Citation

Nicholls E. Int. J. Drug Policy 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom. Electronic address: emily.nicholls@port.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.07.019

PMID

31345645

Abstract

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.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol; Femininity; Friendship; Gender; Night Time Economy; Non-drinkers