‘Alcohol is my friend’: Young middle class women discuss their relationship with alcohol

Abstract

In recent years concerns have been raised about the increase in alcohol consumption amongst young women in the UK. This paper presents a qualitative study of the experiences and relationship young, middle-class, female students have with alcohol. Interviews with five friendship groups were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal the integral part alcohol plays in the young women's social lives and its importance in the staging of the young female self. Drinking can be seen as empowering and confidence boosting. However, the 'friendship' between femininity and alcohol is a contemptuous and fragile one. Loosing public self-control is seen as an invitation to unwanted sexual attention and even exploitation. The interviews not only illustrate the gendered and classed behavioural codes imposed on women, but also how the women have made these their own. We discuss how the young women's description of 'problem drinking' as being, for the most part, the preserve of men and so called 'chavvies', allows them to project an image of themselves as feminine and in control of their own drinking. We conclude that this could have implications for the extent to which they see the messages of public health campaigns about the dangers of 'binge' drinking as relating to them. y Philippa Morgan is not affiliated to an academic institution. This was the blib I wrote for her: Philippa Morgan is self employed and works in qualitative market research. She obtained an undergraduate degree in Psychology in 2006 from the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. The research this article is based on grew out of work that Philippa conducted in the final year of her degree.Extract 1: 'Yeah, I think it's the thing of like, people think, 'Oh! You're so funny when you're drunk.' and 'oh, he's always the life and soul of the party, he's always drunk.' and I suppose it also takes away the fear that people aren't going to find you fun to be around or something.'!

Contextualizing Students’ Alcohol Use Perceptions and Practices within French Culture: An Analysis of Gender and Drinking among Sport Science College Students

“…For example, for men, the demonstration of hegemonic masculinity and "virility" was strongly linked with high levels of alcohol consumption. For women in our sample, alcohol consumption appeared more strongly related to conforming to immediate social norms and a desire to "fit in," but also as a relaxant to engender greater confidence in social situations (Rúdólfsdóttir & Morgan, 2009). Such gendered attitudes and behaviour need to be examined and discussed by instructors, physicians, and clinicians.…”

“…Women's drinking behavior has been traditionally associated with notions of sobriety and "purity" (Beck, Legleve, & De Peretti, 2006;Connell, 1995) and, more recently, with "empowerment" and confidence boosting (Rúdólfsdóttir & Morgan, 2009). In many contemporary societies, such traditional gender norms are being challenged by increasing alcohol use among women and girls (Guise & Gill, 2007;Palmer, 2014;Willott & Lyons, 2012) and by regarding alcohol use as symbolic of independence, assertiveness, freedom, and self-assurance (Beck et al, 2006;Macneela & Bredin, 2011).…”

Gendered forms of responsibility and control in teenagers' views of alcohol

“…One of the most compelling findings from existing research about young people's drinking is that notions of responsibility and control are gendered (Griffin 2009, Rúdólfsdóttir and Morgan 2009, Measham 2002. While gender differences in consumption are becoming less significant, associated with an increase in young women's drinking, alcohol continues to be a key issue in the construction of gendered identities.…”

“…It is important to consider how young people's drinking practices are influenced by wider media representations (Anderson et al 2009, Gordon, Hastings, andMoodie 2010) which are highly gendered (Atkinson, Kirton, andSumnall 2012, Day, Gough, andMcFadden 2004). Young women in particular were keenly aware of the contested status of their drinking and the need to present themselves as aware of responsibility discourses (Measham 2004, Griffin 2009, Rúdólfsdóttir and Morgan 2009). …”

“…However, amongst the youngest group there was concern that the loss of control through alcohol could be risky and unsafe (Harnett et al 2000). For young women, staying within the boundaries of traditional femininity involved self-policing and self-restraint (Griffin 2009, Rúdólfsdóttir andMorgan 2009). …”