Do you think identity politics are a coping mechanism?

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The economy sucks right now. It's hard to get a job and your own house. This makes a lot of people my age feel like losers. A great distraction is identity politics. Instead of thinking about having no job or friends I can think about being a queer person of color. I know identity politics is actually BS. I know no one gives a damn about my sexual orientation or ethnic background. It's just a great distraction.

Yes it is used as a coping mechanism. It depends on how the coping mechinsm is used by the individual. One way of using it is I am autistic thus I am a loser that society will never accept, or it could be used to say I am autistic these are my strengths and this is how I am going to use them.

If you want to know a person's motivations, you should ask her. Motivation is individual, not group-based.

well... no. Identity is the the big theme in postmoden art, that is, art in the western world in the 20th century. It's in part a sign that your country is largely still in good shape, actually, if that's what you have time to worry about. Sure, you're out of a job and everything, but in large parts of the world, the question is: how will I survive the day without getting raped or enslaved.
And yeah, call it a coping mechanism. call it something to worry about until you either find yourself in a position of economic opportunity, or one of economic necessity.

I think identity politics has a point--but it can be quite annoying.

People can become so hung up on their "identity" that they lose sight of many beautiful things.