September 29th’s issue of the Argus features an article entitled “New study on female smokers” that highlights a talk given by Professor Jennifer Rose. I was interviewed for this article as a female smoker on campus. Smoking is an important part of how I live my life and I wanted to talk about it. It was a mistake. It was also unfortunate that I wasn’t at the talk because it would have better prepared me for combating the cookie-cutter smoker image I was supposed to fit into, and reportedly do.
I personally think the categories “Happy Working Women,” “Careless College Students,” and “Hooked and Unhappy” (dubbed “Down and Out” by Schiewe in the interview) are ludicrous. This “psychologist” was obviously in the world of “White Female Bourgie Smokers and everyone else.” It’s twisted. Women smokers should not be defined by how they view addiction or work. (Sound a little Puritan?) I don’t think there can be broad third category where everyone is careless and in college. These categories alone should have signaled a red flag to me.
Coming direct from the as-depicted “Careless College Student”(me):
Smoking is not something I beat myself up for. This does not mean I am careless, complacent or too busy to think long-term. I think a lot about the future. I’m so worried about it. Not because my lungs might turn black and stop working, but that people will continue to bow down to anti-smoking rhetoric that aligns the smoker with the vilified act of smoking. I’m really wary of buying into this notion that smoking is a no-no and everyone “knows” it, or at least why. Partly because I think anti-smoking campaigns are largely propaganda aimed at attaining superhuman purity (check out what Hitler was saying about the issue) and partly because I know what smoking means to me.
For the record, I feel my views and image as a “female smoker” were skewed for the purposes of telling another person’s particular story about women and smoking. It was very disturbing to read this article after the interview/conversation I had with the reporter. As a smoker, I am sick of being in guilt trip mode when I light up. Get it? I AM concerned with my health. I just have different standards of what keeps me well and what I want for myself. What Schiewe chose to report was used to support very narrow categorizations (and I’m sick of calling out the fact that too many white people see women of color as that first and foremost; Schiewe is not exempt. Yes, yes reporter!
Pregnancy must be the most relevant thing I commented on…why?) What about all the shit I said that did not abide by your argument? Well I guess that’s journalism. Lesson learned: I shouldn’t have trusted the Argus and this reporter with representing me. My bad. Smoke on!
PS: Notice how quick Wesleyan Health Services jumped at the chance to spread the good word on the dangers of smoking. I’d like to see some news coverage on the detrimental affects of relying on Davidson Health Center, Office of Behavioral Health or Wesleyan in general for personal well-being. I just have to quote Dead Prez—“The views that you see in thenews is muthafuckin propaganda.”
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