New ways to stop drinking have flourished during the pandemic, catering to women who feel marginalized from the abstinence program
to seek treatment for substance abuse. Most of these online programs charge membership fees, and are run by paid staff, which is in sharp contrast to the free, completely non-hierarchical and volunteer-run AA model.
“That’s problem drinking,” said Benton. “I can see why they don’t want to go to AA because they really aren’t sure they’re an alcoholic. They’re just looking for a place where they can explore their relationship to alcohol in a safe environment.”Laura McKowen, founder of The Luckiest Club, credits AA with her own sobriety, but also recognizes its limitations. “I am a fan of AA, and I see its beauty, but it can be quite dogmatic,” she said on a video call.
Like The Luckiest Club, Sober Mom Squad – an online community formed during the early days of the pandemic for mothers as well as women who plan on having children – initially held free meetings. In addition to charging fees, which she defends, McKowen receives criticism for something she also sees as an issue. People of color are underrepresented in AA, with 89% of members in North America identifying as white, according to AA’s“I do agree that the representation in online recovery is not great,” said McKowen. “It’s still very white. We’re constantly working on that.”