Let's Talk About Booze: Drinking Risks for Sapphics

How alcohol affects our health is a topic that's super relevant to our community but doesn't get talked about enough. Grab a (non-alcoholic?) drink and let's break it down.

Research shows that we tend to drink more heavily and frequently than do cis-straight women. While there are lots of reasons for this (hello, bar culture and minority stress), it's crucial to understand the risks. We are all super familiar with the immediate risks associated with getting drunk -- you know, the potential for serious injuries, sexual assault, regrettable hook-ups, embarrassing drunk dials, and terrible hangovers. However, much less talked about are the longer-term serious health risks associated with regularly drinking over years and decades.     

Excessive drinking, especially as we age, can lead to:

• Osteoporosis- (thinning bones that break easily)

• Liver disease

• Stomach distress and ulcers

• High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease

• Numbness and tingling in hands and feet

• Shrunken frontal lobe of brain

• Difficulty fighting off lung infections like pneumonia

• Increased risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, liver, esophagus, breast, and colon

Know Your Limits

So how much drinking is really puts you at risk for health problems down the line?  Don't shoot the messenger... It's not as much as you might think. To avoid alcohol-related health issues, the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends cis-women, transwomen, and non-binary people have...

No more than 3 drinks on any given day & no more than 7 drinks (yes, total) per week! 

Exceeding these levels of drinking... for example regularly having 13 drinks in a week or regularly getting hammered even once a week is considered "high risk" drinking. Note, these are general guidelines and factors like body weight, medications, and overall health can affect how alcohol impacts you! If you have health issues or are taking certain medications it can be really dangerous to drink at all!

Keeping It Chill: Tips for Limiting Your Drinks

Let's be real –  partying is a pretty central part of queer culture, and alcohol is everywhere.

But you can still have a blast while keeping your drinking in check. Try these tips:

• Set a drink limit before you go out

• Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or soda

• Eat before and while drinking

• Choose lower-alcohol options (hello, White Claw!)

• Switch things up and order a non-alcoholic beer or mocktail

• Plan alcohol-free nights with friends

• Be the designated driver (your friends will love you)

• Practice saying "no thanks" to drink offers

  
  

Remember, there's no shame in cutting back or choosing not to drink. Your health and well-being come first!

As sapphics, we face unique challenges when it comes to alcohol. But by staying informed and looking out for each other, we can create a healthier, safer community. So the next time you're out at the bar or a pride event, keep these tips in mind. Your future self will thank you!