Alcoholism Rate in Lesbian Relationships?

Question

Any ideas as to why the alcoholism rate in the Lesbian Communities is so high? Also it seems there is a lot of other addiction problems in Gay communities in general, why?

Answer 1

Gays & lesbians have had to have their own bars, since they were not safe nor welcome in most public placs, including churches, social clubs, nightclubs, etc.

Society has projected a lot of shame and guilt toward gay people. Once inside the safety of a gay bar, a nervous gay or lesbian would be encouraged to have a strong drink to 'get over' their anxiety and fears.

This worked for most people! A social drink is a good lubricant for easing tension. But gays didn't have anywhere else to go but bars, so that's where they would go, every night, to drink.

This use of alcohol constitutes self-medicating for stress. Alcohol is highly addictive. While my straight siblings were bsy at chruch suppers and tupperware parties, I could only go to the local gay bar, if I felt lonely or bored. What a great place to meet people and to develop an addiction or two while you're there!

Historically, gays & lesbians in most countries have struggled with laws which classified their bars and pubs are 'house of ill-repute' a classification reserved for brtohels and opium dens.

During the period of Alcohol Prohibition in the U.S. gay bars, which were hidden behind secret doors, etc. became popular with straight people desperate to find a drink.

Gay club owners paid off the police just to exist, before and after Prohibition, so the gay bars are among those that survived the Prohibition.

This helped a lot of straight people to meet gay people for the first time. After Prohibition, the so-called 'Blue Laws' prohibited selling alcohol on Sundays.

Gay clubs offered their guest 'ice tea' during the Sunday afternoon dances. People would spike their ice tea with a cheap combination of rum, whisky, vodka, and gin. They called this 'Long Island Ice Teas.'

As you can see, a lot of ideas and habits from gay culture passed over to popular culture. Unfortunately, gays and lesbians have higher rates of stress-related illness, including addiction.

A lot of gay community center offer free therapy, group counseling, and 12-step recovery groups to their members.

Gay & lesbian teenagers commit suicide more often than straight teens, probalby because their families reject them for being gay. The pressure of living each day in a society that hates you is greater than we realize.

That's why gays are very protective of ourselves and of each other. If a gay or lesbian wants help -- it's there -- just call your local gay referal line. You are never alone!!!

Answer 2

People gotta have some way of drowning the misery caused by their families disowning them, losing their jobs because of their sexuality, being second-class citizens, etc. That and a lot of people in the LGBT communities weren't mainstream enough to be part of the efforts to put an end to those things.

Answer 3

determining no count number if something has a organic and organic reason is complicated, and finding a particularly genetic link is much greater so. The handful of analyze that purportedly upload as much as incontestable "information" that homosexuals are "born that way" are inconclusive at ultimate and, as Dr. Rahman notes, "ordinarily correlational in nature." sometimes, such with the aid of fact the twins analyze, the information strongly exhibits that early environment is greater probably the dominant factor to have produced gay desires.

Answer 4

I think that you are speaking in terms of generalities that are probably unfounded.

Answer 5

It could be just general moral weakness.