Religious participation does also appear to be stronger among women (Barna, 2010), particularly within the African American community (Levin & Taylor, 1993; Levin, Taylor, & Chatters, 1994; Taylor, 1992; Taylor et al., 1999). The African American church may be particularly important for African American women because it provides them with a framework to reconstruct and reinterpret their roles and identities, given the multiple forms of oppression present in their lives (Grant, 1989; Levin & Taylor, 1993; McKay, 1989). Taylor and colleagues (1999) also proposed that gender differences in religiosity among African Americans may be a consequence of the gender socialization process that emphasizes many of the qualities and traits (e.g., patience, forbearance, restraint) that are consistent with religious orientation. As we discuss further below, African American women tend to drink significantly less than African American men (SAMHSA, 2009). Given that religious involvement is associated with lower rates of alcohol consumption, it is possible that sex differences in religious involvement contribute to sex differences in drinking behavior.
