Hashtag that for gravity and posterity!
Today, there are those raising their glasses to the women of the world. Over and over again, I see posts about people raising their glasses to groups, individuals, each other, themselves. Cheers and salutations aside, this continues to trouble me greatly.
Forgetting for a moment, as if remotely possible, that there are people in my life who have had to put away the glasses, to live strong in the moments those around them lift in unison. The wine glasses, the highballs, the beer steins....all tucked somewhere safe or given away. The wine racks buried in storage or converted into something useful.
Forgetting for a moment that there is nowhere in this American culture that you can go without being bombarded by alcohol ads. Those of us who do not struggle with alcohol in ways that threaten our very survival are generally unaware of these ads. They come and go, fading in and out of the scenery, perhaps occasionally leaving us a little thirstier. They are, in our estimation, benign. At worst, momentarily invasive.
We are mistaken. Gravely, gravely mistaken. And so, for today, in honor of every woman who has ever been, is now, or will ever be on this planet, I ask you to honor them with your hearts instead of your glasses. Let me tell you why. In science terms. Provided by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and National Institutes for Health (NIH).
1. Women absorb alcohol differently than men. Let's talk.
- While women historically consume less alcohol than men, and are therefore less likely to develop alcohol-related problems, when we do, it happens faster, and the problems are more severe. This may be due to the fact that, when drinking the same amount of alcohol as a man, we develop higher alcohol concentrations.
- Women are more susceptible than men to the toxic effects of alcohol on the heart muscle.
- Women are more susceptible to alcohol-related liver disease than men.
- Studies have revealed that upwards of 4 times the number of alcoholic women have attempted suicide than non-alcoholic women.
2. Treatment for women is a challenge on many levels. Obviously.
- Alcohol-related illnesses are less likely to be diagnosed in women than in men. Our "generalized" issues are often misidentified as anxiety, depression, etc.
- Women are often unable to access treatment due to family obligations and expectations, including raising children.
- Economic barriers make it nearly impossible for many women to even consider treatment.
To be clear, I am not asking you not to drink. Or judging consumption. Enjoy your wine, beer, liquor. I myself enjoy a hoppy ice cold IPA, and am partial to an exceptional bourbon. But I will not use it today or any other day to honor my gender. Because there are too many to whom it has become toxic and life-threatening. And I will not exclude those women today. Or ever.
Today, I raise my heart, full of the deepest love and highest respect, to every women. Of every age. Whether by birth or choice. In every country on this earth.
You are loved. You are appreciated.
We are family.
#wearethewomen
#IWD2016
