Alcoholism and homosexuality: a theoretical perspective

Although causal relationships between homosexuality and alcoholism have not been established, the myths and assumptions surrounding this issue are numerous. Much of the available literature on the subject is from a psychoanalytic perspective, emphasizing latent homosexuality as a cause of alcoholism. Very little is from the perspective of gay and lesbian populations. This paper analyzes the assumptions underlying the biological and genetic approaches, learning theory, psychoanalytic perspectives, and sociological models as they relate to alcoholism and homosexuality.