TULSA, Okla. — A movement to support women's decisions to remain sober while still being social is making its rounds locally through Sober Girls Tulsa.
Danay Jones is the founder of Sober Girls Tulsa, and she is hoping to bring a niche community of women together.
Experts said social drinking is a big part of American culture. For some, however, it's that culture that drives temptation.
“One of the things that kept having me stumble was feeling left out in social situations,” Danay Jones, founder of Sober Girls Tulsa, said.
Jones said it was that social drinking that posed a problem.
“I had a lot of challenges with alcoholism,” Jones said. “It was kind of back and forth. I would blame it on other people and say this isn't my problem. This is their problem. Or I would try to do it a little bit, happy hour here, and it would never work because I am a binge drinker."
Jones isn't the only one. According to America’s health rankings, Oklahoma is fourth in the nation for the percentage of adults who reported binge drinking or heavy drinking.
For women who binge drink, that means four or more drinks on one occasion in the past 30 days. For men, five or more.
Heavy drinking for women is eight or more drinks per week. For men, 15 or more.
It's statistics like these that gave a now sober Jones the idea to empower others without seclusion.
“I wanted to create somewhere where women feel safe and comfortable still in the presence of alcohol and not be drinking,” she said.
Jones is from Houston, where her idea began and flourished.
“I started Sober Girls Houston about two years ago,” Jones said. “It was great. We had so many different events, and women were able to come out and network and socialize and exchange numbers and realize hey I live next to this person and we can hang out and do sober things."
Now, she's bringing the concept to Tulsa with a mocktail tour to give more women a safe social experience.
“The mocktail tour we have going on for several weeks,” Jones said. “We are trying out all different bars and establishments to try out their mocktails and see their experience with their sober patrons."
The hope, Jones said, is more businesses alike will join the cause giving sober patrons more options and a sense of inclusion.
For those struggling with alcohol addiction, she said there's hope.
“I’ve been sober now for four years and that is my longest period of sobriety in the 38 years I’ve been on this earth,” Jones said. “I feel like my life is just beginning. I’m able to connect with people. I’m more present for my friends and my family and it's like I’m seeing the world with new eyes."
The mocktail tour kicks off Thursday night at the Saturn Room.
A full list of events can be found here.
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