Alphabet of discrimination: Introduction and letter A–Alcoholism and Asian hate

One day, a member of our community asked a member of Equity Buckfield “What’s happening in our country right now that’s so bad? Give me one example.” 

Our member thought to themself, “I could probably think of something for every letter of the alphabet.” 

And so they did.

Letter A: Asian hate crimes and alcoholism

Asian hate crimes

Asian hate crimes swelled during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during 2021. Several “Stop Asian Hate” rallies have been held throughout the United States this year, and the hashtag #StopAsianHate has grown throughout social media.Some of the events that inspired the protests are the killing of Vicha Ratanapakdee, the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings, and a rise xenophobia and racism related to the pandemic.

This April 2021 Pew Research Center study shows the striking increase of incidents experienced by Asian-Americans recently.

Alcoholism

Compared to the general population, members of the LGBTQIA+ community are more likely to use alcohol and drugs, have higher rates of substance abuse, and drink heavily later in their lives.

Check out this excellent graphic from Sana Lake Recovery for more statistics: