My gay friend and I have come to the realization that every GLBT we know (with the exception of the two of us) smokes. How come? It's a weird culture thing we discovered and were wondering if anyone knows the answer...
2006-07-17 10:21:53 · 22 answers · asked by michellesm 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
Slate's "Everyday Economist" Steven Landsburg offered an Economics-motivated opinion on this a couple years back:
http://www.slate.com/id/2086565/
He hasn't got the full story figured out, but it is an interesting comment.
2006-07-17 10:29:43 · answer #1 · answered by Benjamin 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think that it's part of the still-prevalent feeling rejected part of the community. It frustrates me too, since I'm not a smoker myself and I'd like it that my GLBT friends stay healthy and take care of themselves. But, a lot of my friends feel like they're already society's rejects, so they might as well do everything that society looks down upon and become badasses or rebels in the process. It's ridiculous, because society should love everyone regardless of sexuality, and want everyone to stay safe. I don't know really, but it is a problem for sure, and something I've noticed before too.
2006-07-17 17:28:29 · answer #2 · answered by Natalia 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's both a generalization and an invalid statement.
I don't know of any demographics to support or reject your poorly constructed assumption.
However, I might guess that as a large group with a wide demographic range co-recurrent with most or all other groups, then it is possible that the number of smokers within the GLBT demographic is roughly correlative to the number of smokers in the general population.
Just a guess, but at least it's not an outright invalid assumption or generalization.
2006-07-17 17:49:52 · answer #3 · answered by Bender 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If they smoke it's probably a stress thing, the suicidal rate for GLBT's are high as well.
2006-07-17 17:47:09 · answer #4 · answered by Kai 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All the GLBT people that I know don't smoke. Including me.
2006-07-17 17:24:53 · answer #5 · answered by phantom_phan_2005 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would believe this one, though I haven't "looked into it" myself. My answer would be: the same reason half the medical community actually does smoke; ridiculous amounts of stress. Sometimes there are periods of time (the time leading up to coming out to family comes to mind) when things are really out of control in your head. The rest of the time, there's moderate minority stress. Makes sense to me.
::has smoked about one (ciggarette) a month, but doesn't anymore::
2006-07-17 23:52:05 · answer #6 · answered by Atropis 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've noticed the same thing over the years. My undrestanding it that particularly with young gay bois it becomes a method of fitting in with the tougher crowd that tends to be the most homophobic. It is very sad. :-(
Reyn
2006-07-17 19:23:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why do str8 people smoke? Why do pregnant women smoke? There are no answers for any of it, or there are as many answers as people. Everyone has their own reason for wanting to smoke.
2006-07-17 17:25:25 · answer #8 · answered by M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Personal choice. The fact that someone smoke is not relegated to their sexuality rather it is regulated by their choice. A person or persons smoke because they want to, because they could and simply because they could. It has nothing to do with their sexuality.
2006-07-17 17:29:02 · answer #9 · answered by Virtuous 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not cultural. I don't smoke, neither do two of my other gay friends. Learned from friends or family
2006-07-17 17:24:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋