Breathe With Pride: Addressing Tobacco in the LGBTQIA+ Community in Austin, TX

LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT: Findings from a Mixed Methods Assessment of the Health Needs and Tobacco Use of LGBTQ21IA+ Communities in Austin and Travis County, 2021
Courtesy of Austin Public Health

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LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, intersex, and asexual) communities face unique challenges in addressing the high rates of tobacco use compared to the general population. These disparities can be partially explained by the stress and homophobia experienced by LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as the racism experienced by those of color.

For example, in 2020, 16.1% of lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults smoked cigarettes, compared with 12.3% of heterosexual/straight adults. In 2021, 17.4% of gay, lesbian, or bisexual high school students currently used any tobacco product – compared to 11.4% of heterosexual high school students. To address these disparities in 2020, Austin Public Health, as part of its “Live Tobacco Free-Austin” initiative, developed an innovative campaign—Breathe With Pride.

Anita Cole, a queer artist working with a coalition of artists and activists in Austin, designed these posters. Distributed in bars, libraries, and community gathering spots, the posters highlight how tobacco companies target LGBTQIA+ communities with advertisements, as well as the harmful health effects of tobacco use.

The campaign’s edgy graphics and messages, produced in both Spanish and English, are an example of using cutting-edge visuals to speak directly to particular audiences.