MAPS Gender and Openess To Psycs

PeaceOfPast

Ex-Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
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I'm talking about the young adult demographic here. Not p.h.D holders or therapists. Do you think men or women are more open to tripping and altering consciousness? I read a statistic once that the largest LSD using group was males, in college, from 18-26.

Of course everyones different and theres millions of people in the world, but Ive ran into a lot of young women who are very turned off by the drug journey. Whether its the communication or the legal status I am unsure. Seems more of a pop culture thing to me.

Still, I wonder why statistics of usage have stayed pretty consistent for decades.

Maybe an analytical outlook type of thing.
 
Males would be more likely to consume drugs like psychedelics, I believe because of social constructs. Males are not at threat of "losing their children", or being shamed as a caretaker, as a female/mother would be. Males would be more 'adventurous' and their actions of less social consequence (at least in terms of "family" or their roles as father/mother/caretaker).

Although, I would think of females to be more "open" and receiving of tripping experience-- because of their openness to experience, higher flexibility, and ability to entertain more "liberal" modes of thinking. And that they just simply have to "put up with" more, they are more likely to be able to adapt to "putting up with" a psychedelic experience. At the same time though, the social constructs might be so impressed upon women's minds (Im talking women in Western civilization, or the US, specifically) that it manifests as psychological resistance to psychedelic experience. So Im being very broad, though its a very case-by-case sorta thing.

Basically, women have just not had the same social privileges or social identity, allowing them to take drugs and be all wild-n-out about their adventures. Because this would undermine the American/Whatever ideal of the mother nurturer who should give of herself to protect others, as opposed to going into a "selfish" experience like tripping, and drugs are an evil to be protected against.

I imagine the statistics reflected in psychedelic culture will reflect the exact same statistics of the mainstream culture that birthed it-- where women are regarded less, represented less, esteemed less, etc. Psychedelic culture is no different, because it is a spawn of the mainstream culture. Women can conquer, take drugs, and cut throats as easy as any man can, but the social consequences are much more dire for a woman than a man in our society. Sexism, to put it broadly, and the on-going legacy of a sexist culture, is at the root of this.
 
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All my friends trip when they can, but that's because i hang out with drug-using people.
I don't think it has anything to do with gender, it's just a personality type.
 
Probably guys, but that's just a guess. All my female friends use psychedelics but they're not "mainstream" or typical girls by any means. Gender is only one piece of the puzzle in determining who is open to drug use. Upbringing, education level, genetics and personality probably play a bigger role. Some people are sensation-seekers or self-medicators by nature while others like to play it safe.
 
I think it's a matter of introduction in a lot of cases. If someone has been more exposed to an alternate drug reality, one could safely assume that they would be more likely to try the substance, if it wasn't a negative experience when the person ran into it.
At this point I guess I would like to say men are more likely to psych out, maybe due to some adventure aspect. I took psychedelics because I knew there was more than just the "sober" world; and regardless of my mistakes with drugs I have never regretted what I am today.
When I did most of my acid trips, we would have, say, 6-7 guys and only 2-3 girls (who coincidentally were girlfriends). Two of them always loved it.
But most of our trips were always like that. My first time it was 2 girls and i alone; which is kind of odd thinking back.
The rest of the times any drugs have been done it seemed the "boys" would do their cocaine or their psychedelics, while the girls would get drunk and possibly participate in ecstasy.
But anyways, guys seem the norm, but I THINK girls can enjoy just as much as any boy can. I think it's part stigmatize as mentioned before.

Also, why did I reply to this if the member is now an ex BL? What happened?!
 
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I go to a conference every year with some pretty dedicated consciousness explorers--all women, all ages but the core group are generally from 40-75 years old and have been following this path since their youth back in the 60's and 70's. =D<3
 
most people I know who take psychedelics are neo-hippies, fairly evenly split between men and women.
 
In my experience in Scotland psychedelics are taken mostly by men. Women are too busy rearing children and working, hence don't have the time or "personal space" at that time of their lives to do psychs. Young women occasionally, a few, older women who don't have children more so, but it is looked upon as reckless behaviour.

Culturally is is looked down upon to "trip" here and be female. Ok to be a trip sitter for your man, but not something to be actively interested in and known for in the drug community.

A pity, and a seldom surprise for the few women who do get the chance, especially in heterosexual relationships. I think in lesbian relationships (that I know of) it's much more forgiving.

At festivals / holidays maybe, as a treat...
 
^Wow, that's surprising. And interesting. Is that just Scotland or do you think that is generally true throughout the UK?
 
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