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The role of alcohol in identity construction among LGBT people: A qualitative study
Abstract
Research suggests that alcohol use and misuse are higher among lesbian, gay and bisexual than heterosexual populations, yet the social context of drinking in sexual minority communities has rarely been examined. To explore lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people's relationship with alcohol, we conducted seven focus groups (N = 33) with pre-existing groups of friends and work colleagues (18 to 52 years) in Scotland, UK. We identified and analysed patterns in our data using thematic analysis. Respondents perceived heavy drinking as central to the commercial gay scene. Choice of drink and drinking vessel was an important part of identity construction. Respondents discussed the perception that gay men would drink alcopops and cocktails while lesbians would drink pints of beer. Even when stereotypes were dismissed as inaccurate, they were still thought to pressure people to drink ‘appropriately’. Respondents who did not identify as male or female, and those who used drag, were particularly aware of their choice of drink as a means to express identity or to challenge people's preconceptions about gender. Researchers developing interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm in sexual minority populations need to take account of the central role of identity construction in LGBT drinking practices.
... There are a number of reasons why LGBTQ+ people are particularly vulnerable to alcohol problems (Bourne & Weatherburn 2017;Emslie et al. 2015;Emslie et al. 2017;Meyer 2003). First, the 'minority stress' perspective outlines how minority groups such as LGBTQ+ people exist within hostile environments (e.g. ...
... dealing with discrimination, rejection, stigma, hostility, homophobia and transphobia) which impact negatively on their physical and mental health (Meyer 2003). Coping responses may include health damaging behaviours such as substance use (Bourne & Weatherburn 2017;Hamilton & Mahalik 2009;Kcomt et al. 2020 ' (McCreanor et al. 2008) and experience strong peer pressure to drink across the lifecourse (Emslie et al. 2017). Sexual minority groups also overestimate the alcohol (and other drug) use of peers, perhaps because observation of peers tends to be in LGBTQ+ bars and clubs, and on social media sites and dating apps (Boyle et al. 2020). ...
... There remain many gaps in knowledge about the relationship between LGBTQ+ people and alcohol (Institute of Alcohol Studies Briefing 2021), but one particularly important gap is around improving alcohol services. Our previous work focused broadly on the social context of drinking among a diverse sample of LGBTQ+ people in Scotland (Emslie et al. 2015;Emslie et al. 2017). The current qualitative study focused specifically on LGBTQ+ people who had accessed alcohol services or peer support in Scotland to explore their experiences and discover how services could be improved. ...
This qualitative study focused on LGBTQ+
people who had accessed alcohol services or peer support in Scotland to explore their experiences and discover how services could be improved. We also explored the views of
service providers to provide a more rounded account.
... Boyle et al. (2016) found that more frequent bar and club attendance among lesbians was associated with overestimating heavy alcohol use among their community. The notion of high acceptability and a heavy drinking culture on the commercial LGBTQ scene and within community has been found across international samples (Demant et al., 2018;Emslie et al., 2017). ...
... Women's alcohol consumption has historically been relegated to the private sphere of the home or to concealed public spaces (e.g. lesbian bars), while public consumption has been highly stigmatised (Emslie et al., 2017;Lennox et al., 2018). By inviting LBQ women to visually represent their own experiences with alcohol and tobacco use, this project seeks to empower a community whose voices and experiences are often obscured from public discourse. ...
Background: Lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women exhibit high rates of alcohol and tobacco use, yet there is limited qualitative research examining why. Previous research has focused on minority stress explanations, linking alcohol and tobacco use to experiences of discrimination. However, other work considers the social contexts and cultural practices associated with alcohol and tobacco consumption. This confirms the need for more in-depth understandings of LBQ women’s lived experiences in a contemporary Australian context. Aims: To address gaps in existing research, this project aims to develop a more nuanced contemporaneous theorising of what alcohol and tobacco mean to LBQ women in Australia. Drawing on feminist and critical drugs studies, this research will examine the complexities of alcohol and tobacco in LBQ women’s lives, including how patterns of use change over time. We will also critically consider how LBQ women understand risk in relation to these substances, including factors leading to harm reduction and help-seeking. Method: We will employ a longitudinal qualitative approach to explore LBQ women’s experiences over time, including three waves of semi-structured interviews and participant photography. We aim to recruit approximately 60 women in Victoria and New South Wales. Interview and visual data will be analysed using a range of narrative and thematic techniques. Conclusion: This study seeks to explore the complexities of individual experiences with alcohol and tobacco use, including pleasure and support-seeking, and to provide a nuanced understanding of the cultural dimensions of use that may change over time. In doing so, we propose a shift from deficit approaches to LBQ women’s substance use towards more meaningful strengths-based engagement with the function of substances for LBQ women. Findings will be significant in their contribution to the current understandings of substance use patterns among LBQ women and the implications for harm reduction and health interventions.
... One study reported that SGM individuals consumed alcohol and used marijuana to cope with stress and boredom during the COVID-19 pandemic [35]. Conformity motives were also reported in 6 studies (24%) [25,31,[37][38][39][40]. In particular, SGM individuals reported using substances to conform with peer pressure, such as expectations on substance use in social settings [25, 31,40] or to "fit in" [37,38]. ...
... Conformity motives were also reported in 6 studies (24%) [25,31,[37][38][39][40]. In particular, SGM individuals reported using substances to conform with peer pressure, such as expectations on substance use in social settings [25, 31,40] or to "fit in" [37,38]. Among GBMSM, peers' expectation on sexual performance was reported as one of the conformity motives [39]. ...
Purposeof Review
The prevalence of problematic substance use is disproportionately higher among sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults compared to adults in the general population. mHealth as a treatment modality could reduce barriers to accessing substance use treatments among SGM populations. Through a qualitative literature search, the current narrative review aimed to understand the lived experiences of SGM individuals who use substances and to synthesize recommendations made in the literature to inform future mHealth interventions.
Recent Findings
Positive and negative reinforcement motives were prominent reasons for substance use, which included SGM identity expression and conformity motives. Individual- and system-level treatment barriers included a lack of safe and nonjudgmental environment, shame and stigma, and limited knowledge about treatment options. Barriers were directly linked to the reported substance use treatment needs in this population.
Summary
On-demand app features, real-time intervention and assessment, and anonymity should be considered in future mHealth trials.
... LGB individuals have also reported drinking being a key feature of the 'gay scene' (Emslie et al., 2017) and other research has found alcohol related issues such as dependence and social issues arising from alcohol misuse to be greater amongst sexual minority women (Drabble et al., 2005). The cooccurring relationship between alcohol and tobacco may amplify health implications associated with engaging in both health damaging behaviours simultaneously (Wetzels et al., 2003). ...
... The cooccurring relationship between alcohol and tobacco may amplify health implications associated with engaging in both health damaging behaviours simultaneously (Wetzels et al., 2003). Finally, the emphasis placed on LGBT nightlife spaces and venues may facilitate the association between alcohol and smoking (Emslie et al., 2017;Washington, 2002). ...
This thesis is the first to examine the associations between sexuality and smoking behaviour in Great Britain, using quantitative analyses of secondary data sources. Drawing on previous literature from geography, psychology and epidemiology, the thesis aims to understand the factors associated with greater smoking prevalence in lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) populations, how LGB smoking has changed over time, and whether different measures of sexuality impact smoking and co-behaviour likelihood. Whilst recent calls to reduce smoking prevalence in Great Britain have acknowledged inequalities between LGB and heterosexual populations, few studies in Great Britain have examined smoking trends and patterns in this population beyond prevalence rates. Much of the previous research looking at sexuality and smoking behaviour has been carried out in the United States, where contextual differences mean findings cannot be generalised. This thesis uses multilevel modelling to examine individual and environmental factors in smoking behaviour and patterns to draw comparisons across Great Britain between LGB and heterosexual populations. Findings suggest that, in Great Britain, inequalities in smoking persist between LGB people and heterosexual populations, and also within LGB groups. Across Great Britain, LGB people in certain areas may be more affected by smoking inequalities, and sexual minority women are amongst the most affected. Anti-smoking policies should address these inequalities by taking into account variations by place and recognising that sexual minority populations are more vulnerable.
... Furthermore, strong social relationships may open up avenues to positive identity (Hughto et al., 2015;Riggle et al., 2011). Past research on social relationships of LGBTQ+ people as a homogenous body, while important in uncovering shared experiences (Beagan and Hattie, 2015;Snapp et al., 2015), lacks nuance when it comes to unique experiences of transgender people (Abbott, 2015;Emslie et al., 2017;Gates, 2015). ...
... Crucially, existing reviews touching on social relationships in transgender individuals often focus exclusively on stigma or social support and seldom focus on other relevant experiences within social relationships (Gilbert et al., 2018;Hafford-Letchfield et al., 2017;Jones et al., 2017;McFadden, 2015;Stewart, O'Halloran and Oates, 2018;Valentine and Shipherd, 2018). When social support is mentioned, what support comprises is often very broad and generalised, especially in the quantitative literature (Abbott, 2015;Emslie et al., 2017;Gates, 2015). More subtle nuances in what support might consist of and how it might be enacted in transgender social relationships are not frequently highlighted by researchers (Hughes, 2016;Riggle et al., 2011;Toomey and Richardson, 2009;Twist et al., 2017). ...
Rationale
Social relationships are important in bolstering health and well-being for everyone in the general population. For transgender people, strong supportive social relationships may be paramount to their overall health and well-being due to their marginalised status in society.
Objective
This review aimed to investigate what is currently known about the social relationship experiences of transgender people and their relational partners (e.g., family members, romantic partners).
Methods
Thirty-nine qualitative papers were extracted from Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, and PubMed that related to social relationships of transgender people. These papers were analysed via a qualitative meta-synthesis.
Results
Forty-nine second-order themes were identified, initially organised into relational partner clusters (e.g., family, friends, work colleagues) for specific phenomena, then these were synthesized into five overarching conceptual themes: (1) Development of relationships through transition and beyond, (2) Coping strategies of transgender people and their relational partners, (3) Reciprocal support in social relationships, (4) Stigma enacted and ameliorated interpersonally, and (5) Influence of stigma on social health and well-being.
Discussion and conclusions
These overarching themes show the potential characteristics that assist in the health-buffering role of social relationships for transgender people and their relational partners. Of particular note, stigma was reported as a common negative experience by transgender people and their relational partners, and open communicative social relationships had positive effects on self-conceptualisations of identity, which were inferred to protect against the damaging effects of stigma. We discuss the various implications and applications of this meta-synthesis to future research and clinical settings as well as how it can inform healthcare policy to support transgender people.
... It has been suggested that interventions to reduce drinking must acknowledge the social contexts in which alcohol is used (Emslie, Lennox, & Ireland, 2017;Vagenas et al., 2017). Similarly, social support plays an integral role in health-related behaviors with profound social contexts. ...
... Similarly, social support plays an integral role in health-related behaviors with profound social contexts. Given that bars and clubs provide important public refuge for LGBTQ communities (Emslie et al., 2017), a non-abstinence approach would allow individuals to continue to access a social resource embedded in LGBTQ culture. However, emerging evidence linking LGBTQ bars to increased rates of AUD and other substance use disorders among MSM indicates a potential need for interventions to address drinking norms in the community (Cochran, Grella, & Mays, 2012;Stall et al., 2001). ...
Introduction
Men who have sex with men (MSM) experience high rates of binge drinking, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and alcohol-related health issues. Pharmacotherapy for AUD can reduce hazardous drinking, yet remains underutilized among MSM. This qualitative study examined knowledge and perceptions regarding AUD medications among MSM, with an emphasis on naltrexone.
Methods
Three focus group discussions (FGDs) with MSM who consumed alcohol in the past year were conducted in February 2015 (N = 39) in the San Francisco Bay Area. The FGD guide generated discussions about hazardous drinking, the social contexts of drinking, and alcohol reduction and cessation options, including pharmacotherapy. Interviews were analyzed via directed content analysis to codify themes.
Results
For participants, drinking at LGBTQ bars was an important social activity. Many expressed interest in reducing alcohol use, but few had heard of pharmacotherapy for AUD. Potential uptake was limited by perceptions of disulfiram as the prototype medication, side effects associated with disulfiram, and concerns that medications do not address alcohol-related stigma or social drivers of drinking. Participants were more receptive to pharmacotherapy when presented with medication options that did not require abstinence. Participants reported being more likely to try pharmacotherapy as part of a peer group or treatment program.
Conclusions
Efforts to increase the knowledge and availability of naltrexone and harm reduction approaches, while addressing addiction- and medication-related stigma, might improve pharmacotherapy uptake for AUD and decrease hazardous drinking among MSM for whom alcohol holds social significance.
... Nevertheless, it can be argued today that within mainstream alcohol research, innovative sociological developments in gender and queer theory have been largely ignored and contemporary research arenas continue to be dominated by a heteronormative and binary gender discourse that considers masculinity and femininity exclusively as opposites and associates them with essentially male and female sexed bodies. Given the continued focusespecially in the USon white, college-based women and men, gender non-conforming youth and other young adults who are not heterosexual, not cisgender, not middle class and not white remain largely invisible in research on intoxication (see Emslie, Lennox, and Ireland 2017;Griffin 2014;Griffin et al. 2013;Hunt, Joe-Laidler, and Evans 2002;Hunt and Antin 2017;Hutton, Wright, and Saunders 2013;Miller and Carbone-Lopez 2015;Montemurro and McClure 2005;Peralta 2008;Peralta et al. 2010 for exceptions). 1 This tendency is especially problematic given contemporary theoretical developments in the social sciences which present bigenderism as a social construction dictating normative standards of masculinity and femininity and marginalizing those who fail to perform appropriately (Gilbert 2009). ...
... These issues have come up consistently throughout our various studies with 'LGBTQ' populations. 3. Emslie, Lennox, and Ireland (2017) and Peralta (2008) are exceptions. 4. ...
Research on intoxicating substances and gender has developed considerably in the last 30 years, especially in the social sciences as feminist scholars highlighted the contradictory discourses about young women’s intoxication. Nevertheless, there still remain significant gaps if we are to fully understand the role and meaning of intoxication for all young people and not merely for heterosexual, cisgender young people. As a way of exploring the possible limitations of this legacy, we will examine the qualitative data from 52 in-depth interviews with self-identified LGBTQ young people. Our analysis explores the relationships between meanings of intoxication and sexual and gender identities, drinking spaces, and the extent to which notions of masculinity and femininity influence alcohol consumption and drinking practices among LGBTQ youth. As gender expressions among young people, especially those who identify as LGBTQ, become increasingly nuanced and fluid, understanding the role of social and cultural practices of alcohol consumption in the performance of sexual and gender identities may increase our understanding of the ways in which sexuality and gender influence alcohol consumption.
... As emphasised in a previous Australian study (McNair et al., 2016), SSAW commonly observed that alcohol enhanced their capacity to connect with others, clearly linking this with the embodied enjoyment and pleasure afforded by alcohol and the normalisation of alcohol use described above. Rather than using alcohol product choices to demonstrate sexual orientation (see Emslie et al., 2017), respondents spoke of alcohol consumption as a means of enhancing affinity, explaining how drinking with other SSAW engendered heightened affective states: ...
... This paper reinforces the conclusions of previous research, identifying similar issues among a middleaged cohort as in research involving SSAW from other age groups: that SSAW drink for complex and varied reasons including connecting with others, normalisation of drinking and alcohol availability at venues where they typically socialise and that alcohol aids in managing negative feelings arising from discrimination. The study reinforces the need for appropriately targeted education and services, opportunities to socialise without alcohol and addressing discrimination (Condit et al., 2011;Emslie et al., 2017;Hughes, 2011;Hughes et al., 2016;McNair et al., 2016). ...
As a group, middle-aged same-sex attracted women (SSAW) appear to consume more alcohol than exclusively heterosexual women in the same age range; however, few studies document their collective drinking practices or identify opportunities to reduce associated harms. Online surveys which included open-ended questions were completed by a self-selected sample of SSAW (N = 134) aged 36–51, recruited in Victoria, Australia. We identify 12 sub-elements of SSAW’s collective drinking practice using a schema grounded in social practice theory (SPT). Responses are compared for SSAW who consumed alcohol with others at moderate and at heavier levels, based on screening. Heavier drinking respondents were more likely to observe that: alcohol use is normalised for SSAW; they are not pressured to drink; drinking produces pleasurable effects; drinking facilitates management of uncomfortable moods and that venues welcoming SSAW are saturated with alcohol. In line with SPT, links between sub-elements described by heavier drinkers are explored to identify potential interventions. For example, we recommend an expansion of social opportunities without alcohol that engender affirming affective states for SSAW. Further, many SSAW’s commitment to the importance of moderation and rejecting coercion to drink could be used to combat the conviction that drinking is an inevitable response to discrimination experienced by sexual minorities. It was apparent that although they drank with other SSAW, our survey respondents did not share a consistent or altogether unique drinking culture. We suggest that an SPT approach entailing data coding to multiple sub-elements supports the identification of diverse configurations of drinking practice within heterogeneous subpopulations.
... While many pubs, especially those owned and managed in the vast estates owned by the sector dominating chain 'PubCos', may conform to a familiar, even standardised, aesthetic and ambiance, that conformity is also tempered by the idiosyncrasies of specific locations and contexts. Third, while pub going has a continued cross-class appeal (Le Roux et al., 2008), pubs are also spaces of spatial and social divisions with gender (Campbell, 2000;Leyshon, 2008), in particular, but also sexuality (Emslie et al., 2017), ethnicity and religion (Valentine et al., 2010) and age (Thurnell-Read, 2021a) critical to understanding both who uses pubs and how they are used, experienced and perceived by different groups. Pubs can, indeed must, be viewed as contested spaces within which wider social differences are played out and from which shifting allegiances may be inferred. ...
Public houses have long served an important social role in the United Kingdom, yet in recent decades the conditions under which they operate have changed dramatically. While research has examined adaptations in the pub sector, there is little analysis of how this relates to social change as experienced in the lives of individuals and communities. Pubs are therefore a useful topic of sociological inquiry. Using focus groups data, this article examines how people experience the changing form and function of pubs reveals insights into perceptions of social change. Findings show that participants were aware of how pub culture has changed over recent decades and that this was linked to perceptions of wider social and cultural changes in society. Talking about pub going was a means to express dynamic feelings of belonging and attachment, particularly where they arise at the intersection of personal life changes and wider social transformations.
... Dat speelt bij de verschillen in middelengebruik en leefstijl ook een rol. In dat verband wijzen onderzoekers op de sociale normen rondom middelengebruik in de lhb-gemeenschap (Emslie et al. 2017;Hughes et al. 2016). ...
Lesbische, homoseksuele en biseksuele Nederlanders voelen zich nog steeds onveiliger dan heteroseksuelen. Zij zijn vaker slachtoffer van (seksueel) geweld en respectloos gedrag dan heteroseksuelen. In vergelijking met 2012 is de veiligheidssituatie van lesbische vrouwen en homoseksuele mannen wel verbeterd, maar dat geldt niet voor biseksuele personen. Met name biseksuele vrouwen zijn vaker het slachtoffer van seksueel geweld. Dat blijkt uit onderzoek van het Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau (SCP) naar de leefsituatie van lesbische, homoseksuele, biseksuele en transgender personen in Nederland.
Uit het onderzoek komt verder naar voren dat LHB-personen over het algemeen dezelfde positie als heteroseksuelen innemen als het gaat over zaken als werk, wonen en vrijetijdsbesteding. Een tweede andere positieve uitkomst van het onderzoek is dat lesbische vrouwen en homoseksuele mannen psychisch even gezond en gelukkig zijn als heteroseksuele personen.
... Women's drinking increases the financial and economic burden by reducing their working capacity and employability, leading to an increase in the need for social services (Salonsalmi et al., 2017). Such consequences of women's problem 66 Stigma means disqualification and marginalisation of social acceptance. This phenomenon is usually experienced by people who use alcohol or drugs. ...
Moterų priklausomybė nuo alkoholio yra opi visuomenės problema, kurią yra aktualu tyrinėti ir plėsti
šias žinias tiek moksliniu, tiek profesiniu, tiek visuomeniniu lygmenimis. Kol kas šios temos ištirtumas psichologijos mokslų atžvilgiu yra mažas, tad šiuo tyrimu bandoma užpildyti trūkstamų žinių spragą. Tyrime dalyvavo dešimt moterų, kurios save identifikavo kaip priklausomas nuo alkoholio. Empiriniai duomenys buvo renkami pasitelkiant
biografinio naratyvo interviu. Siekiant atskleisti bendrą priklausomų nuo alkoholio moterų charakteristiką, bei
priklausomybę alkoholiui veikiančius veiksnius, kaip metodologinė strategija pasirinkta K.Charmaz konstruktyvistinė grindžiamosios teorijos prieiga. Sugeneruota grindžiamoji teorija atskleidė pagrindinius priklausomų nuo
alkoholio moterų tapatumo kūrimo charakteristiką atspindinčius aspektus: vidinę atskirtį tarp kompensacinio ir
impotentiško tapatumų, kas dėl naudojamos nebrandžios psichologinės gynybos bendrai sudaro iliuzinio tapatumo sampratą. Remiantis psichoanalitinėmis teorinėmis perspektyvomis keliama prielaida, kad vidinės atskirties
reiškinys susijęs su psichologinių struktūrų integracijos stoka, tai reiškiasi savosios galios ir vertės jausmo stoka,
bei tarpasmeninių santykių sunkumais. Tyrime keliama prielaida, jog vidinių struktūrų stoka siejama su psichologiniu dalyvių „negimimu”, mirties instinkto raiška, bei archetipinio „rojaus” būsenos ilgesiu, kurį suteikia
gausus alkoholio vartojimas. Tyrimo rezultatai išryškina empatiško požiūrio poreikį į priklausomas nuo alkoholio
moteris tiek profesiniu, tiek visuomeniniu lygmenimis, nes tai gali teigiamai paveikti priklausomų moterų ir dėl
to ateities kartų psichinę sveikatą.
... Through national population-based datasets from 2015 and 2016, Schuler et al. (2018) also confirmed an elevated risk of alcohol or substance use disorders amongst LGB population. Interestingly, Emslie et al. (2017) in a qualitative study from Scotland observed that heavy drinking was linked to the commercial gay scene and the type of drink was thought to play an important (if stereotypical) role in people's identity. These authors reported that gay men tended to drink alcopops and cocktails while lesbians tended to drink pints of beer. ...
Sexual orientation is a key determinant of the identity of human beings. It has also been seen as a social determinant of health. People whose sexual orientation is non-heterosexual or sexual minorities or sexually diverse are included in the broad umbrella term LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) which is a commonly used acronym in activism, social policy, and subsequently cultural literature. For this reason, this Commission focuses primarily on sexual orientation i.e. lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) groups. We have used terms non-heterosexual, sexual minorities or sexual variation interchangeably. We have not considered asexual individuals as research in the field is too limited. We are cognisant of the fact that topics relating to mental health and sexual orientation discussed in this Commission will intersect with other issues of personal, cultural and social identity, and will thus be relevant to individuals including many transgender individuals. The inclusion of mental health issues relevant to gender-diverse individuals as well as gender identity is important and deserves its own separate detailed discussion. The exact number of sexually diverse individuals in a population is often difficult to estimate but is likely to be somewhere around 5% of the population. Rates of various psychiatry disorders and suicidal ideation and acts of suicide in LGB populations are higher than general population and these have been attributed to minority stress hypothesis. Elimination of inequality in law can lead to reduction in psychiatric morbidity in these groups. However, these are all diverse groups but even within each group there is diversity and each individual has a distinct and unique experiences, upbringing, responses to their own sexual orientation, and generating varying responses from families, peers and friends as well as communities (including healthcare professionals). The mental healthcare needs of sexual minority individuals vary and these variations must be taken into account in design, development and delivery of healthcare and policies. Improving access to services will help engagement and outcomes and also reduce stigma. The commission recommends that there is no role for so-called conversion therapies and other recommendations are made for clinicians, researchers and policymakers.
... No systematic reviews were found specifically related to alcohol and gender identity. However, several individual studies show comparable gender influences on drinking for young people identifying as transgender, including influences, such as the links between alcohol use and risky sexual behaviour and with identity formation as college students [66][67][68]. One study found that high life stress was associated with an increased odds of sexual risk for young transgender women, and that this was attenuated by alcohol and other substance use. ...
Alcohol use is coming under increasing scrutiny with respect to its health impacts on the body. In this vein, several high-income countries have issued low-risk drinking guidelines in the past decade, aiming to educate the public on safer levels of alcohol use. Research on the sex-specific health effects of alcohol has indicated higher damage with lower amounts of alcohol for females as well as overall sex differences in the pharmacokinetics of alcohol in male and female bodies. Research on gender-related factors, while culturally dependent, indicates increased susceptibility to sexual assault and intimate partner violence as well as more negative gender norms and stereotypes about alcohol use for women. Sex- and gender-specific guidelines have been issued in some countries, suggesting lower amounts of alcohol consumption for women than men; however, in other countries, sex- and gender-blind advice has been issued. This article reports on a synthesis of the evidence on both sex- and gender-related factors affecting safer levels of drinking alcohol with an emphasis on women’s use. We conclude that supporting and expanding the development of sex- and gender-specific low-risk drinking guidelines offers more nuanced and educative information to clinicians and consumers and will particularly benefit women and girls.
... For example, alcohol has been used by Black and Latino men who have sex with men in the U.S.A. to increase comfort with their sexuality and sexual desires (Mutchler et al., 2014). Also in this vein, gender and sexual diverse people in Scotland are reported to use alcohol and ways of drinking as a means of constructing and portraying a desired identity (Emslie et al., 2017a). ...
A range of research reports that many gender and sexually diverse people drink alcohol at heavy levels. This study used 24 focus groups to explore shared understandings of alcohol use among gender and sexually diverse people living in New Zealand. An inductive, data-driven thematic analysis was employed to identify explanations for heavy drinking among gender and sexually diverse people. Three key explanations were articulated: alcohol is needed for socialising; drinking helps coping with stress; alcohol and drug treatment services are inadequate. These results demonstrate justifications for heavy drinking in certain contexts. This behaviour runs counter to public health approaches and messages that highlight low-risk levels of drinking or not drinking as desirable. Public health interventions should continue to address alcohol use at a whole population level but should be supplemented by policy and interventions that take into account the sociocultural contexts and structural conditions that encourage drinking among gender and sexually diverse people.
... A pattern has been documented in a number of locations of sexual minority women consuming on average more alcohol than heterosexual women do, albeit less than men do (Hughes et al., 2016). In research with sexual minority women who attended venues in Glasgow, drinking offered a means to establish connection with others in their community, as well as signifying a lesbian identity (Emslie et al., 2017). In the San Francisco region in the 1970s, unease about the association of socializing in the world with alcohol consumption led to successful efforts by members of the lesbian social world to set up and promote alternative activities and meeting-places. ...
The ‘social worlds’ concept has been underutilized in alcohol research. This is surprising given that drinking is primarily a social activity, often a secondary part of a sociable occasion in a social world whose members come together around something they have in common, such as an occupation, a hobby, or an identity. Social worlds which include drinking in their practices often entail encouragements or pressures to drink more, though they may also try to impose some limits on drinking or related behavior. Heavy drinking social worlds may be a useful target for public health interventions aimed at supporting less harmful drinking practices, and this paper moves beyond a theoretical discussion of social worlds and their utility to suggest how the concept might be applied in practical terms. We discuss the various influences and actors that potentially impact on heavy drinking social worlds, and suggest a pragmatic typology of social worlds in terms of five features: activity-based, identification-based, settings-based, worldview-based and social position-based. Most social worlds will be characterized by more than one feature, although it is likely that one will predominate in a given social world. Examples are discussed of changes in drinking norms in heavy-drinking social worlds primarily characterised in terms of each of the five features. Implications are considered for public health programming to reduce risky drinking in such social worlds.
... Links between hazardous alcohol use among sexual minority adults and experiences of minority stressors include perceived discrimination, 11,12 and interpersonal violence. 13,14 Differences in community norms around drinking, including differences in where and with whom sexual minority and heterosexual individuals drink, 15,16 the role that alcohol plays in the LGBT community and identity development, 17,18 and the use of alcohol to cope with general and minority stressors, 19 have also been studied. However, factors at all levels of the social ecology (individual, interpersonal, community, and policy) shape differential risk for binge drinking, yet few studies have examined policy-level factors and their relationship with differences in binge drinking across sex and sexual orientation. ...
Purpose:
Binge drinking disparities by sexual identity are well documented. Stronger alcohol policy environments reduce binge drinking in the general population. We examined whether state-level alcohol policy environments have the same association with binge drinking among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults as among heterosexual adults.
Methods:
Binge drinking, sexual identity, and demographic characteristics were extracted from the 2015 to 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The strength of the alcohol policy environment was measured by using the Alcohol Policy Scale (APS) score. We estimated the association between APS score and binge drinking by using logistic regression and included an interaction term between APS score and sexual identity.
Results:
The interaction between APS score and sexual identity was not significant, and findings differed between women and men. Among women, a higher APS score was associated with lower odds of binge drinking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.94-0.99). Differences in binge drinking by sexual identity remained after adjusting for individual and state-level factors (e.g., the percentage of LGB adults in the state). Compared with heterosexual women, the odds of binge drinking were 43% higher (aOR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.17-1.75) among lesbian women and 58% higher (aOR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.40-1.79) among bisexual women. A higher APS score was not associated with binge drinking among men.
Conclusion:
Stronger state-level alcohol policy environments were associated with lower binge drinking among women. Lesbian and bisexual women were still more likely to engage in binge drinking compared with heterosexual women even in states with stronger alcohol policy environments.
... The sharing of experiences in counseling and support groups provides an important source of consensual validation for BC survivors' feelings and ways of coping, which in turn can promote positive transformative change and growth. This study's findings may help health care professionals provide care for women with BC in that it highlights the process of identity reconstruction that some women undergo in the survivor journey and how this may impact on psychosocial well-being (Emslie et al., 2017;Reynolds et al., 2020). The telling of our survivor's experiences also contributes to further knowledge in embodying care physically, emotionally, and mentally for patients and survivors' support networks; to reduce distress and fear; and to facilitate a higher rate of survivorship (Ustjanauskas et al., 2017). ...
A life-threatening disease such as breast cancer with its pervasive nature of uncertainty can lead to feelings of disempowerment. Nonetheless, survivors may reconstruct their identity within optimism and a celebration of a new self. In this qualitative constructionist study, we explored survivors’ experiences, meaning-making, and identity transformation. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 11 women who identified as breast cancer survivors. Participants were aged 35 years old or above and were in post-diagnosis for at least 3 years. Interview data were collected and analyzed using thematic techniques. We identified three master themes: Diseased Self, focused on emotional distress and the presentation of a façade; Coping Self, explored resilience and post-traumatic growth; and Transformed Self, engaged in presentations of self-image, meaning-making, and psychological ownership addressing survivorship and empowerment. The findings may be used to inform guidelines and support for cancer survivors considering the impact of diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment experiences on self-identity.
... Social worlds are produced and reproduced at least in part around technologies (e.g. the use of corporate credit cards by financial sector employees who 'sign off' one another's buying of rounds for colleagues, or employing mobile phones to take photos to document drinking event sociality on social media, broadcast both in the moment and after the event (Roberts et al. 2019)). The alcohol products that members tend to consume (so that drink product choice can signify a social identity (Emslie et al. 2017;MacLean et al. 2019)) is a further material element of drinking in social worlds. ...
Intervening in heavy drinking cultures within groups below the level of the population has been under-utilized as a means of reducing alcohol-associated harms. We argue that the concept of 'social worlds' is useful for the identification and investigation of heavy drinking cultures in collectivities at this level. The concept may also support investigations into other practices with health implications, such as other substance use or gambling. Social worlds are understood to be loosely bounded groups that change over time and any individual may be affiliated with many. Membership of a social world entails shared commitments, practices and norms generated and reiterated through interaction with other members, albeit not necessarily with all members participating together or at once. Social worlds of heavy alcohol consumption are also framed by the settings where people drink, products consumed and technologies used in doing so. As a tool to support public health efforts, we suggest that these social worlds should entail collective drinking, include sufficient members and involve a magnitude of harm to warrant public health investment and be accessible for research and intervention. Researchers can usefully consider how wider forces, including discourses about alcohol and the gendering of drinking practices, are enacted within particular social worlds. Although they may be explored through empirical research, social worlds of heavy drinking are analytic devices rather than perfect reflections of an objective reality. To see them as such allows us to define them strategically, looking for opportunities to modify cultures associated with harms.
... emslie, Hunt and Lyons (2015) examined how early mid-life women who drink construct their gender identities. In another study, emslie, Lennox and Ireland (2017) investigated the role of alcohol in the identity construction in a sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Others analysed how young women construct their identities through alcohol consumption and display this consumption on social media (Lennox, emslie, Sweeting, Lyons, 2018). ...
Women alcohol dependence is a serious concern of the whole society negatively affecting not only various important areas of lives of women themselves, but essentially mental health of future generations. Researchers have attempted to address main problems associated with women's problem drinking, nevertheless, their findings are still incomplete. Moreover, relatively little scholar attention has been paid to explore idiosyncratic alcohol-dependent women identity development processes. This study aimed to fulfill existing gap in the literature by conducting an empirical study, which would help to elucidate the main psychosocial aspects significantly contributing to alcohol-dependent women identity development. Ten self-identified alcohol-dependent women participated in this study. Data was collected through life stories and in-depth interviews. The constructivist grounded theory approach (K.Charmaz) has been used as methodological strategy to explore how alcohol-dependent women develop and express their identities in their life stories. In this study we present internal and external identity development processes, revealing the dilemma of internal detachment by alcohol-dependent women developing an illusory identity. The main aspects of this theoretical structure include compensatory adaptation, power seeking, and avoiding helplessness, which creates a vicious triangle, with the need for acceptance and fear of rejection at its core, all contributing to the development of illusory identity. Moreover, based on traditional theoretical frameworks this study builds on a premise, that such internal detachment is linked with self-integrity problems, which is further associated with participants pursuits of search for self meaning in important others. Findings provide new insights about alcohol-dependent identity development processes, discus limitations and strengths of the current study, suggests directions for future studies and highlights the need to see alcohol-dependent women problems in the perspective of identity, which is different from traditional psychopathological views.
Keywords: alcohol-dependence; identity; women; self.
... While the term 'chemsex' has reified the association of sexualised drug use with gay and bisexual men, high rates of substance use have also been documented among lesbian and bisexual women and among trans and gender diverse individuals (Leonard et al. 2015;Roxburgh et al. 2016), but the embodied experiences, meanings and effects of these practices remain relatively unexplored. Indeed, despite evidence that rates of drug consumption are higher among LGBTQ populations, surprisingly few qualitative studies have examined the gendered and sexual dynamics of these forms of consumption, and approached them as sites for forging social bonds with their own organising logics (notable exceptions include Emslie et al. 2017;Hunt et al. 2018; and in the context of chemsex scenes specifically, Bryant et al. 2018;Hakim 2019;Race 2009Race , 2011. ...
The consumption of drugs has long been a mainstay of urban queer cultures and it is well-recognised that complex connections exist between sexual minoritisation and desires to chemically alter bodily experience. Yet despite evidence that rates of consumption are higher among LGBTQ populations, research exploring the gen-dered and sexual dynamics of these forms of consumption is limited and tends to frame such consumption as a response to stigma, marginalisation and discrimination. Against this dominant explanatory frame, this article explores the diverse experiences of LGBTQ consumers, and in so doing highlights both the pleasures and benefits of consumption, as well as potential risks and harms. Contributing to the growing body of ontopolitically oriented research that treats the materiality of drugs as emergent and contingent, we trace the ontologies of drugs, sexuality and gender that LGBTQ subjects generate through specific practices of consumption. Our analysis draws on qualitative interviews with 42 self-identified LGBTQ people from an Australian study designed to explore how sexual and gender-diverse minorities pursue particular drug effects to enhance or transform their experience of gender and/or sexuality. Our participants' accounts illuminate how drug consumption materialises in relation to sex, desire and play where it enhances pleasure, facilitates transgression and increases endurance. In the context of gender variance, our findings suggest that drug use can transform gendered experience and enable the expression of non-normative gender identities, in the process challenging gender binarism. By considering the productive role of drugs in enacting queer identities, this article treats drugs as 'technologies of the self' (Foucault 1988) and explores how drug consumption, sex and gender shape each other across a range of settings. We conclude by reflecting on the implications of our findings for research and service provision, and suggest ways of engaging LGBTQ consumers in terms that address their diverse priorities and experiences.
... Indeed, research that addresses the gendered and sexual dynamics of substance use among LGBTQ people is limited, with a few notable exceptions (e.g. Emslie et al 2017;Hunt et al 2018;Race 2011Race , 2015. Within this body of literature are studies of gay men's drug use in the 1990s and early 2000s, which explore its implications for HIV risk, health education and harm reduction interventions (Reback 1997;Southgate & Hopwood 2001;Weatherburn et al 1993). ...
Despite evidence that drug use is higher among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) populations, research that explores the gendered and sexual dynamics of LGBTQ substance use is limited. Responding to this opening in the literature, and drawing on 32 qualitative interviews from an Australian study, we consider how LGBTQ consumers pursue particular drug effects to change their experience of gender and/or sexuality. Our analysis suggests that for many consumers, drug use and the experience of intoxication enhances sexual pleasure. In the context of gender variance, intoxication can facilitate free gender expression and, in some cases, palliate bodily discomfort. Acknowledging the generative effects of drug use for gender and sexual transformation, we conclude by commenting on the implications of our analysis for LGBTQ health policy and practice.
... Eve draws on her dual positioning as an individual but also as 'part of a group' and considers the implications this might have for collectively portraying more feminine identities through certain drink choices. Interestingly, both Ally and Eve identified as bisexual, and it may be that they experienced particular forms of imagined or real pressure to 'fit in' when engaging in the explicitly heteronormative context of a 'girls' night out' in mainstream bars and clubs (particularly as it might be normalised or even expected that lesbian or bisexual women would drink beer on the gay scene (see Emslie, Lennox, & Ireland, 2017)). In contrast, participants such as Nicole, Megan and Joanna -who most enthusiastically talked about drinking 'girly' drinks and enjoying the way these drinks look and taste -all identified as heterosexual. ...
Whilst women's excessive alcohol consumption has traditionally been regarded as a potential threat to health, safety and even femininity, recent research highlights the important role that alcohol plays in many young women's lives. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with women aged 18-25 in Newcastle, UK, this paper will consider the role that alcohol can play in the negotiation of female friendships in the Night Time Economy, highlighting the ways in which young women may regard alcohol as a tool to enhance socialising, trust and intimacy (both when pre-drinking and in bars, pubs and clubs). The role of alcohol in 'doing' gender and femininity will also be explored, as young women collectively display feminine identities through particular drinking choices and practices that may include heavy drinking and drunkenness. Finally, I will consider the implications for young women who do not engage in these collective practices of alcohol consumption and suggest avenues for future work on the under-researched topic of the experiences of non-drinkers.
... 22 Oftentimes, the fear of non-acceptance of sexual identity is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide, and substance abuse. [23][24][25] Internalized homonegativity, which refers to a negative evaluation of one's sexual identity is a common issue that some LGB persons face. 24,[26][27][28] Internalized homonegativity can be experienced within the process of sexual identity development, and overcoming this internal factor is essential to the development of a healthy self-concept. ...
Objectives A plethora of research exists concerning determinants prior or during the sexual identity disclosure process; yet, information is limited concerning internal and external experiences after one discloses his or her sexual identity to their social support system. Through the lenses of the Social Ecological Model, the purpose of this study was to further understand the current lived experiences of persons in post-sexual identity disclosure. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 15 lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Sample size was determined by thematic saturation. A semiotic phenomenological procedure was used for analyzing the data. Results Based on the reported experiences after sexual identity disclosure among participants, 7 themes were identified. Themes entailed stereotypical perceptions of sexual identity, improvement in mental health, relationship estrangement, development of new relationships, social support, non-acceptance of sexual orientation, and minority stress. Conclusions Through various theories and models, this study provide recommendations for stakeholders invested in the health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.
... However, these individualistic discourses tend to "minimize the role of social structural limitations … in the formation of identities and life paths" (Dobson, 2012), p371 As Dobson (2012) argues, navigating the contradictory discourses of postfeminist femininity is likely to be particularly difficult for young women from lower socioeconomic groups, and the risks of failure are also likely to be greater. Our previous work with other authors has focused on the intersections between gender and sexuality (Emslie, Lennox, Ireland, 2017), gender and age (Emslie, Hunt, & Lyons, 2013;Emslie et al., 2015;Lyons, Emslie, & Hunt, 2014;Lyons, McCreanor et al., 2014;Lyons & Willott, 2008;Willott & Lyons, 2012), and gender and ethnicity in relation to identity and drinking practices. This paper explores how gender and social class intersect and are embedded in identity and drinking practices. ...
Research suggests young women view drinking as a pleasurable aspect of their social lives but that they face challenges in engaging in a traditionally 'masculine' behaviour whilst maintaining a desirable 'femininity'. Social network sites such as Facebook make socialising visible to a wide audience. This paper explores how young people discuss young women's drinking practices, and how young women construct their identities through alcohol consumption and its display on social media. We conducted 21 friendship-based focus groups (both mixed and single sex) with young adults aged 18-29 years and 13 individual interviews with a subset of focus group respondents centred on their Facebook practices. We recruited a purposive sample in Glasgow, Scotland (UK) which included 'middle class' (defined as students and those in professional jobs) and 'working class' respondents (employed in manual/service sector jobs), who participated in a range of venues in the night time economy. Young women's discussions revealed a difficult 'balancing act' between demonstrating an 'up for it' sexy (but not too sexy) femininity through their drinking and appearance, while still retaining control and respectability. This 'balancing act' was particularly precarious for working class women, who appeared to be judged more harshly than middle class women both online and offline. While a gendered double standard around appearance and alcohol consumption is not new, a wider online audience can now observe and comment on how women look and behave. Social structures such as gender and social class remain central to the construction of identity both online and offline.
Research on women’s drinking occurs in largely disparate disciplines—including public health, health promotion, psychology, sociology, and cultural studies—and draws on differing philosophical understandings and theoretical frameworks. Tensions between the aims and paradigmatic underpinnings of this research (across and within disciplines) have meant that knowledge and insight can be frequently disciplinary-specific and somewhat siloed. However, in line with the social and economic determinants of the health model, alcohol research needs approaches that can explore how multiple gender-related factors—biological, psycho-social, material, and socio-cultural—combine to produce certain drinking behaviours, pleasures and potential harms. We argue that critical realism as a philosophical underpinning to research can accommodate this broader conceptualization, enabling researchers to draw on multiple perspectives to better understand women’s drinking. We illustrate the benefit of this approach by presenting a critical realist theoretical framework for understanding women’s drinking that outlines interrelationships between the psychoactive properties of alcohol, the role of embodied individual characteristics and the material, institutional and socio-cultural contexts in which women live. This approach can underpin and foster inter-disciplinary research collaboration to inform more nuanced health promotion practices and policies to reduce alcohol-related harm in a wide range of women across societies.
In this chapter, we consider how experiences of intoxication are shaped by gender and sexuality. Whilst we note that alcohol, in particular, has historically been the preserve of men, it is in recent decades that women’s drinking has become more widespread and, with it, more frequently addressed in academic and public debates. We then consider how alcohol and drugs play a part in many sexual experiences before considering how people from LGBTQ+ communities may engage with intoxication in particular ways.
Background
People who identify as LGBTQ+ are more likely to drink excessively compared to heterosexual and cisgender people. Perceived barriers to accessing alcohol services may further increase the potential for alcohol related harm for LGBTQ+ people. This qualitative study explores the experiences of LGBTQ+ people who have used alcohol services, including peer support groups, in Scotland and their suggestions for how alcohol services could be improved.
Methods
Participants were recruited using social media adverts, dating websites, organisations that work with LGBTQ+ clients and snowball sampling. Participants’ (n = 14) experiences of alcohol services and peer support groups were explored through semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using the Framework Approach and thematic analysis.
Results
Many participants thought their drinking was closely associated with their LGBTQ+ identity, as a response to shame, stigma, or family rejection. Some service users had positive experiences of alcohol services. However, participants were rarely asked about their sexuality / gender identity and some reported a lack of discussion about how identity might impact drinking. There were common views across the sample that barriers experienced by others in the LGBTQ+ community were amplified for trans people. Service users recommended that services need to signal LGBTQ+ inclusivity and provide a safe space to discuss multiple issues (e.g., alcohol use, mental health, gender identity). Participants highlighted the importance of alcohol-free spaces in the LGBTQ+ communities.
Conclusion
The study has clear practice and policy implications. Alcohol services should provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ people and clearly indicate that. Service providers should be trained to discuss potential connections between LGBTQ+ identity and substance use. At a broader level, alcohol-free social spaces would help reduce alcohol-related harm in LGBTQ+ communities.
This article focuses upon the social psychological aspects of identity development among gay men. Key stage-based models of, and contemporary empirical research into, gay identity development are outlined. Three levels of sexual identity development are examined: the psychological, the interpersonal and the collective. It is argued that, in order to develop an effective theory of gay identity development, empirical research should focus upon these levels of analysis, acknowledging that there is a dynamic interplay between them; the multiplicity of identity itself (consisting of sometimes competing elements); and the motives that underpin the construction, management and protection of identity (principally self-esteem, self-efficacy, continuity, positive distinctiveness and belongingness). Identity process theory is proposed as a useful theoretical framework for doing so.
Background:
Alcohol use is an area of challenge for health promotion internationally. The alcohol industry operates as a key commercial determinant of health in that its actions contribute to alcohol misuse, resulting in a range of health and social harms to individuals, families and communities. Rainbow people (including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or gender diverse) are one group experiencing considerable harm from alcohol use.
Methods:
Data from 24 focus groups involving 131 people held in six cities in New Zealand during 2018, were used to explore local understandings of the ways in which the alcohol industry operates as a commercial determinant of health for Rainbow communities. The focus group discussions were analysed thematically.
Results:
Three key themes were identified. Firstly, the alcohol industry was identified as present in the 'everyday', through targeted alcohol promotion to Rainbow people, and due to the centrality of bars to their social and cultural landscapes. Secondly, participants recognised the benefits of alcohol industry support for Rainbow communities. Lastly, an opposing view was articulated, with the alcohol industry and its commercial activities viewed negatively.
Conclusions:
These findings highlight that alcohol as a commodity and the alcohol industry are successfully and firmly embedded within Rainbow communities. Overall, given alcohol is widely regarded in a positive way, this is likely to create difficulties for public health efforts to reduce alcohol related harm in these communities.
Med pandemijo koronavirusa (2020-2022) je bilo trženje alkohola zelo učinkovito in to navkljub zdravstvenim opozorilom, protialkoholni zakonodaji in samoregulacijam, saj je alkoholna industrija uporabljala različne gverilske taktike, da bi obdržala obstoječe pivce in pritegnila nove. Zaradi celovitega razumevanja kulturnega vedenja, navad in ritualov pivcev je trženje alkohola pritegnilo tako široko kot ciljno občinstvo. Kljub globalnim zaprtjem se je zaslužek alkoholne industrije povečal zaradi razširjene ponudbe, digitalnih storitev in veččutnega nakupovanja. V času pandemije so velika podjetja v alkoholni industriji imela ogromne finančne dobičke. V prispevku so predstavljeni načini tarčnega marketinga alkoholne industrije v času pandemije in novosti na področju digitalnega pitja, in sicer: spletna prodaja alkohola, spletne degustacije vin, vino v pločevinkah, pivske virtualne igre, šale in memi na družbenih omrežjih, miti o alkoholu in covidu-19, ranljive skupine in potrošnja alkohola, alkoholne spodbude za cepljene, alkohol in izguba vonja ter okusa. Glede na ekspanzijo novih načinov privabljanja pivcev, ki so nastali v času pandemije, lahko pričakujemo, da se bo ta trend krepil tudi v prihodnje.
During the coronavirus pandemic (2020–2022), alcohol marketing was very effective despite health warnings, anti-alcohol legislation, and self-regulation, as the alcohol industry used various guerrilla tactics to retain existing drinkers and attract new ones. A comprehensive understanding of the cultural behaviour, habits, and rituals of drinkers has made alcohol marketing attractive to both broad and targeted audiences. Despite the global lockdowns, alcohol industry earnings have increased due to expanded supply, digital services, and multisensory purchases. At the time of the pandemic, major alcohol industry companies were making immense financial profits. The paper discusses the alcohol industry’s target marketing methods during the pandemic, as well as innovations
in the field of digital drinking, such as online alcohol sales, online wine tastings, canned wine, virtual drinking games, social media jokes and memes, myths about alcohol and Covid-19, vulnerable groups activism and consumerism, alcohol incentives for vaccinated, and alcohol industry’s research endeavours to help regain the lost sense of smell and taste. Given the expansion of new ways to attract drinkers that emerged during the pandemic, we can expect this trend to continue in the future.
Background
Alcohol marketing helps shape how gender roles and relations are understood, and the gendered nature of drinking learned. In recent years, changes in how women are presented and addressed in marketing, including alcohol marketing, have been observed. This reflects the shifting social, political and regulatory context, in which increased attention has been given to gender inequality and the damaging impact of gender stereotypes. Research is yet to explore the gendered nature of alcohol marketing within this contemporary context.
Methods
A quantitative content and qualitative thematic analysis of alcohol marketing posts (N = 2600) by 20 alcohol brands on Facebook and Instagram pages over an 18 month period (1st January 2019–30th June 2020) was conducted. Marketing strategies were identified, and the way in which posts targeted, represented and engaged women analysed.
Findings
New (e.g. ‘influencer’ collaborations) and established (e.g. competitions) strategies were being used to target both women and men. Drinking was presented as a feminine practice and as an important component of ‘doing’ a combination of traditional, post-feminist and feminist femininities. Women were assigned a range of gender roles that acknowledged their individual pleasures and achievements, and traditional gender roles and stereotypes were both reinforced and rejected to promote alcohol use. An important move away from sexualising and demeaning women to the appropriation of feminist and equality messages was observed, which may appeal to a wider range of women, including those embracing feminist identities.
Conclusion
Alcohol brand marketing encourages alcohol use to women through both perpetuating and challenging gender stereotypes. Claims by brands of a commitment to equality are at odds with the harms related to alcohol consumption that contribute to the widening of health and social inequalities. It is important that future work on women's drinking and alcohol marketing is situated within the shifting social-political climate in which traditional, post-feminist and new fourth wave feminist rhetoric and femininities co-exist.
Emerging adults (EAs; 18–29 years) have the highest rates of substance use across the lifespan, with some research displaying sexual minority EAs are at higher risk of substance use than their heterosexual counterparts. We explored differences in rates of substance use and developmental reasons for alcohol, binge drinking, and cannabis between sexual minority and heterosexual EAs. Participants (n = 145) in a randomized control trial completed Emerging Adult Reasons for Substance Use (EARS) and substance use frequency measures, pertaining to the past 90 days. Although unsolicited, 17% (n = 25) of the sample identified as a sexual minority (i.e., not exclusively heterosexual). EARS concepts include developmental strain, subjective invulnerability, and normative expectancy. Sexual minority EAs experienced greater developmental strain, putting them at risk for problematic substance use. Compared to their heterosexual peers, sexual minority EAs reported higher alcohol and cannabis use, significantly higher binge-drinking, and were identified as hazardous drinkers by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tool (AUDIT-C). Future research should continue to examine dimensions of emerging adulthood and substance use with larger samples of sexual minority EAs and with qualitative methods. Practitioners should address unique developmental stressors sexual minority EAs experience when assisting those with substance use problems.
Background
A range of societal changes have created positive and encouraging environments for women's alcohol use. Within this context, in Western countries there is evidence of rising rates of alcohol consumption and related harms among midlife and older women. It is timely and important to explore the role of alcohol in the lives of midlife women to better understand observed data trends and to develop cohort specific policy responses. Focussing on Western countries and those with similar mixed market systems for alcohol regulation, this review aimed to identify 1) how women at midlife make sense of and account for their consumption of alcohol; 2) factors that play a role; and 3) the trends in theoretical underpinnings of qualitative research that explores women's drinking at midlife.
Methods
A meta-study approach was undertaken. The review process involved extracting and analysing the data findings of eligible research, as well as reviewing the contextual factors and theoretical framing that actively shape research and findings.
Results
Social meanings of alcohol were interwoven with alcohol's psycho-active qualities to create strong localised embodied experiences of pleasure, sociability, and respite from complicated lives and stressful circumstances in midlife women. Drinking was shaped by multiple and diverse aspects of social identity, such as sexuality, family status, membership of social and cultural groups, and associated responsibilities, underpinned by the social and material realities of their lives, societal and policy discourses around drinking, and how they physically experienced alcohol in the short and longer term.
Conclusion
For harm reduction strategies to be successful, further research effort should be undertaken to understand alcohol's diverse meanings and functions in women's lives and the individual, material, and socio-cultural factors that feed into these understandings. As well as broad policies that reduce overall consumption and “de-normalise” drinking in society, policy-makers could usefully work with cohorts of women to develop interventions that address the functional role of alcohol in their lives, as well as policies that address permissive regulatory environments and the overall social and economic position of women.
Introduction
Gender and sexual minority populations are more likely to drink excessively compared to heterosexual and cisgender people. Existing reviews of alcohol interventions focus on specific subgroups within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer, questioning or otherwise gender or sexuality diverse (LGBTQ+) population and neither identify their theoretical basis nor examine how interventions are tailored to meet the needs of specific subgroups.
Methods
This systematic review includes published studies reporting the effectiveness of interventions to reduce alcohol use in LGBTQ+ people. The review followed PRISMA guidelines. Quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool.
Results
The review includes 25 studies, with the earliest published in 2005. The majority (n = 20) focused on men who have sex with men; only two included sexual minority women and three included trans* people. Most studies were conducted in the USA (n = 21) and used a randomised design (n = 15). Five studies were assessed to be of strong quality, seven moderate and 13 weak. Interventions were mainly delivered face-to-face (n = 21). The most common approaches used to inform interventions were Motivational Interviewing (n = 8) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (n = 8). Nineteen studies reported a significant reduction in alcohol consumption.
Discussion and Conclusions
This review suggests that for interventions to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption in LGBTQ+ people, they need to be informed by theory and adapted for the target population. Alcohol interventions that focus on sexual minority women, trans* people and people with other gender identities are needed. The findings have implications for professionals who need to identify when gender and/or sexuality are peripheral or central to alcohol use.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) have a high prevalence of hazardous alcohol consumption. While network-level characteristics such as social network size have been indicated as upstream determinants of alcohol use in general population samples, no studies have examined factors associated with alcohol using network size (ANS), among MSM.
This secondary analysis examined demographic, substance use, and sexual behavior correlates of ANS using data from a diverse sample of alcohol-using MSM in San Francisco ( N = 252). Associations were calculated using multivariable negative binomial regression, adjusting for age, race, education, and employment.
The median ANS was 10. Factors associated with larger ANS in multivariable analyses included identifying as Hispanic/Latino, having completed a college education or higher, having a higher Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score, having a greater number of sexual partners, polysubstance use, and being unaware of one’s own HIV status. Factors associated with smaller ANS included being between 18 and 24 years of age, reporting a low income, and having any lifetime history of injection drug use.
For MSM, ANS was associated with increased likelihood of hazardous alcohol use, as well specific individual-level substance use and sexual risk behaviors. These results highlight the role of ANS in hazardous alcohol consumption and sexually transmitted infection transmission among MSM. These results also indicate ways that research and intervention programs aimed at reducing alcohol use among MSM might be improved through network-based recruitment or engagement. Finally, these results suggest the need for further research on HIV-unknown MSM.
Background/Aims
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are at an increased risk of suicidal ideation and suicide, compared to the overall population. This article provides an insight into the identifiable risk factors and protective determinants that can impact on these increased risks. The aim of this study was to ascertain the protective determinants of suicide ideation in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population based on the extant published evidence base surrounding this issue in the context of health care generally and mental health nursing practice, specifically.
Methods
A systematic review of five articles pertaining to suicidal ideation in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community was undertaken, in accordance with the 2009 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Implementation Framework Guidelines.
Results
Datasets were synthesised using an inductive thematic analysis. Five core themes emerged from the data: (1) resilience (2) specific personality traits (3) mindfulness and self-esteem (4) social support and positive role modelling and (5) the need for culturally competent healthcare provision, of which mental health nurses are an integral part.
Conclusions
The findings of the systematic review revealed the need for mental health nurses and adjunct healthcare staff to reflect on their interactions with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population, particularly where suicidal ideation or tendency is either directly articulated or suspected. Helping and supporting vulnerable members of society could potentially be driven by increasing awareness of these specific vulnerabilities in clinical practice.
Objective:
Sexual minority (i.e., lesbian, bisexual) women and racial-ethnic minority groups in the United States are disproportionately harmed by excessive alcohol use. This study examined disparities in excessive alcohol use at the intersection of race-ethnicity and sexual identity for non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic sexual minority women.
Method:
Using data from the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we compared the age-adjusted prevalence of binge drinking and heavy alcohol use among sexual minority women of color, sexual minority White women, and heterosexual women of color with that of White heterosexual women. The joint disparity is the difference in the prevalence of excessive alcohol use between sexual minority women of color and White heterosexual women. The excess intersectional disparity is the portion of the joint disparity that is due to being both a racial-ethnic minority and a sexual minority woman.
Results:
Black and Hispanic sexual minority women reported the highest prevalence of binge drinking (45.4% and 43.4%, respectively), followed by White sexual minority women (35.7%) and White heterosexual women (23%). Black and Hispanic heterosexual women reported the lowest prevalence of binge drinking (20.8% and 20.2%, respectively). The joint disparity in binge drinking between Black sexual minority women and White heterosexual women was 21.2%, and the excess intersectional disparity was 17.7%. The joint disparity in binge drinking between Hispanic sexual minority women and White heterosexual women was 16.8%, and the excess intersectional disparity was 10.8%.
Conclusions:
Disparities in excessive alcohol consumption for Black and Hispanic sexual minority women, compared with White heterosexual women, were larger than what would be expected when considering differences by race or sexual identity individually.
In this chapter, we describe alcohol intoxication and how it has been understood by researchers, policymakers and the lay public. We focus on alcohol and intoxication in Western societies and consider recent political, economic, regulatory and social shifts that have had implications for alcohol consumption and drinking practices, particularly drinking to intoxication. We outline two dominant approaches that have been taken to the study of alcohol and implications for its regulation. Finally, we provide a brief overview of research that highlights how meanings and experiences of alcohol consumption and intoxication vary widely across different social groups and sectors of society, particularly by gender identities, and reinforce recent calls for more intersectional approaches in this field.
Ireland provides an overview of experiences around youth alcohol consumption among some marginalised social groups. Following consideration of terminology around alcohol problems, and ‘marginalised’ and ‘excluded’ populations, the author considers alcohol-related research findings for three distinct youth groups. Focusing on young offenders, LGBT youth, and young people with familial domestic abuse histories, Ireland highlights that drinking alcohol in youth is not always problematic, though membership of a socially excluded group may increase the likelihood of associated harms. Marginalised youth groups are discussed as heterogeneous (internally varied) in terms of their characteristics and needs around alcohol use, with many youths having identities based within multiple excluded groups. The extent to which tailored alcohol interventions might be effective and meaningful for these groups is addressed, with adapted alcohol interventions discussed in terms of their utility and feasibility.
Objective:
The authors qualitatively examined how lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) young adults with probable substance use disorders conceptualized their substance use vis-à-vis their LGBTQ identities.
Methods:
Individual, in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 59 LGBTQ young adults (ages 21-34) who were participants in a larger longitudinal cohort study and who met criteria for a probable substance use disorder. Data were analyzed via iterative, thematic analytic processes.
Results:
Participants' narratives highlighted processes related to minority stress that shape substance use, including proximal LGBTQ stressors (e.g., self-stigma and expectations of rejection) and distal LGBTQ stressors (e.g., interpersonal and structural discrimination) and associated coping. Participants also described sociocultural influences, including the ubiquitous availability of substances within LGBTQ social settings, as salient contributors to their substance use and development of substance use disorders. Participants who considered themselves transgender or other gender minorities, all of whom identified as sexual minorities, described unique stressors and coping at the intersection of their minority identities (e.g., coping with two identity development and disclosure periods), which shaped their substance use over time.
Conclusions:
Multilevel minority stressors and associated coping via substance use in adolescence and young adulthood, coupled with LGBTQ-specific sociocultural influences, contribute to the development of substance use disorders among some LGBTQ young adults. Treatment providers should address clients' substance use vis-à-vis their LGBTQ identities and experiences with related stressors and sociocultural contexts and adopt culturally humble and LGBTQ-affirming treatment approaches. Efforts to support LGBTQ youths and young adults should focus on identifying ways of socializing outside of substance-saturated environments.
Alcohol use, misuse, and intoxication have long been associated with men and masculinity. In different cultures and at different times, researchers have consistently found significant gender differences in drinking and intoxication prevalence rates. However, more recently gender differences appear to be diminishing. Nevertheless, while this may be the case, it does not necessarily mean that the meaning of drinking and intoxication for young women and men are the same. With this in mind, the aim of this paper is to explore recent theoretical developments by feminist researchers to examine gender and intoxication. Research on intoxicating substances and gender has developed considerably in the last 20 years, especially in the social sciences. Much of the more recent research has explored how the boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable behavior are critically influenced by societal norms about gender performance. While we are fortunate that feminist research has developed and begun to highlight the contradictory discourses about young women’s intoxication, and critique of neo-liberal discourses concerning the position of women, there still remain significant gaps within these research fields if we are to fully understand the role and meaning of intoxication for all young people and not merely for white, middle-class cisgender young people.
Abstract
Background: Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people may be at higher risk of mental
disorders than heterosexual people.
Method: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of mental
disorder, substance misuse, suicide, suicidal ideation and deliberate self harm in LGB people.
We searched Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, Cinahl, the Cochrane Library Database, the Web of
Knowledge, the Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, the International Bibliography
of the Social Sciences, Sociological Abstracts, the Campbell Collaboration and grey literature
databases for articles published January 1966 to April 2005. We also used Google and Google
Scholar and contacted authors where necessary. We searched all terms related to homosexual,
lesbian and bisexual people and all terms related to mental disorders, suicide, and deliberate
self harm. We included papers on population based studies which contained concurrent
heterosexual comparison groups and valid definition of sexual orientation and mental health
outcomes
Results: Of 13706 papers identified, 476 were initially selected and 28 (25 studies) met
inclusion criteria. Only one study met all our four quality criteria and seven met three of these
criteria. Data was extracted on 214,344 heterosexual and 11,971 non heterosexual people.
Meta-analyses revealed a two fold excess in suicide attempts in lesbian, gay and bisexual
people [pooled risk ratio for lifetime risk 2.47 (CI 1.87, 3.28)]. The risk for depression and
anxiety disorders (over a period of 12 months or a lifetime) on meta-analyses were at least 1.5
times higher in lesbian, gay and bisexual people (RR range 1.54-2.58) and alcohol and other
substance dependence over 12 months was also 1.5 times higher (RR range 1.51-4.00).
Results were similar in both sexes but meta analyses revealed that lesbian and bisexual women
were particularly at risk of substance dependence (alcohol 12 months: RR 4.00, CI 2.85, 5.61;
drug dependence: RR 3.50, CI 1.87, 6.53; any substance use disorder RR 3.42, CI 1.97-5.92),
while lifetime prevalence of suicide attempt was especially high in gay and bisexual men (RR
4.28, CI 2.32, 7.88).
Conclusions: LGB people are at higher risk of mental disorder, suicidal ideation, substance
misuse, and deliberate self harm than heterosexual people.
“Masculine capital” refers to the social power afforded by the display of traits and behaviors that are associated with orthodox, stereotypical masculinity. Men who are concerned with their masculine identity may utilize these traits and behaviors to increase their overall masculine capital, and to mitigate “failures” in other domains of masculinity. However, their success at accruing and trading masculine capital may be limited, because different traits and behaviors are not equal in the capital they convey, and their value may vary depending on the social context in which they are deployed. Research suggests that heterosexuality contributes more to masculine capital than other stereotypically masculine characteristics: The possibilities for gay men to accrue and trade masculine capital may therefore be particularly limited, especially in heteronormative contexts. Focus groups were undertaken with gay men, straight women and straight men living in a coastal city in the south of England to explore discursive constructions of gay masculinity, and to examine gay men’s possibilities for accruing and trading masculine capital. Discourse analysis identified constructions of gay masculinity in reference to hegemonic masculinity, where gay men may acquire masculine capital in similar ways to straight men. However, the meaning and value of this capital may also vary, because certain characteristics and behaviors may have different value for and between gay men than they do for straight men, and in heteronormative contexts. The analysis also identified discourses of gay masculinity where it was not constructed as a singular entity, but rather as complex, multiple and diverse.
This paper explores how homosexual and heterosexual women and men exploit situational and behavioral aspects of alcohol consumption using alcohol-related excuses to justify divergent gender displays. Seventy-eight in-depth interviews with a diverse sample of youth are used to examine how alcohol-related excuses counteract the deviance associated with gender norm violation and ease the shame associated with inappropriate gender displays. It is in these contexts that the dynamic approach of structured action theory allows for an examination of the diverse ways in which men and women situationally construct gender. This investigation seeks to understand how situations and alcohol use contexts allow women and men to engage in and/or ignore inappropriate displays of gender. Also examined is how the "alcohol excuse" is experienced when either purposeful or accidental gender difference occurs. Conclusions illustrate the fluidity of gender, the contexts in which gender difference takes place, and the way in which excuses render gender categories unchanged.
Background:
Increases in alcohol related mortality and morbidity have been reported among older people in England over the last decade. There is, however, evidence that drinking is protective for some health conditions. The validity of this evidence has been questioned due to residual confounding and selection bias. The aim of this study is to clarify which drinking profiles and other demographic characteristics are associated with poor self-rated health among a community-based sample of older adults in England. The study also examines whether drinking designated as being "increasing-risk" or "higher-risk" is associated with poorer self-rated health.
Method:
This study used data from Wave 0, Wave 1 and Wave 5 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing [ELSA]. Logistic regression analysis, was used to examine the association between drinking profiles (based on quantity and frequency of drinking) and self-rated health, adjusting for gender, age, wealth, social class, education, household composition, smoking and body mass index [BMI].
Results:
Twenty percent of the sample reported drinking above the recommended level at wave 0. Rates of poor self-rated health were highest among those who had stopped drinking, followed by those who never drank. The rates of poor self-rated health among non-drinkers were significantly higher than the rates of poor self-rated health for any of the groups who reported alcohol consumption. In the adjusted logistic regression models there were no drinking profiles associated with significantly higher rates of poor self-rated health relative to occasional drinkers.
Conclusions:
Among those who drank alcohol, there was no evidence that any pattern of current alcohol consumption was associated with poor self-rated health, even after adjustment for a wide range of variables. The results associated with the stopped drinking profile indicate improvement in self-rated health can be associated with changes in drinking behaviour. Although several limitations of the study are noted, policy makers may wish to consider how these findings should be translated into drinking guidelines for older adults.
In this article, we reflect on the concept of the insider and the outsider in qualitative research. We draw on our different experiences of conducting research with lesbian and bisexual women, using our PhD research projects as case studies to consider our similarities to and differences from our research participants. We highlight the impact that insider/outsider status can have at each stage of the research process, from deciding on a research topic, the design of materials, communicating with and recruiting participants through to data collection and analysis. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both insider and outsider positions and reflect on our own experiences. We conclude that, in reality, insider/outsider boundaries may be more blurred than the terms imply and highlight some of the ethical considerations that need to be taken into consideration during qualitative research.
Friendship, sociologists suggest, is defined by institutionalized rules to a lesser degree than other important relationships. Hence it must be sustained through specific friendship-making practices. Social science literature tends to conceptualize friendship as enhancing the pleasures of alcohol use rather than as central to friendship production. This article examines alcohol as a technology in contemporary young adults’ friendship-making. Interviews with 60 drinkers aged 18–24 years in Melbourne, Australia demonstrate that drinking builds intimacy, particularly when similar levels of intoxication are achieved. Fear in night-time entertainment precincts underlines trust in friends. To manage uncertainty about responsibilities involved in friendship, young adults negotiate how they will care for each other when they are drunk. Providing this care occasionally jeopardizes friendship, in different ways for women and men. Understanding the import of friendship-making in alcohol use helps explain the persistence of heavy drinking and suggest opportunities for harm reduction.
Background: The misuse of alcohol and other drugs among young people, especially students, is a growing global phenomenon. In traditional Nigerian society, different locally-produced alcoholic beverages served complex roles but were mainly consumed among adult males for pleasure. Though adult females in some communities consumed alcohol, the practice of drinking was culturally controlled. In contemporary Nigeria, available quantitative studies reveal changing patterns of alcohol use amongst youth but fail to unravel the social variables that motivate alcohol use among this group.
Methods: Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 31 (22 males and 9 females, aged 19-23 years) undergraduate students attending a university located in a metropolitan city in Anambra State, south-eastern Nigeria. Data were collected and analysed to generate themes with the aid of Nvivo 10 software.
Results: There appears to be a resilient socio-cultural belief in which men see alcohol as ‘good for males’ while the females in contrast believe that alcohol ‘does not discriminate against feminine or masculine gender’ and should be drunk by both males and females. Findings also point to the ways in which male-gendered drinking behaviours, such as heavy or fast drinking are employed by women to develop social capital.
Conclusions: These results do suggest how gendered constructions of alcohol consumption create risks for both men and women, how they negotiate and ameliorate those risks, and how women challenge gender roles through their use of alcohol. Some focus on formulating evidence-based policies and comprehensively evaluated campaigns are needed to disseminate information about the risks and potential consequences of heavy alcohol consumption in order to promote safer alcohol use by young people.
Despite the increase in drinking by women in early midlife, little alcohol research has focused on this group. We explore how alcohol is associated with the construction of gender identities among women aged 30 to 50 years in the west of Scotland, United Kingdom. We draw on qualitative data from 11 focus groups (five all-female, six mixed-sex) with pre-existing groups of friends and work colleagues in which women and men discuss their drinking behaviours. Analysis demonstrated how alcohol represented a time and space away from paid and unpaid work for women in a range of domestic circumstances, allowing them to relax and unwind. While women used alcohol to construct a range of identities, traditional notions of femininity remained salient (e.g. attention to appearance, drinking ‘girly’ drinks). Drinking enabled women to assert their identity beyond the roles and responsibilities often associated with being a woman in early midlife. For example, some respondents with young children described the transformative effects of excessive drinking which allowed them to return temporarily to a younger, carefree version of themselves. Thus, our data suggest that women's drinking in early midlife revolves around notions of ‘idealised’ femininity but simultaneously represents a way of achieving ‘time out’ from traditional female responsibilities such as caring for others. We consider these findings within a broader social and cultural context including alcohol marketing, domestic roles and motherhood and their implications for health promotion.
Guided by a sociology-of-gender framework, we provide an overview and critique of recent academic debates on substance-use, particularly alcohol-use. We note that substance use research has been useful for illuminating areas central to sociological inquiry. In limited scope, we focus on the relationships between alcohol-use, gender, marginalization, violence, and sexualities. Alcohol-use, we argue, is highly meaningful yet a paradox in that alcohol-use both upholds and violates gender and sexuality norms. The active construction of gender is particularly visible when focusing on alcohol, gender and violence. We also claim that alcohol plays a role in the maintenance of a gendered society. We conclude by offering suggestions for future sociologically informed research and treatment approaches.
Several countries are considering a minimum price policy for alcohol, but concerns exist about the potential effects on drinkers with low incomes. We aimed to assess the effect of a £0·45 minimum unit price (1 unit is 8 g/10 mL ethanol) in England across the income and socioeconomic distributions.
We used the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model (SAPM) version 2.6, a causal, deterministic, epidemiological model, to assess effects of a minimum unit price policy. SAPM accounts for alcohol purchasing and consumption preferences for population subgroups including income and socioeconomic groups. Purchasing preferences are regarded as the types and volumes of alcohol beverages, prices paid, and the balance between on-trade (eg, bars) and off-trade (eg, shops). We estimated price elasticities from 9 years of survey data and did sensitivity analyses with alternative elasticities. We assessed effects of the policy on moderate, hazardous, and harmful drinkers, split into three socioeconomic groups (living in routine or manual households, intermediate households, and managerial or professional households). We examined policy effects on alcohol consumption, spending, rates of alcohol-related health harm, and opportunity costs associated with that harm. Rates of harm and costs were estimated for a 10 year period after policy implementation. We adjusted baseline rates of mortality and morbidity to account for differential risk between socioeconomic groups.
Overall, a minimum unit price of £0·45 led to an immediate reduction in consumption of 1·6% (-11·7 units per drinker per year) in our model. Moderate drinkers were least affected in terms of consumption (-3·8 units per drinker per year for the lowest income quintile vs 0·8 units increase for the highest income quintile) and spending (increase in spending of £0·04 vs £1·86 per year). The greatest behavioural changes occurred in harmful drinkers (change in consumption of -3·7% or -138·2 units per drinker per year, with a decrease in spending of £4·01), especially in the lowest income quintile (-7·6% or -299·8 units per drinker per year, with a decrease in spending of £34·63) compared with the highest income quintile (-1·0% or -34·3 units, with an increase in spending of £16·35). Estimated health benefits from the policy were also unequally distributed. Individuals in the lowest socioeconomic group (living in routine or manual worker households and comprising 41·7% of the sample population) would accrue 81·8% of reductions in premature deaths and 87·1% of gains in terms of quality-adjusted life-years.
Irrespective of income, moderate drinkers were little affected by a minimum unit price of £0·45 in our model, with the greatest effects noted for harmful drinkers. Because harmful drinkers on low incomes purchase more alcohol at less than the minimum unit price threshold compared with other groups, they would be affected most by this policy. Large reductions in consumption in this group would however coincide with substantial health gains in terms of morbidity and mortality related to reduced alcohol consumption.
UK Medical Research Council and Economic and Social Research Council (grant G1000043).
One of the Boys: Masculinity, Homophobia, and Modern Manhood takes a fresh look at the formation of modern male sexual identities. You will find that homophobia is not only widespread, but that it takes diverse forms and has far-reaching behavioral and social consequences. The new concept of “homophobic passage,” which is part of the development of all young men, will enlighten you as to the proposed “causes” of homosexuality and heterosexuality.
One of the Boys will help you discover how the passage of young males from childhood to adulthood plays an important role in formation of the modern adult male self in gay and straight men. As a result, this knowledge will allow you to offer relevant services to clients who are struggling with societal stereotypes and identity issues.
From this informative book, you will discover how homophobia plays a role in the increase in violence experienced by gay men and lesbians in our culture today. To help you offer improved services, One of the Boys discusses why homophobia is widespread, takes diverse forms, and has far-reaching behavioral and social consequences by:
examining the school playground and its many effects on children’s peer groups to discover how profoundly names like “crybaby” and “poofter” can impact a child’s development
learning that children often cannot escape harmful labels and stereotypes at home and realizing how it impacts a child’s developing sense of self
discovering the media’s influence on role models and realizing the important role television and magazines play in providing information about homosexuality and homophobia
realizing the heavy pressure homophobia exerts on men and how it shapes their relationships with women and other men, how emotionally close they allow themselves to get to people, how affectionate they are, and with whom they have sexual relations
Through One of the Boys, you will gain valuable insight into the masculinity of the men interviewed and how it was shaped in order for you to develop a greater understanding of men and the many influences of society as a whole. This unique study investigates the development of homophobia and the meanings and significances people associate with it to help you understand how and where homophobia originates in our society.
Entrenched conceptions of masculinity have constructed the male body as bounded and controlled. This article discusses the centrality of a particular construction of the male body to the phenomenon of British premarital stag party tourism to Eastern European cities. Drawing on data from participant-observation in Kraków, Poland, it is shown that the tour participants enact an embodied masculinity which is unruly and unrestrained. The stag tour experience is embodied through the use of clothing and incidences of nudity, public urination and vomiting, and the detrimental physical effects of heavy alcohol consumption. This embodiment is self-destructive and frequently self-parodic. The failures of participants to sustain a controlled and contained body are celebrated as part of the enactment of a boisterous masculinity. This represents a release from normative pressures concerning the male body but, with transgression being only temporary, also acts to support the ritualistic reinscription of a wider hegemonic masculinity.
This paper contributes to debates on post-feminism and the constitution of contemporary femininity via an exploration of young women’s alcohol consumption and their involvement in normative drinking cultures. We view femininity as a profoundly contradictory and dilemmatic space which appears almost impossible for girls or young women to inhabit. The juxtaposition of hyper-sexual femininity and the culture of intoxication produces a particularly difficult set of dilemmas for young women. They are exhorted to be sassy and independent – but not feminist; to be ‘up for it’ and to drink and get drunk alongside young men – but not to ‘drink like men’. They are also called on to look and act as agentically sexy within a pornified night-time economy, but to distance themselves from the troubling figure of the ‘drunken slut’. Referring to recent research on young women’s alcohol consumption and our own study on young adults’ involvement in the culture of intoxication in the UK, we consider the ways in which young women manage to inhabit this terrain, and the implications for contemporary feminism and safer drinking initiatives.
Authenticity or `being true to the self' continues to be a culturally valued quality despite (or perhaps because of) the increasing fragmentation of identities in contemporary culture. Focusing on accounts of the lesbian and gay `scene' of bars and clubs in Birmingham, UK, we discuss how young people employ a discourse of authenticity when talking about leisure. In our interview material, the scene is privileged as a space to be authentic (somewhere to `be yourself'), particularly for lesbian and gay subjects, but also for heterosexual `visitors'. Through a discursive analysis, we elaborate on the contradictions inherent in these constructions of authentic spaces and identities, widening our discussion to consider how the articulation of authenticity in the local context of Birmingham can be seen as part of a broader discourse of authenticity circulated in an increasingly globalized consumer culture.
Efforts to discourage excessive alcohol use among young people can only be effective if the target audience is exposed to, attends to, and comprehends key messages. The aim of this study was to examine age and sex differences in drinking motives to better inform development of targeted interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm. Thirty individual interviews and 12 group interviews were conducted with English 13-25 year olds. Interviewees gave multiple motivations for drinking - especially those related to image and reputation, and played down the health implications of heavy drinking. Negative aspects of drinking - caring for drunk friends, being cared for when drunk and suffering through hangovers with friends - were considered to offer opportunities for closer interpersonal bonding than other social activities. Respondents distanced themselves from 'problem' drinkers, but disapproved of others' problematic drinking or antisocial behaviour. Narrative messages demonstrating the social consequences of excessive consumption were preferred to single, static messages emphasising risk or harm. Interviewees noted that interventions must use an engaging tone or pitch: they considered many campaigns to be patronising or preaching. A lack of consensus between age and sex groups highlighted a need for multifaceted, multi-modal approaches that utilise mobile technologies and new media.
Emerging research suggests that alcohol, tobacco and drug-related problems may be higher in lesbian and gay communities than in the population as a whole. At the same time, alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical industries have increased marketing strategies that are targeted specifically to lesbian and gay communities. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) and HTV/AIDS organizations, often marginalized and under-funded, have frequently faced significant challenges in funding programs and special events. These organizations are often the very same groups needed to promote and support effective substance abuse countermeasures in LGBT communities. Agency leaders, community members, and substance abuse prevention advocates all have a stake in identifying reasonable guidelines for industry sponsorship of special events as well as contributions to nonprofit organizations. This paper discusses these issues and provides examples of guidelines that may be adopted by nonprofit and community based organizations that serve the LGBT community.
This article discusses femininities of drinking in Finland and in Sweden. It compares how Finnish and Swedish women define accepted and desired drinking-related femininity. It also asks how femininity related to drinking is constructed and to what traits it is associated with. According to the general assumption increased intoxication oriented drinking among women means that drinking habits and behavior between women and men have become more similar. We rather suggest that women have not only adopted intoxication oriented drinking but they connect it to their feminine identity by shaping it according to their own needs and actions. The analysis is made by using focus group interviews from Finland and Sweden from four different age groups (20 years, 25–30 years, 35–40 years and 50–60 years) and from two educational levels. The data has been analyzed by examining how Finnish and Swedish women construct femininities of drinking while interpreting the pictures of drinking situations. The analysis shows that there is variety of femininities of drinking. Age seems to be an important factor in the construction of femininities; younger and older Finnish and Swedish women relate different traits to drinking-related femininity. It seems that the composition of drinking related gender identity has broadened from traditional hegemonic feminine values to versatility. This relates to the expansion of drinking related actions and the strengthening of drinking related agency among women. Based on these findings, younger generations seem to have a wider variety of drinking related repertoires and ways to interpret femininity than older generations.
Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/16066359.2013.779676
Thematic analysis is a poorly demarcated, rarely acknowledged, yet widely used qualitative analytic method within psychology. In this paper, we argue that it offers an accessible and theoretically flexible approach to analysing qualitative data. We outline what thematic analysis is, locating it in relation to other qualitative analytic methods that search for themes or patterns, and in relation to different epistemological and ontological positions. We then provide clear guidelines to those wanting to start thematic analysis, or conduct it in a more deliberate and rigorous way, and consider potential pitfalls in conducting thematic analysis. Finally, we outline the disadvantages and advantages of thematic analysis. We conclude by advocating thematic analysis as a useful and flexible method for qualitative research in and beyond psychology.
Objective:
Men drink more heavily and are more likely to die from alcohol-related causes than women. Most alcohol research focuses on young drinkers. We describe the context of men's drinking in midlife and explore how alcohol is associated with the construction of masculinities.
Method:
Qualitative research was used to examine the social context of drinking alcohol. We conducted 15 focus groups (single and mixed sex) with respondents in the west of Scotland, United Kingdom. Here we focus on the findings from 22 men aged 28 to 52 years.
Results:
Men regarded drinking pints of beer in the pub together as an "act of friendship" and this functioned as a hegemonically appropriate way to communicate with and support each other. However, male friends also constructed some nonhegemonic behaviors as forgivable-and indeed acceptable-while drinking alcohol together. This included practices such as the explicit discussion of emotions and mental health and the consumption of "feminine" drinks under certain circumstances (e.g., in private, with close friends).
Conclusions:
This exploration of drinking reveals the fluidity of gender constructions-and the strategic ways in which men take up positions around hegemonic masculinity-in midlife. The close interweaving of drinking pints in the pub with notions of male friendship could lead to both health-damaging (excessive drinking) and potentially health-promoting (social support) behaviors. Health promotion experts need to be sensitive to cultural constructions of gender to address the high rates of drinking in this age group.
Over the last ten years we have witnessed a great increase in writing on the nature of masculinity and the development of the concept of multiple masculinities, but much of this material has been speculative and highly theoretical. The related work linking masculinities to alcohol has often had a psychometric slant. The current paper aims to show the wider relevance of new theoretical ideas on masculinities to alcohol consumption among young men. Specifically: to describe the social context of drinking and drunkenness among a sample of young men living in Greater Glasgow, and to analyse the masculine role component of such contemporary drinking cultures. A qualitative methodology was used. Ten focus groups and twelve in-depth ‘life-trajectory’ interviews were completed. Respondents were aged between 16 and 24 years. We discovered that the social context of male drinking is changing very rapidly and masculinities are being redefined. While there remains some evidence of traditional masculine drinking norms and alcohol use, the increasing diversity of drinking locations and alcohol products are instrumental in achieving new expressions of male identity among young men.
Abstract In this article I report the findings of an ethnographic study of men's pub drinking in rural New Zealand. By using the idea of hegemonic masculinity and incorporating theoretical ideas of gender performativity, the analysis focuses on aspects of drinking performance that are central to the establishment of hegemony by a particular version of masculinity in this community. Two important characteristics of pub drinking performance are conversational cockfighting and the disciplines of drinking. These combine to ensure that a particular version of masculinity, here called pub(lic) masculinity, is able to reproduce itself. A further finding is that masculinity in this kind of performative situation develops a degree of invisibility. Using the metaphor of the “glass phallus,” I engage with the difficulties of analyzing an invisible masculinity and argue that rendering masculinity visible is an important task for any sociological analysis of both public leisure sites in rural society and the embodied performance of alcohol consumption by men in public spaces.
This article concerns alcohol use as it pertains to the construction of White masculinity through an analysis of students’
accounts. Seventy-eight face-to-face interviews were conducted with volunteer female and male, African American, European
American, heterosexual and homosexual students at a mid-sized university. Results suggest that the meaning of public drinking
is to express a form of masculinity. In students’ gendered descriptions of their own and peers’ drinking behavior, alcohol
use among White men was found to symbolize the embodiment of hegemonic masculinity. Masculinities were constructed via drinking
stories, the body’s ability to tolerate alcohol, and the relevance of drinking too little or not at all, which symbolized
weakness, homosexuality, or femininity. Implications for social policy and future research are discussed.
Despite many gaps in the research on substance abuse and sexual orientation, recent data suggest that, overall, substance use among lesbians and gay men—particularly alcohol use—has declined over the past two decades. However, both heavy drinking and use of drugs other than alcohol appear to be prevalent among young lesbians and gay men. Much less is known about bisexual and transgender women and men, but these groups appear to be at heightened risk for substance abuse. This paper describes current research on prevalence and patterns of substance use and abuse in LGBT populations, examines potential risk and protective factors associated with substance abuse in these populations, and discusses implications for prevention, including prevention research.
Although drinking and drunkenness have traditionally been considered masculine behaviours, young women's alcohol consumption has increased in recent years. This mixed methods study was conducted to examine the extent to which young people endorse gender double-standards for alcohol use--i.e., less acceptance of drinking and drunkenness in women than men--and how these influence men's and women's alcohol consumption. A sample of 731 English university students completed an online survey of gender role attitudes, beliefs about the gendered nature of alcohol use and recent alcohol consumption. Sixteen participants were then purposively selected for individual interviews: eight women and men with the most egalitarian gender role beliefs, and eight women and men with the least egalitarian beliefs. The two sets of data revealed that although there were few sex differences in actual levels of drinking or drunkenness, gender double-standards for alcohol use persist: beer drinking, binge drinking and public drunkenness tended to be perceived as masculine, and even the most egalitarian respondents were more judgemental of women's drinking. Participants modified their drinking style so as to maintain a desired gender identity. Although gender double-standards could be a focus of interventions to encourage moderate drinking, such approaches could reinforce gender inequalities.
Most qualitative research on alcohol focuses on younger rather than older adults. To explore older people's relationship with alcohol, we conducted eight focus groups with 36 men and women aged 35 to 50 years in Scotland, UK. Initially, respondents suggested that older drinkers consume less alcohol, no longer drink to become drunk and are sociable drinkers more interested in the taste than the effects of alcohol. However, as discussions progressed, respondents collectively recounted recent drunken escapades, challenged accounts of moderate drinking, and suggested there was still peer pressure to drink. Some described how their drinking had increased in mid-life but worked hard discursively to emphasise that it was age and stage appropriate (i.e. they still met their responsibilities as workers and parents). Women presented themselves as staying in control of their drinking while men described going out with the intention of getting drunk (although still claiming to meet their responsibilities). While women experienced peer pressure to drink, they seemed to have more options for socialising without alcohol than did men. Choosing not to drink alcohol is a behaviour that still requires explanation in early mid-life. Harm reduction strategies should pay more attention to drinking in this age group.
Most research on sexual orientation and alcohol use in the United States has found higher rates of alcohol use and abuse among gay men and lesbians. Studies from other countries have found smaller or no differences between sexual minority and heterosexual women and men. The present study used general population survey data from 14 countries to examine high-volume and risky single-occasion drinking by sexual orientation. Data from 248 gay men and lesbians and 3720 heterosexuals were analyzed in a case-control design. In several countries partnered or recently partnered gay men and lesbians had no greater risk of heavy drinking or engaging in heavy drinking than heterosexual controls. Only lesbians in North America showed higher risk for both indicators. Future general population health research should include larger samples of gays and lesbians and use more comprehensive measures of sexual orientation for investigating the prevalence of health risk factors.
The study investigated gender differences in drinking patterns and the reasons behind them among men and women in the Russian city of Novosibirsk.
A mixed method, combining quantitative and qualitative data, was conducted based on the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe cohort study. The quantitative study included 4268 men and 5094 women aged 45-69 years; of those, 20 men and 24 women completed an in-depth interview.
The quantitative data revealed a large gap in drinking patterns in general between genders. Women drank less often and much smaller quantities than that of men. For example, 19% of men, vs. 1% of women, were classified as problem drinkers (two or more positive answers on the CAGE questionnaire). These differences were not explained by socioeconomic factors. Qualitative data have shown that gender roles and a traditional culture around women's and men's drinking were the main reasons for the reported drinking behaviour, whereby women were consistently expected to drink much less than men in terms of preference for strong beverages, drinking frequency and quantity of alcohol consumed.
The study confirmed that large differences exist between Russian men's and women's drinking; these differences may be largely explained by gender roles.
As part of its 2009 investigation into the conduct of the UK alcohol industry, the House of Commons Health Select Committee obtained access to internal marketing documents from both producers and their advertising agencies. These reveal major shortcomings in the current self regulatory codes covering alcohol advertising. Specifically, the codes do not, as they are supposed to, protect young people from alcohol advertising; prevent the promotion of drunkenness and excess; or the linking of alcohol with social and sexual success. Nor do they even attempt to address sponsorship, and the documents show this is being systematically used to undermine rules prohibiting the linking of alcohol with youth culture and sporting prowess. Finally, the codes are extremely weak in their treatment of new media which are rapidly become the biggest channel for alcohol promotion. The result is a regulatory system that is impossible to police and vulnerable to exploitation.
Importance:
Previous studies identified disparities in health and health risk factors among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults, but prior investigations have been confined to samples not representative of the US adult population or have been limited in size or geographic scope. For the first time in its long history, the 2013 and 2014 National Health Interview Survey included a question on sexual orientation, providing health information on sexual minorities from one of the nation's leading health surveys.
Objective:
To compare health and health risk factors between LGB adults and heterosexual adults in the United States.
Design, setting, and participants:
Data from the nationally representative 2013 and 2014 National Health Interview Survey were used to compare health outcomes among lesbian (n = 525), gay (n = 624), and bisexual (n = 515) adults who were 18 years or older and their heterosexual peers (n = 67 150) using logistic regression.
Main outcomes and measures:
Self-rated health, functional status, chronic conditions, psychological distress, alcohol consumption, and cigarette use.
Results:
The study cohort comprised 68 814 participants. Their mean (SD) age was 46.8 (11.8) years, and 51.8% (38 063 of 68 814) were female. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, gay men were more likely to report severe psychological distress (odds ratio [OR], 2.82; 95% CI, 1.55-5.14), heavy drinking (OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.08-3.58), and moderate smoking (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.39-2.81) than heterosexual men; bisexual men were more likely to report severe psychological distress (OR, 4.70; 95% CI, 1.77-12.52), heavy drinking (OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.22-8.16), and heavy smoking (OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.08-4.10) than heterosexual men; lesbian women were more likely to report moderate psychological distress (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.02-1.76), poor or fair health (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.24-2.95), multiple chronic conditions (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.12-2.22), heavy drinking (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.54-4.50), and heavy smoking (OR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.36-3.88) than heterosexual women; and bisexual women were more likely to report multiple chronic conditions (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.34-3.20), severe psychological distress (OR, 3.69; 95% CI, 2.19-6.22), heavy drinking (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.20-3.59), and moderate smoking (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.05-2.44) than heterosexual women.
Conclusions and relevance:
This study supports prior research finding substantial health disparities for LGB adults in the United States, potentially due to the stressors that LGB people experience as a result of interpersonal and structural discrimination. In screening for health issues, clinicians should be sensitive to the needs of sexual minority patients.
AIMS: The study investigated gender differences in drinking patterns and the reasons behind them among men and women in the Russian city of Novosibirsk. METHODS: A mixed method, combining quantitative and qualitative data, was conducted based on the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe cohort study. The quantitative study included 4268 men and 5094 women aged 45-69 years; of those, 20 men and 24 women completed an in-depth interview. RESULTS: The quantitative data revealed a large gap in drinking patterns in general between genders. Women drank less often and much smaller quantities than that of men. For example, 19% of men, vs. 1% of women, were classified as problem drinkers (two or more positive answers on the CAGE questionnaire). These differences were not explained by socioeconomic factors. Qualitative data have shown that gender roles and a traditional culture around women's and men's drinking were the main reasons for the reported drinking behaviour, whereby women were consistently expected to drink much less than men in terms of preference for strong beverages, drinking frequency and quantity of alcohol consumed. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed that large differences exist between Russian men's and women's drinking; these differences may be largely explained by gender roles.
Background:
Gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) individuals appear to have an increased likelihood of alcohol use disorders and treatment utilization for alcohol related problems compared to heterosexual individuals. Despite this increase, treatment utilization rates among GLB individuals remain low. In an effort to address this, our paper examined whether or not GLB individuals encounter unique barriers when pursuing treatment for alcohol related problems.
Methods:
Using data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol Related Conditions (NESARC), we examined service sector specific factors, some of which included (a) utilization rates, (b) self-reported treatment barriers, and (c) whether or not there were emergent differences among GLB individuals, after controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.
Results:
Findings indicated that GLB individuals reported higher severity rates for alcohol use disorders when compared to heterosexual individuals, and were significantly more likely to utilize treatment services for alcohol related problems, however, not across all treatment sectors. While similar patterns were observed when examining barriers to treatment, bisexual individuals reported significantly more barriers than heterosexual and gay/lesbian individuals.
Conclusion:
These findings underscored the importance of identifying and developing interventions that addresses treatment barriers associated with alcohol use service utilization among GLB populations, and creating improved outreach and education programs to better address stigmas associated with substance use and sexuality.
This article examines the contradictory processes that have given women a greater access to Japan’s urban night space as the increasingly flexible work environment offered them white-collar employment opportunities and enhanced women’s economic resources, which in turn generated shifts in commercial practices to de-problematize drinking for women and a proliferation of diverse drinking venues. This study contends that these changes, which are largely commercially driven and not necessarily reflecting a stronger social acceptance of women drinking in public late at night by the broader Japanese society, nonetheless legitimize women’s place in the once male-dominated urban night space by recognizing women’s contributions to the night-time economy as consumers, hence affirming also the importance of white-collar work for women as a valid realm.
The purpose of this article is to advance a new understanding of gender as a routine accomplishment embedded in everyday interaction. To do so entails a critical assessment of existing perspectives on sex and gender and the introduction of important distinctions among sex, sex category, and gender. We argue that recognition of the analytical independence of these concepts is essential for understanding the interactional work involved in being a gendered person in society. The thrust of our remarks is toward theoretical reconceptualization, but we consider fruitful directions for empirical research that are indicated by our formulation.
The excessive and public consumption of alcohol with other men has been a traditional indication of manliness in Western cultures for many years. However, over the last two decades, this association has been eroded, in part through increased consumption by women. Within the gender-relational context of this increase, we empirically explore ways in which particular (friendship) groups of young men and women (re)construct masculine identities. The male participants demonstrated greater discursive flexibility in enacting their gender identities through alcohol consumption compared with earlier NZ research although also greater constraints on change compared with more recent UK research. A minority of men constructed themselves as atypical in that they did not like rugby, beer or consuming vast quantities of alcohol. These men were all in professional occupations, and we speculate that their social class and financial status may enable them to negotiate alternative demonstrations of masculinity. We conclude that these findings could be explicated through an examination of national gendered identities that arose out of a pioneer culture, and the commodification of gender identities through alcohol consumption. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abstract A range of negative health outcomes are associated with young adults' drinking practices. One key arena where images of, and interaction about, drinking practices occurs is social networking sites, particularly Facebook. This study investigated the ways in which young adults' talked about and understood their uses of Facebook within their drinking practices. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven New Zealand young adults as they displayed, navigated and talked about their Facebook pages and drinking behaviours. Our social constructionist thematic analysis identified three major themes, namely 'friendship group belonging', 'balanced self-display' and 'absences in positive photos'. Drinking photos reinforced friendship group relationships but time and effort was required to limit drunken photo displays to maintain an overall attractive online identity. Positive photos prompted discussion of negative drinking events which were not explicitly represented. Together these understandings of drinking photos function to delimit socially appropriate online drinking displays, effectively 'airbrushing' these visual depictions of young adults' drinking as always pleasurable and without negative consequences. We consider the implications of these findings for ways alcohol health initiatives may intervene to reframe 'airbrushed' drinking representations on Facebook and provoke a deeper awareness among young people of drinking practices and their online displays.
Reflexivity is a key aspect of qualitative research. Considerable attention has been given to the ways in which gender mediates the production and analysis of qualitative data; however, much of this has been focused on qualitative interviews with women and the influence of the interviewer's gender in this specific context. Very little work has been done on comparing different interviewer-interviewee contexts such as male-to-female, male-to-male or female-to-male interviewing. Moreover, the interplay of gender with environmental, psycho-social and other biographical factors within the interview has received little attention. Drawing on four different studies on cancer care, work and family, and parenting, this article examines how each of these factors potentially mediate the collection of qualitative data in a range of interviewer-interviewee contexts. Moreover, it explores gender as both resource and delimiting factor, examining the use of impression management as a researcher tool to mediate potentially problematic interpersonal dynamics. It is concluded that greater attention should be paid to the complex intersectionality of gender, environmental, biographical and psycho-social factors in qualitative data analysis and write-up.
Concern about excessive alcohol consumption among young men demands an understanding of why some young men drink excessively while others do not. The aim of this study was to identify how young men's patterns of alcohol consumption are related to their beliefs about masculinity, and the importance of drinking to their masculine identities. Thirty-one individual interviews and five group discussions were conducted with an ethnically- and socioeconomically-diverse sample of men aged 18–21 living in London, England. Analysis revealed a variety of associations between masculinity and alcohol consumption. Some men believed that alcohol consumption is a marker of masculinity and behaved accordingly. Other men emphasised the importance of other behaviours to masculine identity. There was also evidence that men traded drinking competence with competence in other behavioural domains. The links between masculinity and health-related social behaviours such as drinking are not simple. Implications for health education and health promotion are discussed.
Marginalities around gender/sexuality, ethnicity, migration status, and alcohol use tend to coalesce and construct hidden populations which develop their own subcultures. Social science is becoming increasingly aware of the need to better understand the norms and meanings constituting such subcultures, particularly in the era of AIDS and other health risks, if more effective social programs are to be implemented. We report on a qualitative study on the roles of gender and alcohol use in a Latino gay bar with transvestites in a large urban area of the United States. Participant observation and in-depth interviews were carried out. We found that the bar, as a leisure space, provided a social setting where gender and sexuality as social categories are being reconstructed and where alcohol use, besides its legitimized use in so-called social drinking, is part of several rites related to the very disruption and dispersion of the gender/sexuality structure. In terms of other meanings the bar holds for its patrons, it is at the same time a 'fantasy island' (i.e., a surrealistic space where 'reality' is suspended and other conditions of feasibility and meaning emerge), and a 'home away from home,' where family-like interaction and care determine a feeling of belongingness and an interest to conserve the privileges of a liberated and safe surrogate home.
In Britain, there have been a number of changes in young people's drinking patterns over the last decade. Of most concern is the emergence of a 'binge' drinking culture. While there are considerable descriptive data on these changes, there has been little research which seeks to explore them from the perspective of young people themselves. By drawing on the drinking experiences of a sample of 40, young (16-24), white, males and using a youth transitions framework, this paper develops a model of eight drinking styles to describe the meaning young men attributed to their drinking behaviour. The model illustrates that the young men's motivation for drinking and their resulting drinking behaviour changes with variation in context. Differences occurred in drinking style in accordance with drinking venue, drinking companions and drinking time; and with changes in age and status.
Discourse analytic research on masculinity has produced some interesting and insightful understandings of male-bonding talk and/or talk around alcohol-related activities. These and other contributions have helped demonstrate the dependence of ‘hegemonic’ masculinities on the discursive subordination of the ‘other’, notably women and gay men. The present study builds on such work by examining the reproduction of masculinities in the context of a group of four young men interacting under the influence of alcohol. The talk was recorded with the permission of the four participants (one of whom is a co-author - GE) and subsequently subjected to discourse analysis. Particular attention is paid to definitions of (male) self and others - women, gay men and men from ethnically different backgrounds - which are negotiated during the interaction. The analysis is discussed in the light of current debates on the discursive reproduction of masculinities.
What are focus groups? How are they distinct from ordinary group discussions and what use are they anyway? This article introduces focus group methodology, explores ways of conducting such groups and examines what this technique of data collection can offer researchers in general and medical sociologists in particular. It concentrates on the one feature which inevitably distinguishes focus groups from one-to-one interviews or questionnaires – namely the interaction between research participants - and argues for the overt exploration and exploitation of such interaction in the research process.
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 20–29years. 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.