Drinksgiving, Blackout Wednesday…It’s Here, It’s Queer, Keep This In Mind!

Drinksgiving, Blackout Wednesday...It's Here, It's Queer, Keep This In Mind!

It's here! It's queer! Whatever you may call it - Drinksgiving or Blackout Wednesday or just a usual Wednesday for you, today is the biggest drinking day of the year! Yes, Thanksgiving Day can bring on a lot of anxiety, and most people, especially the gays, will relax from strenuous travel, being shoved in the family den to sleep, or having to deal with your MAGA uncle by having a drink or two...or many. Move over New Year's Eve, move over St. Patrick's Day, Blackout Wednesday is now the star of the drinking show for the year. Most bars will have drink specials, events, and even extended hours to prepare you for Turkey Day.

For the queer community, gay bars can offer solace to drinkers year-round. But during the holidays, we tend to participate more. For Blackout Wednesday, it could be that we are visiting our hometown with most of the gays in the closet or who can't host and we are looking for a brief respite from the family gathering, it could also be that we are alone this Thanksgiving and we want to feel a sense of companionship before the big day - the bars will not be empty!, and for others, we are gathering with our circle of friends before everyone splits off to their own family day.

A study conducted by Lightspeed reported that bar liquor orders increased by 156% this week and cocktails orders increased by 60%. Glub, glub, glub! And while drinking yourself into a stupor to get through the day sounds like fun, and many times it can be, we wanted to give you some food (or drink) for thought before you succumb to Blackout Wednesday. No, we aren't prudes, and yes, we love a fun night out...but we want you to be around to read our hot articles on Friday!

 

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First of all, the time period from Blackout Wednesday to New Year's Day is known as DUI Season. Beware, there are many police checkpoints and patrol cars on the prowl looking for those who have drunk too much. In today's era of Uber and Lyft, there is no reason to get a DUI. It's not worth putting yourself and others at risk. If you can, travel in packs, the price surges during the holidays can be intense. It's still cheaper than a DUI! NewPress reports that you are 55% more likely to come into contact with a drunk driver during holiday celebration days.

Blackout Wednesday can also mean more than just a loss of memory, your debit card, your dignity, and getting a massive hangover. When someone drinks more than usual, they can be prone to vomiting, seizures, high blood pressure, anxiety attacks, depression, and, depending on how clumsy they are, physical injury. Know your limits! If you tend to binge drink a lot during the holidays, you can have more long-term effects like liver damage and even mental health issues.

Blackout Wednesdays are not just for gays who have 12 cocktails in a row. If you are at a lower body weight (lucky bitches), are taking medications, are mixing your drinks with other substances, or haven't eaten that day, you can blackout even after just a couple of drinks.

 

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Our biggest tip is to get in your Uber, go out, have fun, but mix in a full glass of water in between each drink, know your limits, and make sure you drink some Gatorade or such before passing out. Also, make sure you take the appropriate precautions if you are hooking up today. Drinksgiving may also mean you forget to take your Doxy/PrEP. Don't forget!

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