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Alcohol Consumption, Gender Identities and Women’s Changing Social Positions

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Abstract

Young adults in Western countries are drinking more alcohol than ever before, particularly young women. This study aimed to explore how women are (re)defining their gender identities in relation to men through consumption of alcohol. Eight friendship discussion groups were conducted in Auckland, New Zealand, with 16 women and 16 men aged 20–29 years. Participants viewed binge drinking as a routine, normal part of everyday life. Women’s drinking was linked to pleasure and fun, with positive descriptions of female participants who were frequently intoxicated. However, other drunk women were positioned as deviant and breaking traditional codes of femininity. Findings are discussed in terms of women’s changing social positions and the accomplishment of gender identities through local communities of practice.

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Acknowledgements

The Royal Society of New Zealand, Marsden Fund (project 53664); Ruth Driver and Sandie Markham; Dr Brendan Gough and Professor Christine Griffin for comments on an earlier draft of this paper, and two anonymous reviewers who provided insightful and valuable comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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  1. School of Psychology, Massey University, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand

    Antonia C. Lyons

  2. School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

    Sara A. Willott

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Correspondence to Antonia C. Lyons.

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Lyons, A.C., Willott, S.A. Alcohol Consumption, Gender Identities and Women’s Changing Social Positions. Sex Roles 59, 694–712 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-008-9475-6

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