DRUGS&ALCOHOL
This is a photo of The Bistro, a gay bar in Downtown Bloomington, Il. I
took this photo after Bloomington’s vigil for the lives lost at Pulse Night
Club in Orlando, FL. Gay bars have a long history of being safe places
for people who are not welcome else where. To this day, they remain a
place to gather as a family, and a place to celebrate queer culture. Gay
bars are places where many people have their first kiss, their first dance
and their first overwhelming sense of acceptance. I cried the first time I
went to a gay bar; and I cried at my first Pride Parade. I wasn’t crying
because I was upset, but because I felt love and I felt no fear.
Many research studies have suggested that substance
abuse among the LGBT population is between
20-30%
(Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)