Anheuser Busch Targets Homosexuals
By Dale O'Leary
Having received at least 10 different emails asking me to call Anheuser Busch ( at
1-888-227- 8783) and complain about the advertising directed to homosexual males, I would
like to make some suggestions to those who are pressuring Anheuser Busch to change its
strategy.
First, why is Anheuser Busch targeting homosexuals? Because homosexual are more likely
to consume large amounts of alcohol.. About 7% of the general population (10% of the men
and 5% of women) have a problem with alcohol abuse or addiction. A number of studies have
found far higher rates in homosexuals. Some studies suggest that 30% of homosexuals (male
and female) have an alcohol problem. Thus, while homosexuals are a very small part of the
general public, they are a larger part of the alcohol consuming public. Anheuser Busch is
exploiting the homosexuals' problem
Second, the risk associated with alcohol consumption for a male homosexual is higher
than for a heterosexual. A number of solid studies have found that unsafe sex between
homosexual men often occurs when the partners are drunk or high. These men know that they
should use condoms, but get drunk and forget, or when drunk are more likely to rationalize
risk taking. Some homosexual psychologists have theorized that homosexual men get drunk as
an excuse to have unprotected sex. Those who engage in sex with men they meet in bars are
at particular risk.
Epidemiologist estimate that 50% of men who have sex with men will eventually contract
HIV or another potentially fatal disease such as Human Papilloma Virus, which causes
cancer, or Hepatitis C, which leads to liver cancer and liver failure. Studies also show
that homosexual men who have sex when drunk or high are far more likely to become infected
than those who don't. While for men new medications control HIV, new strains of the virus
are now spreading within the homosexual community - strains which are resistant to the
medication. New research also shows that the virus is capable of hiding from even the best
of the new drugs, and could re-emerge if the drugs are stopped.
Those who need confirmation of the link between substance abuse and HIV should read, Sexual
Ecology by Gabriel Rotello or Life Outside by Michelangelo Signoreli. Both men
are gay activists, both are trying to warn other homosexual men about the risks associated
with substance abuse.
In this country there is tremendous pressure on cigarette manufactures and on cigarette
advertising. Targeting homosexuals with alcohol ads is far more irresponsible. There is
ample and uncontroverted evidence that Anheuser Busch is callously endangering the lives
and health of this consumer group.
And by the way, while it is important to call Anheuser Busch and other large
corporations that are promoting the homosexual agenda, it is more important to pray for
homosexual persons.
REFERENCES
The following is a list of the references mentioned documenting the association between
alcohol abuse and sexually transmitted diseases among homosexual men taken from a
bibliography containing over 1000 journal articles and scores of books on homosexuality --
almost all written by homosexuals or those who have their best interests at heart. Most of
these studies appeared in the peer reviewed journals.
In some cases direct quotes from the articles are included. For the sake of brevity an
equal number of articles on the other sexually transmitted diseases which threaten the
lives of homosexual men, such human papilloma virus caused cancer and hepatitis C which can
lead to cancer and liver failure have not been included. These are available to those who
are interested. Human papilloma virus is spread by skin to skin contact rendering condoms
only marginally protective. Hepatitis C is spread in the same manner as HIV. Given that
both are epidemic in the homosexual male population, and both cause death years after the
initial infection, it may be that another major epidemic lies ahead.
For those who find journal articles difficult to read, the Rotello and Signorile books
are an excellent resource. Both men are homosexual activists. It is Rotello who
demonstrates how in spite of all the safe sex education for the foreseeable future one out
of two men who have sex with men will become HIV positive.
All the research shows that homosexual men are at higher risk for alcohol abuse and the
risk that they will engage in unsafe sexual practices and contract a potentially fatal
disease is astronomically higher.
Those who care about every human life care that 50% of a group targeted aggressively by
advertising will as a side-effect of using that product engage in behavior which will
cause them to contract a potential fatal and incurable disease. FIFTY PERCENT.
According to Mulry et al (cited below), their study found "a virtual absence of
individuals who did not drink but did engage unprotected anal intercourse."
Reading these articles should encourage everyone to pray for those individuals trapped
in a cycle of self-destructive behavior and to understand why it is important that
corporations not contribute to the devastation.
Rotello, G. (1997). Sexual Ecology: AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men. NY: Dutton.
Signorile, M. (1997) Life Outside: The Signorile Report on Gay Men: Sex, Drugs,
Muscles, and the Passages of Life. NY: Harper Collins. pp.110 - 115.
Hessol, N., Lifson, A., O'Malley, P., Doll, L., Jaffe, H., Rutherford, G. (1989)
Prevalence, incidence and progression of human immunodeficiency virus infection in
homosexual and bisexual men in hepatitis B vaccine trials, 1978 - 1988. American
Journal of Epidemiology. 130, 6: 1167 - 1175.
Hoover, D., Munoz, A., Carey, V., Chmiel, J., Taylor, J., Margolick, J., Kingsley, L.,
Vermund, S. (1991) Estimating the 1978 - 1990 and future spread of human immunodeficiency
virus type 1 in subgroups of homosexual men. American Journal of Epidemiology. 134,
10: 1190 - 1205.
The overall probability of seroconversion [becoming HIV positive] prior to age 55 years
is about 50%, with seroconversion still continuing at and after age 55. Given that this
cohort consists of volunteers receiving extensive anti-HIV-1 transmission education, the
future seroconversion rates of the general homosexual population may be even higher than
those observed here.
Morris, M., Dean, L. (1994) Effects of sexual behavior change on long-term human
immunodeficiency virus prevalence among homosexual men. American Journal of
Epidemiology. 140, 3: 217 - 232.
Stall, R., Mc Kusick, L, Wiley, J., Coates, T., Ostrow, D. (1986) Alcohol and drug use
during sexual activity and compliance with safe sex guidelines for AIDS: The AIDS
Behavioral Research Project. Health Education Quarterly. 13, 4: 359 - 371.
Kaslow, R., Ostrow, D., Detels, R., Phair, J., Polk, F., Rinaldo, C. (1987) The
multicenter AIDS cohort study: rationale, organization and selected characteristics of
participants. American Journal of Epidemiology. 126, 2: 310 - 318.
Bauman, L., Siegel, K. (1987) Misperception among gay men of the risk of AIDS associated
with their sexual behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 17, 3: 329 - 350.
Kelly, J., St. Lawrence, J., Brasfield, T. (1991) Predictors of vulnerability to AIDS
risk behavior relapse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 59, 1: 163 -
166.
Depending on the city, between 20 and 50% of sexually active gay men already have HIV
infection... and the virus is transmitted efficiently during unprotected anal
intercourse... In view of this combination of high current infection prevalence and
transmission efficiency, even infrequent high-risk behavior lapses among homosexual men
carry serious health repercussions. Kingsley et al.(1987), for example, found that urban
gay men who have unprotected receptive anal intercourse with only one partner over 12
months are 300% more likely to develop HIV infection, and engaging in this practice with
five partners produces an 18-fold increase in likelihood of HIV seroconversion. We are
aware of no other health threat behavior and no other population in which such low relapse
rates carry such potentially grave consequences.
Fisher, D., DeLapp, T., Roggenbuck, R., Brause, J. (1992) Substance use and perceived
AIDS exposure among homosexual men in Alaska. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 6,
3: 168 - 174.
Morris, M., Dean, L. (1994) Effects of sexual behavior change on long-term human
immunodeficiency virus prevalence among homosexual men. American Journal of
Epidemiology. 140, 3: 217 - 232.
Choi, K., Coates, J., Catania, S., Lew, S., Chow, P. (1995) High HIV risk among gay
Asian and Pacific islander men in San Francisco. AIDS. 9, 3: 306 - 308. ":...
the most influential determinant of unsafe sex was substance use, with men under such
influence being significantly more likely to engage in unprotected anal intercourse."
Myers, T., Godin, G., Lambert, J., Calzavara, L., Locker, D. (1996) Sexual Risk and
HIV-Testing Behavior by Gay and Bisexual Men in Canada. AIDS Care. June.
Overall, 22.9% of the respondents reported at least one episode of unprotected anal
intercourse in the previous 3 months...Those men who reported use of alcohol prior to sex
were more likely to report unprotected anal intercourse than those men who did not report
the use of alcohol, and the level of unprotection was related to frequency of use prior to
sex.
Sack, K. (1999) For gay men, HIV peril and rising drug use. New York Times. Jan
29. (internet version)
In a report released Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said
complacency caused by medical advances and improved H.I.V. drugs were at least partly
responsible for an increase in risky sexual behavior among gay men, and particularly among
young gay men.
The report said the number of gay men in San Francisco who reported having unprotected
anal sex increased to 39 percent in 1997 from 30 percent in 1994. Those who said they had
unprotected sex with multiple partners grew to 33 percent from 24 percent, with men 25 and
under accounting for the largest increase.
Those who are using recreational drugs, typically young men in their 20's and 30's,
often are also those most susceptible to complacency, said Helene D. Gayle, director of
the National Center for H.I.V., S.T.D. and TB Prevention, an arm of the disease control
agency in Atlanta.
That age group tends to use alcohol and recreational drugs most aggressively, often to
escape the stigma and confusion associated with their newly embraced homosexuality, Dr.
Gayle said. Because they have come of age at a time when the death and debilitation caused
by AIDS is less visible in the United States than it once was, young gay men are also more
likely to ignore warnings about the perils of unsafe sex, she said.
And last week, AID Atlanta kicked off an aggressive new educational campaign on the
nexus between drug use and unsafe sex. The group grew concerned after seeing a 50 percent
increase last year in H.I.V. tests that yielded positive results, to 2.7 percent of 4,144
tests in 1998 from 1.8 percent of 4,290 tests in 1997.
AID Atlanta has produced a series of seven advertisements that will appear in gay
publications and as posters in gay bars and clubs. "Taking risks with drugs or
alcohol means your sex could be risky too," one typical ad says."
Fifield, L. (1975) On my way to nowhere: Alienated, isolated, drunk. Unpublished
monograph prepared by the Gay Community Services Center.
We have documented the primary hypothesis of this study that the incidence of alcohol
abuse among the Los Angeles gay community is significantly larger relative to the size of
the community than the rates of abuse among other population groups.
Fifield, L., Latham, J., Phillips, C. (1977) Alcoholism in the Gay Community: The
Price of Alienation, Isolation and Oppression, A Project of the Gay Community Service
Center, Los Angeles, CA "... an alarming number of gay men and women (31.96%) are
trapped in an alcohol-centered lifestyle."
Isrealstam, S., Lambert, S. (1984) Gay bars. Journal of Drug Issues. Fall: 637 -
659. "Some patrons even told us that they drink before hand to get the necessary
courage to go into the bars. Lee points out that
...like many heterosexuals, quite a few gay people use alcohol to help dissolve their
fear of rejection. (Lee 1978) (p.644)...There does seem to exist the need and desire by
many to achieve and maintain a "high" on drink and/or drugs while in a gay bar
or disco. Certainly there appears to be a strong relationship between alcohol, drugs and
sex in the gay male world, especially in the macho one. (p.650)
The bars presumably contribute in a large part to the alcohol problem within the gay
community. (p.651)
Stall, R., McKusick, L., Wiley, J., Coates, T., Ostrow, D. (1986) Alcohol and drug use
during sexual activity and compliance with safe sex guidelines for AIDS: The AIDS
behavioral research project. Health Education Quarterly. 13, 4: 359 -371.
"These findings show a strong relationship between drug and alcohol use during sex
and non-compliance with safe sex techniques to prevent the spread of AIDS."(p.359)
Stall, R., Wiley, J. (1988) A comparison of alcohol and drug use patterns of homosexual
and heterosexual men: The San Francisco Men's Health Study. Drug and Alcohol
Dependence. 22: 63 - 73."...gay men in this sample were approximately twice as
likely to be frequent/heavy drinkers or abstainers as heterosexual men."(p.70)
McKirnan, D., Peterson, P. (1989) Psychosocial and cultural factors in alcohol and drug
Abuse: An analysis of a homosexual community, Addictive Behaviors. 14: 555 - 563.
Homosexual men and women may be at risk for alcohol and drug abuse, due to psychosocial
variables such as drinking styles, stress, or the cultural importance of bars... This
paper describes the findings of a large (n=3400) survey of homosexual population.
We hypothesized that "outness" of sexual orientation and role status would
relate to substance abuse, primarily among males. Both hypotheses were supported. Outness
correlated with alcohol use, frequency of intoxication, alcohol problems, marijuana use,
cocaine use, and drug problems, although only for male respondents.
Paul, J., Stall, R., Bloomfield, K. (1991) Gay and alcoholic: Epidemiologic and
clinical issues. Alcohol Health & Research World. 15, 2: 151 - 160
Doll, L., Byers, R., Bolan, G., Douglas, J., Moss, P., Weller, P., Joy,
D., Bartholow, B., Harrison, J. (1991) Homosexual men who engage in high-risk sexual
behavior. Sexually Transmitted Diseases 18, 3:170 - 175. "Previous studies
examining correlates of high-risk sexual behavior have identified drug and alcohol use as
the most consistent predictor of high-risk sexual behavior. (Siegel 1989; Stall 1989;
Valdiserri 1988)"
Sexual behaviors and Drug and Alcohol Use in 4-Month Period
|
Chicago
|
Denver
|
San Francisco
|
| Number of Homosexual Men |
201 |
202 |
198 |
| Anal Sex |
80% |
88% |
83% |
| Unprotected Anal Sex |
59% |
71% |
69% |
| One Sex Partner Only |
20% |
21% |
12% |
| Alcohol Use During Period |
89% |
94% |
84% |
Knowlton, R., McCusker, A., Stoddard, A., Zapka, J., Mayer, K. ( 1994)
The use of the CAGE questionnaire in a cohort of homosexually active men. Journal of
Studies of Alcoholism. 55: 692 - 694.[The CAGE questionnaire evaluates alcohol abuse.]
The prevalence of two or more CAGE problems in this cohort of homosexually active men
appears to be higher than in male populations reported previously: 85% of the cohort
reported drinking alcohol within the past 6 months; and among alcohol users, 27.2% were
CAGE positive. In a randomly selected population survey, 17.2% of men reporting alcohol
use within the past 12 months were CAGE positive. (Smart 1991) (p.693)
Skinner, W. (1994) The prevalence and demographic predictors of illicit and licit drug
use among lesbian and gay men. American Journal of Public Health. 84, 8: 1307 -
1310. "Among adults aged 26 to 34, 73.7% of men and 55.2% of women have used alcohol
in the past month; comparative figures for gay men and lesbians are 81.3% and 66.7%
respectively."
Mulry, G., Kalichman, S., Kelly, J. (1994) "Substance use and unsafe sex among gay
men: Global versus situational use of substances. Journal of Sex Educators and Therapy.
20, 3: 175 - 184.
Men who never drank prior to sex were very unlikely to have engaged in unprotected anal
intercourse, whereas 90% of men who had at least one occasion of unprotected anal
intercourse also drank at least some of the time prior to sexual intercourse. [The report found] a virtual absence of
individuals who did not drink but did engage unprotected anal intercourse. (p.181)
...our results do lend support to the idea that alcohol and drugs may function as
disinhibitors for risky behavior, given that 90% of the men who engaged in unprotected
anal intercourse also drank before sex.
