In with Addiction, Out with the Patriarchy 

“I was engaged, and even though he knew I smoked when we met, cigarettes were out of the question during our engagement,” said Malak Said, a female smoker, a junior majoring in psychology. 

Throughout history, the act of a woman smoking has been seen as a social rebellion to claim agency and refuse the pressures of societal norms, which can then morph into a soothing addiction. But how the traditionally masculine habit became an act of rebellion and why there is a taboo associated with Egyptian female smokers has its roots in the marketing strategies of cigarette companies in the 1920s. 

Consider the culturally significant image of Marilyn Monroe: a cigarette nestled between her index and middle finger placed between her red-tinted lips. The image exudes magnetism and confidence, a sentiment which Said resonates with.

“The iconic Marilyn Monroe smoking a cigarette was an ideal image of an empowered woman smoking,” said Said. 

Campaigns such as “Torches of Freedom,” led by American psychoanalyst Edward Bernays, have demonstrated the connection between empowerment and smoking.

The campaign, which served as a turning point in history, took place during a 1929 Easter Sunday Parade in New York. During this campaign, a group of debutantes marched in the parade, each holding a cigarette and thus rebranding smoking in America as a symbol of elegance, sophistication, and equality. 

Recognizing the “Torches of Freedom” movement and Marilyn’s sophisticated image, Said believes the empowering sentiment that came with women smoking cigarettes may have been more prevalent decades ago under a different cultural background. 

Smoking embodies a paradox, seen as a sign of women’s empowerment in the West, and an act of dissent in conservative Egyptian society. 

“There are high statistics of males suffering from addiction but there are more males open to admitting that they need help, but that doesn’t mean female addicts don’t exist,” said Soha El Sokkary, a Psychotherapist at EXIST, a mental health clinic in Egypt. 

El Sokkary elaborated on the stigma revolving around female smokers that discourages female smokers from seeking help, and leaves their struggles undocumented. 

She further criticized the dismissive statements often used when discussing female addicts, such as “women can’t be addicted” or calling out the act of women smoking with terms like ‘eeb (inappropriate). These terms perpetuate the harsh social perceptions associated with women who smoke.

“If you smoke, you are seen as a lax, promiscuous woman. The thought is that you are immoral, and morality gets tied to chastity,” said Sociology Assistant Professor Dina Makram-Ebeid. 

That rigid standard perpetuated towards women may at times morph when social class enters the equation. 

This societal double standard harshly affects how female smokers are viewed. Upper-class women who smoke are more likely to be seen as sophisticated and making educated, conscious choices, reflecting a more Western perspective. Conversely, female smokers from lower social classes face condemnation, with fingers pointed in judgment. This stark contrast exposes the prejudice at play.

“Class allows women way more freedom around anything, …you wouldn’t see a woman on the microbus smoking,” added Makram-Ebeid.

But being born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth does not grant them that free pass.  Cultural perceptions take root, as even in the most privileged communities, patriarchal powers are still at work. 

“Higher classes are less judgmental, but that doesn’t apply to all people; they can still view female smokers as impolite,” explained Said. 

El Sokkary explained that stigma often festers feelings of guilt and shame, resulting in alienation from their communities and paradoxically reinforcing smoking as a coping mechanism for stress and anxiety.

Standing near the smoking area next to the Bus Gate on AUC’s campus, holding a cigarette to her lips, Said lamented to The Caravan, about a friend who “feels on edge” around men and tends to smoke more cigarettes when they are around them.     

Taking into account societal pressures that play into the patriarchal view of the proper woman, the anxieties that may arise with these pressures lead to finding comfort through exhaled puffs of cigarette smoke. 

“We hold them accountable for what addicts do, but we don’t understand the reason why people become addicted. It’s the core that we should be looking at,” said Makram-Ebeid.

When asked if her friend might smoke more around men to cope with anxiety, Said paused for a second, eyes wandering while trying to recall details. Returning to the conversation with a look of realization, she explained to The Caravan that her friend’s mental illness, especially the anxiety triggered by men, might be driving the increased cigarette consumption.

El Sokkary explained that the relationship between smoking, feminism, and addiction can be described through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) framework as a person experiencing a certain emotion that is manifesting through behavior, reinforcing the initial thought and sucking one into the vicious cycle of addiction.

“Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by each other,” said El Sokkary.

El Sokkary mentioned that there was a study done by Tobacco Prevention and Cessation, investigating the correlation and causation between the wellness of mental health and tobacco usage. The study’s results showed that negative emotions such as trauma, and stress are connected to female smoking. 

“No one in my family does it to feel more in control, but they do it to relieve stress, and it’s a bad habit that is developed,” said Malak Ahmed, a Biology senior who comes from a family of female smokers. 

With assertiveness laced in her voice, Ahmed continued, “If a man needs to relieve his stress and anxiety, a woman might need to as well.”

​​The entrenchment of gender norms places female smokers at the forefront of blame, painting them as the black sheep of society. Conversely, male smokers, even excessive ones, largely escape the same level of societal condemnation.

“We’re all addicted to something; we shouldn’t single out women in that addiction,” said Makram-Ebeid passionately.