Resistance and Fitting In: A Qualitative Analysis of Young Women in Alcoholics Anonymous

ABSTRACT

This article looks at the intersectionality between gender and age as it affects the recovery process in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Women remain a minority in AA, just over one third, and young people make up only 12% of AA membership. Although the gendered nature of AA has only recently been uncovered, focus on young people in AA is even less studied. Given their developmental stage, adolescents and young adults do not have the range of life experiences to draw upon as they try to identify with more mature members of AA. In turn, older members do not know necessarily how to bridge the gap in experience. Some young women perceive that they are not taken seriously, are viewed as too emotional, or simply are misunderstood. Alternatively, other young women find guidance and support from older members in the program. Whatever their individual experiences, young women, nonetheless, have to work to fit into the predominately older, male culture that is AA. However, as illustrated in their personal stories, the Traditions and Steps of AA help to facilitate the “fitting in” of all of its members including young, female members.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• alcohol use disorder
• female
• young adult

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. AA’s membership survey begin in 1968 and has been conducted every 3 to 4 years since. It initially was conducted at AA’s annual international convention so was not a reliable sample of AA membership. In recent years, AA World Services Inc has moved to a randomized survey design. The 2014 survey consists of 6,000 members from the United States and Canada. The survey asks a few demographic questions, referral sources, a few questions about AA membership – number of meeting attended per week, length of time in AA, use of a sponsor, etc. Please visit https://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-48_membershipsurvey.pdf.

2. The second wave of the feminist movement span roughly the 1960s to 1980s and represents progressive advancements in political and cultural achievements for women as a group. The third wave of the feminist movement is thought to emerge in the 1990s and is characterized by more diversity among its affiliates and the focus on intersectionality encompasses multiple forms of oppression – for example, race, class, and gender.

3. AA members refer to terms such as alcoholism, alcoholic, drug addict, and so on, and this terminology may be used in this article to capture how women are describing themselves and does not reflect the more current and medically correct language of AUD or opioid use disorder, for example.

4. AA has struggled with full inclusion of individuals and groups of individuals that don’t meet the typical profile of the middle-age, male, White, alcoholic. In response to this resistance, special groups of AA have emerged included women-only groups. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender groups, and young people’s groups. There are also “stag” meetings for men only, meetings for professionals, and before the civil rights movement, meetings for Black people. Today, there are Spanish speaking meetings, and occasionally a specialized meeting may emerge to include some for of disability, that is, for deaf people. Often these specialized meetings do remain open to other AA members and outsiders, as well.

5. Drunkalog refers to member sof AA telling their drinking history.

6. Young people’s (those younger than age 35) meetings of AA began to emerge in the 1940s, and the first International Conference of Young People in AA (ICYPAA) was held in 1958 and celebrated its 60th year in August 2018. Additionally, young people within their regional areas host events throughout the year, and some have young people’s service committees to help facilitate activities for the good of young people in AA.