Les lesbiennes se droguent-elles davantage ? Les effets de l’(hétéro)sexualité sur la consommation de produits psychoactifs

Abstract

Most of the data addressing LGBT populations are adressing gay men's health and focuses on the heterosexual/homosexual alterity without considering their practices nor their trajectories. In this article, we are looking into psychoactive substances use among lesbian and bisexual women. Based on an analysis of the Lesbian and Gay Press Survey (INVS, 2011), this paper aims to analyze the substance use of these populations, while discussing the categories used to describe them. Our results show that sexuality with male partners is associated with increased levels of consumption of illegal psychoactive products. However, this is not true for prescripted drugs. With regard to alcohol, consumption levels follow a gradient corresponding to the number of partners, regardless of their sex. However, sexual identification is not a relevant indicator for interpreting substance use, whatever the product consumed which suggest bisexuality is not associated, per se, with increased levels of substance abuse. These results suggest that the links commonly made between sexual orientation and increased consumption of psychoactive products should be discussed. Not only are consumption levels different for different products, but they also depend on gender and sexuality indicators. Because of the weight of heterosexist structures, sexuality with men is an important determinant of psychoactive product use among sexual minorities. Particularly with regard to bisexual women, this leads to discuss the link between a double discrimination, from their male and female partners, and their level of consumption of psychoactive products.