By Jennifer McKean
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 27, 1997

Cigar Sexy

Arizona Daily Wildcat Jennifer McKean

Luxury. Power. Sexuality. Money.

That's the feeling women are getting from cigars, which have become one of America's newest status symbols. It's not just for boys anymore. There is a growing number of women lighting up stogies because they feel glamorous, fearless, ferociously independent and sexy with a big fat one between their fingers and an erotic aroma clouding the air.

What do Demi Moore, Madonna, Ellen Barkin and Linda Evangelista have in common? They are all famous females of the '90s reveling in the hip cigar scene. "When a woman lights up she is showing everyone that she is intelligent, sophisticated and ladylike," one woman said.

Many die-hard stogie lovers attest that the cigar rage evolved from the "yuppius feminas," but it has since become an international symbol of sensuality, femininity and independence, according to fans of cigar smoking. Celebrity cigar clubs, cigar of the month clubs, cigar of the week clubs, joints that cater to the cigar-smoker, smoking cruises and cigar publicity events are popping up everywhere.

Female actors and models are featured on the covers of the popular Cigar Life, Smoke magazine, and Cigar Aficionado every month. Issues of these magazines are in high demand. Smoking is sexy? The mystery and intrigue of the naked female body often appears in the ads for these magazines, of course holding a cigar, when 20 years ago, a man wouldn't have thought about a woman invading his delicate indulgence.

Cigars, in the past, have invited an all-male club, which has now been taken over by the sisterhood. I can still remember my father saying that women who smoke are not ladies. Any man I've discussed the issue with has consistently said that he finds a woman who smokes extremely unattractive. But of course, it's more than acceptable for me to join my best friend and his brother in smoking a Cuban we smuggled from Mexico. The question is, why isn't that considered smoking?

To be a true cigar aficionado, one must master the precise art of the hobby.

There are things to consider, such as size, shape, style, construction, strength, flavor and blend. Cigars can be bitter, smooth, tangy, dry, rich, sour, sweet, sharp or tart, among others.

Of course, once you are a true aficionado, you must buy into the "necessary" accessories, including specialty ashtrays, cutters, Colibri lighters, micro torches, cigar jackets, smoking chairs, humidors, cigar jars and a large supply of breath fresheners.

There is an art of cigar rolling, and like cognac, taste is everything! The price of fine cigars ranges upward from $4 per cigar; I've seen some that cost up to $65. When buying a cigar, one tends to develop a relationship with the salesperson, because they really need to feel you out and understand your taste for cigars.

John F. Kennedy's humidor was sold at an auction in 1996 for over half a million dollars. Half a million for a small box? We are living in a society where we are all students of popular culture. We unconsciously study and carefully imitate the newest, coolest trends. Some of us, including myself, are magazine junkies, movie junkies, fashion junkies and media fanatics. This is America; how can you not fall into the trendy trap? The industry caters to our every inner desire, fear and fascination. Whether it began with Hugh Hefner or George Burns, the cigar hobby has evolved into a luscious romance for millions of women.

Forget about sexy! What ever happened to associating cigar smoking to the development of lung cancer, larynx cancer and cancer of the mouth? The trendy '90s have taken control of our rational, healthy lifestyles.

I've heard women firmly argue that smoking cigars gets them dates. That is the honest approach. Other women will say that they love smoking because they love the taste of a great cigar. My theory is, women don't smoke because they like it, they smoke because they like men. Women are crowding into cigar bars which have major attitudes, hefty tabs, strict dress codes and an incredible ambiance, especially in big cities like Chicago, L.A., D.C., San Francisco and Manhattan, because that's where the eligible bachelors are.

"I know this is something I shouldn't be doing. It's forbidden and that makes me feel cool," one woman said. Another said, "It's a power trip for women and why not? We've earned it." Sounds like this post-feminist icon, which is replacing cocktails at parties, exists only for women to gain a strategic advantage in the mating game. Is that a good reason to light up a stick of cancer?

My theory in life is, "I'll try it once," so I too lit up and succumbed to the social "prestige" of puffing on a stogie in the late night hours. To tell you the truth, it wasn't bad. I didn't quite feel like screaming, "I am woman, hear me roar," but it was a rare experimentation with the unknown which led me closer to understanding the reason behind the outrageous hype surrounding women and cigars.

Colleges and universities around the country have established their own cigar clubs. Among the most well-known are the Columbia University Cigar Society and the Harvard Cigar Club. Aspiring aficionados can be found at almost any institution for higher learning.

For whatever reason cigars have become a fad, it will inevitably fade in time as they all do, hopefully before too much damage is done. "They're great," Demi said, daintily massaging her cigar. "All the girls are doing it."

Jennifer McKean is a junior majoring in journalism.