Add this to the list of things I wish were around when I was younger: No Booze Babes.
I quit drinking for good not long before I took my first job in Toronto in 1990. I had to, because I had quit smoking and the two went hand in hand. Literally.
I’ve written before about my issues with alcohol. Back then, the biggest problem I had was dealing with the reactions of other people. They’d cajole and pressure a non-drinker to have “just one”. They didn’t know that it could never be “just one”. I came up with various ways of nicely saying, hey pal, you do you, and I’ll do me. This cranberry juice is delicious.
Now there’s a growing community of young women who have chosen to quit or never drink alcohol. Others are pregnant or “sober-curious”. No Booze Babes is a website started by Shea Gomez who quit drinking after she decided hangovers were getting in the way of her goals. She is the de facto leader of thousands of women who want to have a good time, and don’t need booze to do it. Her aim is to normalize sobriety.
Gomez lives in New York City but she has already travelled the world to meet fellow NBBs. She blogs, posts on Instagram and other social media, with inspirational support for women navigating alcohol-free lives.
Not everyone who doesn’t drink has a problem with alcohol. But it’s kind of weird that drinking is the norm and the person who doesn’t imbibe is the odd one, isn’t it? That’s how our society views it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having a few drinks. But these women have decided, for whatever reason, it’s not right for them.
If you know a young woman who’s looking for her people, this might be the place to find them. I love it and wish it had been around when I was in the early stages of trying to be a non-drinker in a drinking world. But that’s not realistic. I guess I would have had to invent the Internet first.
Very cool. I wonder if there is a No Booze Dudes movement, too? Or maybe it’s called AA.
I was at a dinner once where I turned down an offer of wine. The answer I got back was, “One glass of wine never hurt anybody.” I didn’t realize I had no choice, and if you have ulcerative colitis like I do, one glass of wine can do a lot of damage.
So you’re right: Non-drinkers don’t really have the infrastructure to lead a non-drinking life in a world where “Just have one” is the norm.
Bully to the No Booze Babes!
A health reason like yours is much more serious than just a preference. AA is wonderful but it’s just not for me. Although the ten steps certainly do apply!
I’m a senior guy who is all in favour of the No Booze Babes and the long anticipated No Booze Dudes. I very seriously limit my alcohol intake to 99% abstinence most of the time (solely my choice) and aspire to the lofty heights of a perfect 100%. However, not to be, I love to share a glass of wine with my 55 year bride and a beer or drink with close friends on the infrequent occasions I choose are right. This plan works well for me and maybe could for others where one is capable of making the right choice. Also, I am a believer in AA and the 12 Steps.
Kudos to Shea Gomez for starting No Booze Babes. There is already enough pressure (school, rent, jobs) on young women to get ahead these days. They definitely don’t need alcohol to make them feel accepted by their peers, although, I can understand that they may not realize that at this time in their young lives. Hopefully, this group will help those who need it, and allow them the courage to comfortably say no.
By the way, I don’t drink, but I am a coffee addict.
Me too, Claire. It’s all I have left! 😊