Why Do So Many Lesbians Drink and Smoke?
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
August 24, 2008 3:18am CST
It seems like a rather disproportionate amount of lesbians drink and smoke. For straight people, it is reasonably easy to find a partner that doesn't smoke and not too hard to find someone who doesn't drink. But over 75% of lesbians I've met are smokers and many are also practically alcoholics.
Has anyone else noticed this or is it just in my area?
2 people like this
7 responses
@blueyesco (156)
• United States
26 Aug 08
I share your opinion. Think you only notice it if you are a non-smoker and don't care for the bars. It seems impossible to find someone that doesn't do one or both of those habits that I don't like.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
4 Sep 08
Those are the smokers that annoy me the most too, the ones that just walk along the sidewalk or stand right in front of a building smoking. I guess it doesn't actually bother me if people smoke in a bar since I'm not forced to go there or anything. I can just choose not to go. Although, technically that is still illegal where I live, it's just allowed despite that.
@frankiecesca (2489)
•
25 Aug 08
Hmmm strange one because really it shouldn't make a difference aabout a persons sexuality on whether they are a drinker/smoker! Myabe it is just your area and you have all the smokers and drinkers living near you! lol x
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
25 Aug 08
See, that's what I would think... that sexuality wouldn't matter. The only thing that I can think of, is that a lot of the gay bars in my area allow smoking even though it's illegal. And since that's a place where people feel safe, I guess they'll start smoking if they didn't before and of course they already drink if they're meeting up a bar.
A lot of straight people in this area are heavy drinkers too, but I have not seen such a high percentage of smokers in the heterosexuals that I know. Smoking is sort of looked down upon in a lot of places around here.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
3 Sep 08
At first I totally dismissed the depression thing because straight people are depressed too. But then I thought about something... perhaps it is true that gay people can be more depressed than straight people, or have more tendency towards it. Especially if it is the type of depression brought on by being disowned by your family and everyone you thought cared for you. I guess maybe that could drive some people to drinking and smoking.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
3 Sep 08
I actually know more straight women that are promiscious than the gay men I know. Some are, but most seem to have fairly normal relationships to me. I guess that's a stereotype I haven't seen as much of. Maybe it's the times though or something.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63252)
• United States
3 Sep 08
90% of the straight women I know are either married, divorced and loving it or straight and discouraged - like me
And by loving it, I don't mean running around - I mean glad to be away from the jerks they had been married to and not ready to try another guy anytime soon.
@dont_pick_your_nose (2279)
• Australia
25 Aug 08
lol, where did you get your statistical information? I don't think that all lesbians are smokers and drinkers, maybe you are looking in the wrong places to meet a partner. try a new approach to meeting people, i think most people out at clubs lesbian night spots would probably smoke but i bet there are alot of lesbians that dont go to these places.... as with strait people, a soul mate is hard to find.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
26 Aug 08
Haha, it's all from my very unscientific study of recalling every other lesbian I know.
I should have specified that I'm not really looking around to meet a partner right now or anything, but just that this is an observation of mine that other lesbians I know almost all smoke or drink or both. I don't go to bars myself.
@granite_butterfly (448)
• Canada
30 Aug 08
Well, I am not sure that I can fully agree with you here. I know quite a few lesbians and I would say that only half would be smokers and drinkers. In my view, it is the younger women that are more apt to smoke and/or drink. This doesn't seem to be so much with the older lesbians I know. It could be the luck of the draw or the area that you live in. Perhaps what you witness is based on circumstances, how these women have lived or how they have been raised. It is a tough call. In the city I live in, there are plenty of non-smoking, non-drinking lesbians and I believe it is because we have a variety of social venues for lesbians other than bars. I can't answer why it is different in your area but there may be some complex social issues involved that make the tendency to smoke and drink much higher.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
30 Aug 08
I don't know as many young lesbians so it's hard to say there. I know lesbians from 30 to 60 that smoke and drink. It seems like 30 and 40 is a time for partying or something. I'm not looking for a partner that old or anything, but it's just an observation.
Maybe if I met some of the girls at the college club this wouldn't be the case with college students. Or maybe as you said, it would.
I think it could be that since most of the lesbians I know know each other or are friends with each other, they all hang out with people who are like them so that's why they're all heavy drinkers and smokers.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
25 Aug 08
i thnk maybe they want to imitte what guys do. i am a guy and i dont have any vices. i dont smoke, i dont drink and i dont gamble. i am a ps2 addict har har har. i am in a band and just like you i find also most lesbian drinks and smoke. my view is what i said on the first part that they are trying to imitate what most guys do.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
25 Aug 08
Even most of the very feminine lesbians I know smoke and drink though. There are some guys around here that have these vices as well, but it doesn't seem to be as many. Around a college campus there are many smokers and a lot of drinking, but in other places you don't see people smoking as much anymore.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
30 Aug 08
Wow. That is strange. I'm straight so I don't have " Gaydar" so I wouldn't know. I hope you can find a partner who doesn't smoke or drink.
