, love, and surrender.
This project is a test run, a proof-of-concept, for a potentially larger book on the subject. This booklet only touches the tip of the iceburg. I hope it reaches people, and opens the door to deeper conversations.
-Grant Overbeek
SPECIAL THANKS TO…
Pieter Valk for subject consultation.
Paul Sizer for design consultation.
SOURCES
Sprinkle, Preston. People To Be Loved: Why Homosexuality Is Not Just an Issue. Zondervan, 2015.
Valk, Pieter. “‘an Orthodox Challenge to Systemic Homophobia’ in the Living Church.” Pieter L Valk, September 20, 2024.
Valk, Pieter. “Beware of the New Ex-Gay.” Pieter L Valk, September 14, 2024.
Valk, Pieter. “The Closet Created My Sex Addiction.” Pieter L Valk, July 7, 2024.
Watson, Esther. Todd, Mark. Watcha Mean, What’s a Zine? Clarion Books, 2006.
Statista. “LGBTQ Youth with a Suicide Attempt in the Past 12 Months by Experience with Conversion Therapy U.S. 2023 | Statista.” Statista, July 2024.
HRC. “The Lies and Dangers of Efforts to Change Sexual Orientation Or Gender Identity” HRC. Accessed February 24, 2025.
Hendrix, John. Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Harry N. Abrams, 2024.
Stop Project 2025, stopproject2025comic.org, 2025
Chick Tracts, Chick Publication
Bible Project, The. Book Overviews. https://bibleproject.com
McCloud, Scott. Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels. William Morrow Paperbacks, 2006.
Droubay, Brian. Abstract: Sexual orientation, homophobic attitudes, and self-perceived pornography addiction (Society for Social Work and Research 26th annual Conference - Social Work Science for racial, social, and political justice), January 16, 2022.
Ryan, C., Russel, S.T., Huebner, D., Diaz, R., & Sanchez, J. (2010) Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of LGBT young adults. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 23(4), 203-213.
thisisloyal.com, Loyal |. “LGB People Who Have Undergone Conversion Therapy Almost Twice as Likely to Attempt Suicide.” Williams Institute, June 24, 2020…