Sides A, B, X, and Y are labels used for theological positions on homosexuality within some Christian churches and communities. In general, those who affirm same-sex marriage fall under "Side A", while those who do not affirm it are classified as "Side B", "Side X", or "Side Y". The letters A and B have been suggested to refer to the two sides of a phonograph record.

While differing in their views on same-sex marriage, the four groups often address issues affecting the LGBTQ community. Side A and Side B generally oppose conversion therapy and accept LGBTQ identification, including the term "gay Christian". Side X generally affirms the pursuit of exclusive heterosexuality and supports the ex-gay movement. Side Y claims to be opposed to identity politics and affirms Christian regeneration as the primary form of transformation.

There are no standardized definitions for the four positions, and individuals do not always identify with these labels. Some, particularly those associated with Side Y, may prefer terms such as "Bible-believing Christian" or "eunuch for the kingdom of God".

Side A (affirming)

Many LGBTQ-affirming churches align with the perspective known as Side A and may describe themselves using terms such as affirming or welcoming or inclusive. This view generally holds that monogamous same-sex relationships are morally equivalent to heterosexual relationships.

Side A affirms same-sex monogamy and maintains that refraining from same-sex relationships can be psychologically or spiritually harmful for people with non-heterosexual attractions. Some proponents regard same-sex attraction as a natural or God-given characteristic and view same-sex marriages within a committed context as consistent with divine blessing.

Public figures who have expressed Side A views include Rob Bell, who states,I am for marriage. I am for fidelity. I am for love, whether it's a man and woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man. I think the ship has sailed and I think the church needs—I think this is the world we are living in and we need to affirm people wherever they are.Some international networks of churches support blessing same-sex marriage, such the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists,Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, Our Church Members, awab.org, USA, accessed August 16, 2025 Ecumenical Catholic Church,Ecumenical Catholic Church, Doctrines, ecumenicalcatholicchurch.org, Mexico, accessed August 16, 2025 Metropolitan Community Church,Metropolitan Community Church, Our churches, visitmccchurch.com, USA, accessed August 16, 2025 Reconciling Ministries Network (Methodist),Reconciling Ministries Network, Find a Reconciling Ministry, rmnetwork.org, USA, accessed August 16, 2025 The Covenant Network (Pentecostal).Covenant Network, Our churches, thecovenantnetwork.com, USA, accessed August 16, 2025 Other organizations include OneBodyOneFaith in the UK,Andrew Atherstone, John G. Maiden, Evangelicalism and the Church of England in the Twentieth Century: Reform, Resistance and Renewal, Boydell & Brewer, UK, 2014, p. 194 and Affirming Christian Fellowship and Q Christian Fellowship in the US.

Progressive theology Some individuals within Side A identify as progressive Christians and often hold theological positions that differ from those of conservative Christianity, such as approaching doctrinal claims in a non-literal or flexible manner or focusing on the humanitarian aspects of Jesus and the Bible rather than on its historicity. In One Faith No Longer, George Yancey and Ashlee Quosigk observe,. . . progressive Christians tie much of their ideology to humanistic rationality and a desire for social justice.Side A adherents may interpret the Bible through postmodern or progressive frameworks such as queer theology. Passages traditionally cited as condemning homosexuality, such as the account of Sodom and Gomorrah, are often understood within this perspective as not referring to modern same-sex committed relationships. Resources reflecting Side A perspectives include The Reformation Project, founded by Matthew Vines. Vines writes,If the essence of marriage involves a covenant-keeping relationship of mutual self-giving, then two men and two women can fulfill that purpose as well as a man and a woman can.Critics argue that such a view on marriage and gender is theologically revisionistic, pointing to its reliance on extrabiblical values and incompatibility with long-established Christian doctrines such as biblical inerrancy, bridal theology, gender complementarity, and marriage as a heterosexually gendered institution.

Notable proponents of Side A include Matthew Vines, Justin Lee, and Randy Thomas.

Side B (chaste vocations)

The Side B position opposes same-sex marriage. It maintains that queer-identifying Christians should pursue a “positive vocation” for their lives. Advocates of the Side B position state that all Christians are called to chaste vocations—defined as a specific form of sexual faithfulness and integrity through celibacy or a monogamous relationship with a spouse of the opposite sex. Some Side B Christians enter heterosexual marriages despite experiencing same-sex attraction (often referred to as mixed-orientation marriages). Others remain celibate, sometimes in singleness, sometimes in committed same-sex celibate partnerships, or living in intentional community.

The term “Side B” was first explicitly outlined in 2010 by Episcopal priest Wesley Hill.

Spiritual Friendship Some proponents address the belief that marriage and sexual relationships are the primary or exclusive forms of deep commitment by referencing biblical examples, interpreting relationships like that of David and Jonathan and Ruth and Naomi as models of nonmarital, nonsexual commitment between people of the same sex. Spiritual friendship is presented as an alternative for cultivating deep relational bonds without entering a same-sex marriage. Hill, in his book Spiritual Friendship, describes such relationships this way:What [monk] Aelred called "spiritual friendship" was a form of same-sex intimacy that sublimated or transmuted erotic passion rather than sanctioning its genital expression. . . Aelred promoted an intimacy between friends that wasn't simply reducible to romantic love. But neither did he envision anything less than brotherhood.

Context-based LGBT labels Views on language around sexual orientation vary among Side B proponents. Some, such as TJ Espinoza and David Frank of the New Kinship Podcast, identify as “queer” and “non-straight", respectively, with Espinoza emphasizing that he uses terms like “queer” to describe his sexuality rather than his personal identity, in order to maintain distance between the two. Others, including Rachel Gilson, author of Born Again This Way, may use terms like gay or lesbian to describe people but avoid them as identity labels, citing concerns that such terms may be interpreted as indicating approval of same-sex relationships.

Mark Yarhouse and Olya Zaporozhets, in Costly Obedience, note that some celibate gay-identifying Christians use the label “gay Christian” for accessibility and simplicity. Side B proponents often describe identity language choices as pragmatic, shaped by personal or contextual considerations. Proctor has described queer identity, in the Side B context, as a way to communicate one's experiences and desires.

Some celibate LGBTQ-identifying Christians have criticized the term “Side B” as too narrow to capture the diversity of perspectives on sex, sexuality, gender, and marriage, and as divisive to their communities. Supporters of the term argue that it is necessary to differentiate their position from the ex-gay (Side X) approach. Others, such as Preston Sprinkle, disagree with the celibate partnership aspect of Side B but embrace the use of LGBTQ labels (such as "gay", "straight", "lesbian", and "trans") as identity markers. On accommodating such terms, Sprinkle writes,I can either, in this shared social space, force my worldview and my language that reflects my worldview, which I think is correct; ... I could either force ... that on somebody else and demand that they use language that reflects my worldview, or I can accommodate to their use of language. ... And so yeah, I'm going to step in, and out of an accommodation to where this person is currently at in their journey, I'm going to use the pronouns, because they actually do factually match their gender identity. I can disagree whether pronouns should resonate with gender identity. I can disagree with gender identity as a philosophical concept, which—I've got many problems with that. And I would tease it. ... So it's not about agreement or disagreement. So I'm going to accommodate, given the flexibility of language, the complexity of language, a shared social space, not because I agree with what they're saying.Some criticize Side B's affirmation of LGBTQ identity, viewing it as incompatible with biblical teachings on sexuality, duplicitous, revisionistic in its view of the Fall of man and of platonic same-sex intimacy in the Bible (David and Jonathan, Jesus and John, etc.), and as enabling of rebellion against the creation ordinance, and as a subtle compromise on sin. For example, author Rosaria Butterfield, argues that Christians must recognize that the cultural purpose behind LGBTQ labeling is not a request for tolerance of differences anymore but one for affirmation of worldview, due to institutional changes:The problem is that after Obergefell and after the Dignitary Harm Clause, what used to be terminology—I call you by a new name, I call you by a different pronoun; it’s just in the synonym finder and it’s all on the same level—now it’s no longer terminology, but it’s ideology.Critics also censure Side B's denial that temptation can be sinful, viewing it as a misinterpretation of James 1. They similarly accuse the Side B approach of syncretizing Freudian and atheistic anthropology (namely, in affirming all romantic attractions as morally neutral) with Christianity and misinterpreting Romans 1.

Supporters of the Side B approach state that their aim is to present alternatives to progressive sexual ethics and to provide visibility for Christians with LGBTQ experiences who adhere to their understanding of biblical sexual ethics. Resources reflecting Side B perspectives include the Life on Side B Podcast, founded by Josh Proctor, Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender, founded by Preston Sprinkle, and Revoice, a community network.

Side X (orientation change)

Side X derives its name from the term "ex-gay". The position generally regard sexual orientation change efforts as an ideal or positive treatment for people with non-heterosexual attractions. Some Side X perspectives pathologize the development of same-sex attraction to factors such as unmet childhood needs, including experiences of shame from a same-sex parent, overidentification with an opposite-sex parent, or a temperamentally based disidentification with a same-sex parent. Figures associated with Side X include Joseph Nicolosi and Joe Dallas.

Among the four “Sides” frameworks, Side X combines conservative Christianity with conversion therapy and heteronormativity. Comparisons have been drawn to organizations with Islamic (StraightWay Foundation) and Orthodox Jewish (JONAH) affiliations.

Trauma treatment