Why does AA seem to have so many more males than females?
12 Step Recovered Alcoholic
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 6,613
In the old days a lot of women drank at home and were sheltered by the family. Mom has a problem whcih we dont talk about kinda thing. In this setting they never have come to the attention of the authorities and are less likely to experience external societal pressure to quit. Its all swept under the carpet.
In my home town the law of unintended consequence has had a damaging effect on womens chances of recovery. Unfortunately we have one very matriachal womens group that controls a large number of women. The result is that many regular meetings have few or no women present when the new woman turns up, she goes away thinking there are no women in AA, if she doesnt get turned off by some inappropriate sharing by one or two of the men, which is probably why the womens group formed in the first place.
In another city I recently spent a year in, the numbers were evenly divided, though it was not uncommon to find more women than men at some meetings. These were excellent meetings and all the better for the presence of the women. The men here have learned to behave and everyone gets on really well. Unity is what I saw.
In my home town the law of unintended consequence has had a damaging effect on womens chances of recovery. Unfortunately we have one very matriachal womens group that controls a large number of women. The result is that many regular meetings have few or no women present when the new woman turns up, she goes away thinking there are no women in AA, if she doesnt get turned off by some inappropriate sharing by one or two of the men, which is probably why the womens group formed in the first place.
In another city I recently spent a year in, the numbers were evenly divided, though it was not uncommon to find more women than men at some meetings. These were excellent meetings and all the better for the presence of the women. The men here have learned to behave and everyone gets on really well. Unity is what I saw.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,323
Group Conscience is the guide
I have attended a lot of AA meetings in 28 years, and I can't give a percentage of females and males because it changes based on the large number of men and women who come and go.
There have been meetings of my home group when there were more women than men.
I live in an area with a high cost of living, so many members leave the area when they retire.
The group decides who will be program chairman with a show of hands. My group has females and males in service positions with different genders constantly changing.
It happens because each person stays or leaves for reasons too complex to explain because we don't know enough about the physical, mental, and spiritual composition of human beings.
There have been meetings of my home group when there were more women than men.
I live in an area with a high cost of living, so many members leave the area when they retire.
The group decides who will be program chairman with a show of hands. My group has females and males in service positions with different genders constantly changing.
It happens because each person stays or leaves for reasons too complex to explain because we don't know enough about the physical, mental, and spiritual composition of human beings.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Originally Posted by Helene 
I would go to meetings. But i am a single mom and its impossible.
Tones down the potty mouth sometimes, too.
Many womens' meetings have cooperative or actual childcare. There's always a way in life, and that is especially true in AA. One thing alcoholics are is generous and they/we are certainly understanding of parents' needs.
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