Drugs and the LGBTQ Community

According to a report by the UK Drug Policy Commission, gay men and lesbians are far more likely to put their health at risk from drug misuse than heterosexuals.  The Impact of Drugs on Different Minority Groups: A review of the UK Literature has argued that it is paramount that there be a better understanding of drug use within diverse minority communities if lives are going to be saved.  People within the LGBTQ community tend to be early users of new drugs and illicit drug use is higher than their heterosexual counterparts.  An explanation of the higher drug use within the LGBTQ community has everything to do with the struggles individual's within this community face on a daily basis.  Heavy drug use could be linked to deeper mental issues that may make gay men or lesbians more susceptible to drug misuse. Homophobic bullying starting from the time individual's are in school often has a hangover effect, storing up mental and emotional health problems later on into their adult life. 


It is interesting that although LGBTQ people are shown as having used all types of drugs, there are certain drugs that appear to be more popular within the community rather than in the mainstream community.  For instance, gay men are more likely to use marijuana, cocaine, stimulants, sedatives, and party drugs such as ecstasy and ketamine.  


Another very significant part of drug addiction within the LGBTQ community is linked to "club drugs."  Club Drugs also known as "designer drugs"has risen to popularity over the last two decades.  Including trip-based drugs such as the aforementioned ecstasy, club drugs tend to be used to facilitate social and sexual interactions at dance clubs or underground parties known as “raves.”  Many club drugs can quickly lead to addiction and consequences of addiction include compromised judgment and the lowering of social inhibitions, in the worst cases leading gay and lesbian individuals to fall victim to drug overdose, unsafe or anonymous sexual practices and even become victims of sexual assaults and verbal and physical violence.

Women, Prison, & the Drug War

After taking some interest in researching how women gain access to illicit drugs behind bars, I found many interesting facts about women, prison, and the war on drugs:

1. Black women are 3.8 times more likely than white women to be sent to prison while Latinas are 1.6 times more likely than white women to be sent to prison.

2.  Even though they use illicit drugs at a similar rate during pregnancy, black women are 10 times more likely than white women to be reported for to child welfare for prenatal drug abuse.

3.  A Black woman is 4.8 times more likely than a white woman to be sent to prison for a drug violation.

4.  Since 1977, the rate of female imprisonment has grown 757 percent therefore making women the fastest growing segment of the prison population.

5.  A drug offense is the most common reason for maternal incarceration.

What I found the most baffling in my research of drugs and prison is that prisons are supposed to be institutions that provide the opportunity for women to lead drug free lives, however, it seems now more than ever that prisons actually just offer opportunity for prisoners to tackle their drug use which is only continuing the cycle and odds of women staying confined to prison life.

The War on Drugs & Abortion: A Connection?

After reading an article that was based on both the war on drugs and the war on abortion, I found many similar connections between the two heavily debated topics and thought it would be interesting to discuss the initial connections I found:


*Through history women have sought to control their reproduction regardless of cultural, religious, or family values having to do with that of contraception, abortion, and childbearing.  Similarly with this people have always sought ways in which to alter their state of consciousness through a range of mind-altering experiences and drugs.  Therefore, one obvious connection that is found is that both subjects relate to what people do and have always done to their bodies regardless of the severity of the restrictions.


*Both subjects reflect the extremes of human experience: sex and drugs can give people mind expanding, life affirming, ecstatic experiences.  However, they both are associated with abuse, violence, and despair.  For example, a woman is very much connected to her sexuality and her ability to reproduce, however, that may be affected permanently through experiences such as rape and molestation.  Similarly, there is a deeply rooted and permanent scar for those women who turn to drugs to numb the pain of such experiences.


*Reproduction and drug use share many commonalties when it comes to justifications for prohibition and regulation.  Various forms of prejudice include: race, ethnicity, and gender which have been used to justify such control.


*At various times in American history both abortion and certain drugs have been outlawed.  Even when outlawed and enforced, the effect of the efforts to prohibit both abortion and drug use have been consistently unsuccessful.

Gender Exploitation in Alcohol Advertising

Media and popular culture has one of the biggest influences on our society.  Media essentially provides us with actual models of behavior and creates ideas or “norms” for society through social constructs.  The messages and models we see within society can reinforce an individual's or society as a whole's existing beliefs and/or attitude about a particular topic.  One of the biggest ways in which the media molds our views as a society is through advertising and currently there has been a noticeable increase in the use of sexual appeal within alcohol advertisements.  According to a study by S.C. Jones from the University of Wollongong called “Beer, Boats, and Breasts: Responses to a controversial alcohol advertising campaign” the increasing portrayals of sexuality in advertising began in the 1980s and has continued through the '90's into to today.  Women are over-sexualized and often found to be partially dressed or even nude within these advertisements.  Ultimately these advertisements are degrading and demeaning to women because these women are being used as objects.  Their bodies are being used to sell products for the specific pleasure of men focusing solely around the sexual appeal of women often  insinuating to society that females are only worthy of their sexuality.  Through the use of alcohol advertisements that objectify women it only aims the appeal toward the opposite gender along with giving a negative portrayal of women toward the younger generations expected to mold our society in the future.

Alcohol's Role in Perception of Sexual Intent

In American society alcohol and sexuality are frequently linked especially within men.  This is why many people consistently report that alcohol enhances sexuality and this is why men tend to expect a greater sexual enhancement after drinking alcohol than women.  I find it particularly interesting that many studies demonstrate that men perceive women more sexually than women do; in a sense they view the world in a more sexualized manner than women especially after alcohol consumption.  Consequently they are more likely to interpret ambiguous cues as evidence of sexual intent.  This ambiguity makes it difficult for people to decide whether certain words or actions are sexual invitations or whether or not they are just being friendly.  This is why both women and men report that misperceptions of friendliness as sexual interest are common although significantly more women are subjected and have these experiences than men.