Queer Youth, Intoxication and Queer Drinking Spaces Summary
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Queer Youth, Intoxication and Queer Drinking Spaces Summary
A study by Hunt et al. (2018), examined gender substances and intoxicating in the social sciences. The study examines the qualitative data from 52 in-depths interviews with self-identified LGBTQ young people. Their research survey explored the relationship between meanings of drinking spaces and sexual and gender identities, intoxication, and further exploring the extent to which notions of femininity and masculinity impact youth. It was hypothesized that in case of heavy drinking by men, their masculinity is enhanced and become intoxicated (Hunt et al., 2018). From a study of different scholars,’ women’s alcohol and drug use’ was hypothesized as an active symbolic maker for the construction of lifestyles and identities for young women.
The authors provided citations of numerous studies hence giving support for the research. A survey from (Anderson2008; Becker1963; Moore2008; Young1971) showed that unconventional drinking is predominantly from pathology or problematic perspective while drinking practices and intoxication was used as ways to practicing gender. Queer young adults possess a considerably higher peril of substance misuse than their cisgender as well as heterosexual counterparts. The danger includes steeper drinking trajectories into young adulthood and an increased risk of alcohol misuse. Research shows that alcohol consumption and use were viewed as responses to health and social challenges that are significant to the lives of queer people such as stigma and stress and increased rates of psychological challenges (Hunt et al., 2018).
People engage in queer alcohol use as a mechanism for dealing with social and health problems such as stress and discrimination. They overlook the meaningful ways to intersect alcohol consumption with identity, space, place, sociability, and community formation for the queer youth. The authors point out research from (Brain, Parker, and Carnwath2000; Deutsch and Theodorou2009; Douglas and Isherwood1996; Furlong and Cartmel1997; Miles2000) showed that commodities such as clothes, cars, music or drugs offer a significant advantage to the young people. The main aim was to distinguish them from other youth groups, increase the sense of social solidarity, and further construct their identities. The use of alcohol can both maintain group boundaries and enhance cohesiveness while at the same time, creating a distinction between the two. The study also showed that identities shape alcohol has patterns and specific drinking practices but also plays a role in the performance of sexual and gender identities (Hunt et al., 2018). The study’s objective was to demonstrate how these adults disrupt, complicate, and replicate intoxication and drinking norms.
Methodology
According to the last census report, the study was conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area(SFBA) due to its largest population. The area was selected because of the native queer communities’ reflection characteristic sexual, racial, and ethnic, as well as socio-economic engagement in the area. The authors point out evidence from the study of (D’Emilio1981; Fader-man1992) which showed that the city is a metropolitan center for LGBTQ activity and many clubs, bars, and political and social organizations location. The article is based on data interviews from 52 self-identified LGBTQ participants exploring gender and alcoholic intoxication in youth’s lives living in SFBA. The recruitment was through a multi-tiered strategy, and the interviewing process took place in offices, and the aim was to recognize and classify the potential interview data. The method of acquiring data was conducted through closed-end survey, open-ended interview questions, photo-elicitation, and finally, through vignettes (Hunt et al., 2018).
The process enables the collection of detailed descriptions of gender performance, experiences with drinking, challenges of alcohol intoxication, and drinking places. Reviews were conducted from the transcribed research interview data by the research team on the accuracy and confidentiality with the help of ATLAS.ti. During the project development, the team realized that a significant number of participants identified as LGBTQ.
Result
The results indicated that the self-identified LGBTQ participants, women were the majority, followed by men and lastly ‘other.’ There was no significant difference from the gender identified as ‘other.’ From the findings of sexuality identification, the majority identified themselves as gays second followed’ other,’ bisexual, and the last were lesbians. Of these, there was a significant difference between the majority who preferred the term ‘queer’ and other conditions such as predominantly straight, pansexual, fluid, questioning, and all-inclusive. From the findings, the majority of those interviewed were the youths, and the majority of the participants identified themselves as non-white ethnic groups. The majority had a college education from the samples collected. There was a significant difference between those having an Associate’s degree or higher and those in school at least part-time (Hunt et al., 2018). There was also a significant difference among those employed and living in government-subsidized houses from the samples collected.
Discussion
The hypothesis stated that public places of drinking and intoxication are associated with hegemonic masculinity and other related heteronormative behaviors. Some of the traits include public intoxication, heavy drinking, alcohol use in initiating sexual connections, and women performing femininity and displaying their naked bodies in specific patterns to entertain the male gaze. Further evidence is given from Connell and Messerschmidt (2005) findings, which proves that hegemonic masculinity is also considered a pattern of practice allowing and promoting the dominance of men over women. Hypothetically speaking, participants sought to have queer drinking spaces more important, safe, comfortable, and reaffirmed through the creation of such spaces in which hegemonic masculine notions of heteronormativity reduced (Hunt et al., 2018). Evidence supporting this is pointed out by the statement… I know that when I go to a gay club, I can comfortably dance on a boy, you know, and I won’t get judged pretty much…
Participants drinking in public places gave reasons for avoiding heteronormative space of intoxication due to the safety and comfortability of the places. Participants adopted rules that allowed male aggression as well as created specific expectations for women to accomplish passive femininity in these drinking places. Some participants felt the likelihood of confronting heterosexual men, and cisgender in private venues as the voice of Karen, a trans woman says she prefers to drink in private settings of intoxication due to her lack of trust men. On the contrary, another female Mikah discusses how safer drinking in private settings around men through careful selection of straight male drinking companies. Also, complaints about male notions of entitlement were realized, especially in men’s feminine presenting participants (Hunt et al., 2018). Participants understudy gave in-depth reasons for avoiding male-dominated drinking places and particularly straight but instead expressed their wish to take advantage of alternative queer drinking places.
The hypothesis further illustrates that public places provide the best possibility to meet other people or a significant number of people. Also, bars and clubs fulfilled the process by helping prevent exposure due to their private nature. Private bars and clubs provide a platform for queer people to feel marginalized and enjoy themselves in empowering ways. Some participants viewed alcohol as problematic and also called for a wider variety of accessible social spaces. In contrast, others highlighted the role of alcohol in forming and enhancement of queer spaces precisely (Hunt et al., 2018). Queer drinking places also played a vital role as participants argued that alcohol enhances the sense of commonality, and sociability these private queer drinking places. Moreover, the ability of alcohol to lower inhibitions by allowing the ideas of feeling free to explore their hidden desires, gender and sexualities were essential to these participants. Alcohol also aided the ease of internal discomfort and external situational difficulties that usually accompanied norm violations.
The hypothesis further states that sexuality was treated to be a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. From the findings, alcohol played a vital role in sexual exploration and identity formation among the youth. Consumption of alcohol also created the space for many participants to step outside of heteronormative gender expectations and investigations of identities. On the other hand, the disinhibiting nature of the alcohol associates itself with hegemonic masculinity mostly in violence, sexual aggression, and masculine entitlement. Although alcohol contributes to and facilitates spaces for participants to explore their sexual identities, a sense of unease about intoxication still a nightmare for some (Hunt et al., 2018). Intoxication still associates itself as a means of excusing and fostering unwanted male sexual aggression.
The authors also found out that participants’ illustration of the heteronormative masculine practices and drinking in private drinking places disrupted. On the contrary, participants also described how women were not stigmatized when exhibiting the queer drinking spaces and drinking practices associated with the performance of masculinity. Also, it was noted while in heteronormative spaces, the display of masculine drinking performances by women represent gender norms violations. Participants accounts also revealed the contested issues around gender performance and interpretations of displays of the masculine practices (Hunt et al., 2018). In contrast, others viewed it as the performance of masculine drinking practices and acts that liberated the way towards gaining social capitalism. The contestations and conflict interpretations from different participants of drinking-related behaviors that reflected their extent to which disputes about acceptable behaviors still operating within these queer drinking places.
Generally, many public drinking settings related to alcohol and intoxication associate themselves with different ways to access to masculinity. Hegemonic gender norms in most drinking places dictate the engagement rules and policies. The analysis of interviews with queer participants showed that heteronormative drinking places are structured in some ways that perpetuates sexism and rewards the display of hegemonic masculinity. For the participants to free themselves from the ‘male gaze’ as well as homophobic masculinity, they described looking for meaningful queer drinking places to socialize freely and become intoxicated. The article focuses on broader and more neglected sociological issues that can be identified when considering queer young adults and their drinking practices. Also, from many interviews conducted, minority stress, mental health, and structural inequalities are vital issues towards the lives of queer young adults. From the findings, the authors suggest that the attention should be directed on alcohol consumption as the coping mechanism in providing these one-side approaches towards essential component of young people’s lives thus engaging in different social practices to create meaningful spaces.
References
Hunt, G., Antin, T., Sanders, E., & Sisneros, M. (2018). Queer youth, intoxication and queer drinking spaces. Journal Of Youth Studies, 22(3), 380-400. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2018.1508826