'I feel like I have to become part of that identity': negotiating femininities and friendships through alcohol consumption in Newcastle, UK

Emily Nicholls

doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.07.019

'I feel like I have to become part of that identity': negotiating femininities and friendships through alcohol consumption in Newcastle, UK

Emily Nicholls

Department of Sociology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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.

Original language	English
Article number	102524
Journal	International Journal of Drug Policy
Volume	81
Early online date	22 Jul 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.07.019
Publication status	Published - 1 Jul 2020

Keywords

RCUK
ESRC
1116903

Access to Document

10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.07.019

https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/i-feel-like-i-have-to-become-part-of-that-identity-negotiating-femininities-and-friendships-through-alcohol-consumption-in-newcastle-uk(3488809f-2c8e-4b83-9097-7a2d013c2976)/export.html

Cite this

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title = "'I feel like I have to become part of that identity': negotiating femininities and friendships through alcohol consumption in Newcastle, UK",

abstract = "Whilst women{\textquoteright}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{\textquoteright}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 {\textquoteleft}doing{\textquoteright} 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.",

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