Were women the only ones who used straws?

From iced coffees and smoothies to colorful cocktails, the drinking straw has become a familiar everyday accessory. But were women the only ones who used them? Far from it. Straws began as a gender-neutral tool, appearing in ancient ceremonies and festive gatherings shared by everyone. Over time, however, marketing and cultural trends started to frame straw use as stylish, playful, and even feminine. The story of straws isn’t just about function—it’s about how perceptions shift, raising the question of why we picture some users more than others.

Why? Were women really the only ones sipping from straws throughout history? The short answer is no. Straws were always a universal tool. Men and women alike used them in ancient times, and still do today. But along the way, marketing, etiquette, and pop culture painted straws as a “feminine” accessory. Let’s trace how that happened.

Ancient Beginnings: A Universal Tool for the Elite

The story of drinking straws begins around 3000 BCE in Mesopotamia, where archaeologists discovered long tubes made of gold and decorated with lapis lazuli. Both elite men and women used these straws to sip beer during ceremonial feasts. The purpose wasn’t style — it was practical. Beer in that era was often unfiltered, so the straw helped drinkers avoid bitter sediment.

Fast forward to ancient Egypt (~1st century BCE): while we don’t have proof that Cleopatra herself used straws, wealthy Egyptians — both men and women — enjoyed wine and beer with elegant drinking implements. Strainers, reeds, and ornate vessels allowed for cleaner, refined drinking experiences. Here again, straws (or straw-like tools) were symbols of status, not gender.

Fun Facts & Cultural Trivia 

• The longest straw ever made measured over 30 feet and was used to sip a milkshake.
  

• In the 1920s, flapper-era ads showed women sipping sodas with straws as a sign of modern independence.
  

• Tiki culture in the 1950s popularized multi-straw cocktails, often shared among friends — men and women alike.

The Modern Rebirth: Hygiene for All

After fading from common use for centuries, the drinking straw was reinvented in the 19th century for a practical reason that, again, applied to everyone.

In 1888, American inventor Marvin Stone grew frustrated while drinking a mint julep through a traditional rye grass straw, which was unwashed and so imparted grit and a grassy taste. He rolled strips of manila paper into tubes, coated them with wax, and patented the paper drinking straw.

Stone’s invention was marketed as a hygienic and modern drinking tool. At a time of growing public health awareness, the disposable straw was a major selling point for use at public soda fountains, where people drank from shared glasses. It was clean, convenient, and cheap—a revolution in convenience for all people. So, how did this universal tool become seen as feminine? The shift happened in the 20th century, not in the factories, but in the world of marketing and pop culture.

The 20th Century: The Cultural Shift 

While straws were used by everyone, the 20th century is when their public image was fundamentally reshaped. Through advertising and cultural trends, straws became increasingly portrayed as a feminine accessory. This was a shift in perception, not in actual, exclusive use.

Soda Fountains, Etiquette, and Lipstick (1900s–1930s)

The rise of American soda fountains and tea rooms created new social spaces. While men frequented them, these were also places where women could gather publicly. Etiquette guides began to emphasize dainty, graceful behavior for women. Sipping through a straw was portrayed as more ladylike than tilting back a heavy glass. Furthermore, the rising popularity of lipstick created a practical need: a straw allowed women to enjoy beverages without smudging their makeup—a benefit advertisers were quick to exploit.

Hollywood Glamour (1930s–1950s)

Hollywood powerfully cemented the straw's feminine image. Publicity stills and films frequently featured glamorous actresses like Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn sipping sodas or cocktails through straws. These images associated straws with flirtation, youthfulness, and sophistication. The straw became a prop that conveyed style and charm, creating a strong visual link in the public mind, even as men continued to use them.

Mid-Century Marketing and the Plastic Boom (1950s–1980s)

The invention of the bendy plastic straw and its mass production made straws ubiquitous. Post-war marketing campaigns heavily targeted women as the primary household consumers. Advertisements for diet sodas and at-home cocktail culture were pitched almost exclusively to women, with straws presented as an essential part of the experience. In contrast, men were often depicted in ads drinking directly from the bottle or a glass—a symbol of rugged simplicity. This deliberate framing created a powerful dichotomy.

A Universal Tool with for Everyone

So, were women the only ones who used straws? No. From Mesopotamian feasts to Marvin Stone’s paper invention to today’s smoothies, straws have always been gender-neutral tools.

What changed was perception. In the 20th century, etiquette, marketing, and Hollywood spun straws into symbols of femininity. That image stuck — even though men never stopped using them.

Today, as eco-friendly straws rise in popularity, the story is shifting again to natural straws or reusable straws like stainless steel. Straws are reclaiming their universality, reminding us that sipping sustainably is for everyone.