Oppression-Based Stress and Alcohol Inequities Among Sexual and Gender Minority People: An Intersectional Multilevel Framework
10/03/2024
A new NIAAA-funded paper in Alcohol Research: Current Reviews shows that sexual and gender minority (SGM) people—particularly girls and women—are more likely to use and misuse alcohol than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. The study also shows that the association between gender identity, sexual orientation, and alcohol use behaviors may differ among racial and ethnic groups.
This review examines the hypothesis that SGM individuals’ experiences of oppression (e.g., heterosexism, anti-bisexual prejudice, cissexism) in many domains of their lives may lead to stress that contributes to their alcohol use and misuse. It analyzes associations between different, often intersecting types of oppression at the personal/interpersonal and structural level and alcohol use among SGM people, including racial/ethnic minorities. These findings support the use of alcohol misuse prevention interventions and treatments that affirm SGM individuals, promote coping skills and resilience, and acknowledge nuances between different subgroups in these populations. Read the full article here.