The facts, ironically, are most sobering. The rates of both alcohol consumption and alcohol problems are higher among lesbians and gay men than in the general population. Even worse, LGBT youths appear to use alcohol and other drugs more than other young people. While there are genetic factors involved (which are the primary influences typical of Type 2 alcoholism), some argue that environmental factors (which, along with genetic factors, are typical of Type 1 alcoholism) are the ones that primarily influence members of the GLBT community to drink heavily. Environmental issues can range from dealing with 'coming out' to being bombarded with suggestive advertising.
Recently, a national alcoholism strategy session/forum was held in Chicago that looked at environmental factors that could put the GLBT community at greater risk. Several groups, including The Chicago Department of Public Health's Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health; the Marin Institute of northern California; and the Association of Latino Men for Action (ALMA), hosted the event. Windy City Times spoke with Julio Rodriguez, the president of ALMA and a forum participant.
Windy City Times: What's the purpose of this forum?
Julio Rodriguez: We're looking at environmental factors as they relate to alcohol and the GLBT community.
WCT: What are some of the main factors?
JR: For one, there are the issues of promoting alcohol in the GLBT community—and its impact. It's not to say if [selling alcohol is] good or bad; it's something that we need to be more aware of, however. We're not targeting a particular vendor or product. We're looking at how [alcohol-related] promotion relates to the community and some of the potential risks that may exist. How a product is advertised can affect how someone feels about himself and what choices he may or may not make regarding the use of that product. We know there's a correlation between alcohol abuse and unsafe sex. So if promoting an increased use of alcohol creates a negative impact on our community, then we need to figure out how to help individuals and the industry to be more responsible. For example, I've seen an ad where there's a beer bottle in a guy's crotch and the bottle pops, which some individuals might equate to having good sex. There's also the issue of general availability of alcohol to members of the gay community. Where are most of the outlets or venues for gay people to socialize? And are many of them centered on alcohol consumption? If you're a 16-year-old gay person and you look around, it might seem to you that gay people interact around alcohol quite a bit. What message does that give? People even today still seem to think that most gay people only get together in gay bars—which isn't necessarily true. Also, it seems that the industry provides tremendous support to those businesses and events [that provide alcohol]. Worse, it doesn't seem that the same level of support from these companies can be found around non-drinking social events or other such activities.
WCT: So you're saying they are putting profits before individuals.
JR: Not all but some. Those vendors that are not socially conscious are not thinking about the messages they're sending to the community. We also have to look at the availability of alcohol to young people. The legal drinking age is 21. However, you and I know that it wouldn't be that unusual to see alcohol being sold at [the] Gay Pride [Parade] with very little monitoring. Young people will buy because it's this festive affair and people are thinking, 'Oh, what's the big deal?' Then, later on that night, you have an intoxicated teenager in a highly risky situation. That person may engage in some high-risk behavior—and it may not even be sexual. He could walk through a neighborhood where saying you're out and proud could prove to be a risk to [his or her] life. Of course there are other communities that use alcohol. However, maybe it is time the gay community stepped back and said, 'Wait a minute. We know this product can be potentially harmful to us. What are we doing to help regulate it within our own community?' Let's use the African-American community as an example. Before, you would see much more advertising for hard liquor in the poorer African-American communities of Chicago than you would see in places like Lake Forest. The industry was aggressively targeting those communities as opposed to others. It was using predatory practices to make profits, knowing that there was little chance that they would be met with any real opposition. However, the companies were wrong and local community leaders confronted the industries; then, things began to change. Again, it's looking at what the potential impact has been and what, if anything, the GLBT community should be doing.
WCT: Let's say I'm a company spokesman and I say, 'We are being socially aware because we are acknowledging your demographic. Twenty years ago, companies wouldn't have given the GLBT community a second look.'
JR: Sure that's good, but when you advertise around things like Halloween but use images that appeal to young people instead of adults, that's when I start to question your advertising practices. I'm not saying you shouldn't advertise, but [don't] misrepresent your product just to make a profit.
WCT: Like alcohol-flavored lollipops?
JR: That's a perfect example. [Another example is] when you allow outlets to sell alcohol next to juice. Wine coolers don't look any different from flavored juices, which can confuse kids.
WCT: What should the community do?
JR: I think all of us need to do a better job of educating ourselves about alcohol use, misuse, and abuse. The product by itself is not dangerous; it's the reasons we use alcohol and how much that we need to consider. We need to provide alternatives so people don't use alcohol as a substitute for other things or as a way to cope with challenges they face in life. It's also important to remember that it is a mind-altering substance. People need to know the risks regarding alcohol. We talk about hard drugs but we spend very little time about the dangers around alcohol.
WCT: Also, a lot of people forget that alcohol is a drug.
JR: Yes, it's [indeed] a drug. It's like people who say they don't drink heavily because they drink beer. Some beers have higher alcoholic content than some hard liquors. Also, someone who is 110 pounds can't handle the same amount as someone who's a lot heavier. The other thing is that the bodies of young people are growing and changing. Introducing alcohol to them may automatically create risks for them. It's more than advertising and education. We also need to think about how much alcohol is available. You shouldn't go to a party and feel that you should only drink alcohol. For example, some of our friends assume that if my partner and I host a party that some type of alcohol should be there. People shouldn't think that alcohol at a party has to be the norm. Just because there isn't alcohol doesn't mean that you won't be having a good time.
WCT: What about people who use alcohol to escape? For example, what about the gay youth who had a fight with his family after being forced to come out? (By the way, this is a hypothetical. I'm certainly not endorsing alcohol use.)
JR: Well, think about it. There's reaching out to a friend, taking a walk, or calling a help line. It seems that we teach people, like in the movies when we have to deal with hard issues, that getting a drink is a natural reaction or remedy. We have to get the message out to people, especially young people, that there are other alternatives.
WCT: How do you get companies to listen?
JR: Well, you have to make sure that they know you are watching them. If I know someone's watching me, I'll be much more aware of my behavior—even if I don't change it. The second thing is to give them options regarding how to sell and market their products. The third thing is to tell them that they can't just walk away from the results of what their products do. It makes the companies question what the responsible thing to do really is. We have to educate more of the community to say that there's a line that companies shouldn't cross. If companies won't put products in places where they create risks, they will advertise more responsibly and will consider the impact that their products might have on a particular community. We have to be willing to say to the [industry] that you can promote your products, but that there have to be some parameters so that we can try to insure the well-being of our own community.
You can reach the Office of Lesbian and Gay Health through its Web site, www.ci.chi.il.us/Health/GayandLesbian.html, or by calling (312) 747-9632. The Web site for the Marin Institute is www.marininstitute.org; (415) 456-5692.
I'm at westelm406@yahoo.com .
(Source: The Ethics of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Pharmaceutical Funding: A Practical Guide for LGBT Organizations, 2001.)
