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It is a typical London twenty-something party.
Flames flicker in the darkness to light tobacco. There is a
distinctive
smell of tobacco coming from two young women dressed in leather
trousers and
bodices.
It only takes five minutes for them to be the centre of an
admiring group of fashion-conscious young men. Despite the
presence of equally attractive non-smokers and cigarette smokers,
the cigar-smoking girls are the ones getting all the attention.
Smoking a cigar is one of the ultimate signs of women’s
liberation. Women have chained themselves to
railings, marched,
burnt their
bras, established
Greenham Common as a worldwide symbol of peace – and now
they’re invading this sacred male
preserve.
Celebrities
are leading the way: Demi Moore, Madonna, Whoopi Goldberg, Linda
Evangelista and Sharon Stone have all been pictured smoking
cigars. A voice of disagreement comes from actor Jim Belushi:
‘It’s not a fashion. Women
should
stay away from it.
It’s
none of their business.’ Tell that to the growing number of
ladies running their own cigar bars, the fastest growing type of
bar in New York. Ironically, Internet sites devoted to the subject
of women cigar smokers are full of men complimenting them for it.
Four years ago Gerry McKenna opened Bar Cuba in Macclesfield in
the North of England. ‘We specialise in a blend of food, all
kinds of music and cigar aromas,’ he explains. How does he feel
about the growing
trend of female smokers? ‘It’s obvious that
some do it to be the focus of attention. The ones that treat the cigar with respect definitely add to their sex
appeal. It makes them appear confident, dominant, sexier and in
control.’
But not every woman likes the idea. ‘I can’t think of anything
more
disgusting,’ says
Caroline Bunn, a banker from London. ‘I don't like it in men,
and I think it’s revolting to see young women smoking cigars.
No level of cigar smoking is without risk to health. Fidel Castro
recently took his doctor’s advice and
gave up his famous Cuban
cigars. Perhaps the ladies who smoke will follow his example, once
they
can no longer get the desired reaction from those around them. |
