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PubMed · 2687480

Alcohol and masculinity.

R Lemle·M E Mishkind
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Abstract

Alcohol use--and abuse--has always been more prevalent among males than among females. The sex role prescription for men to affirm their masculinity by drinking is a major determinant of this sex difference. This paper reviews the intricate interrelationship between masculinity and both social and alcoholic drinking. A large body of evidence indicates that social drinking is a primary cultural symbol of manliness; portrayals in the media strengthen this association. Less evidence exists to connect masculinity issues with alcoholic dependence, but there has been much speculation: Three psychodynamic theories of alcoholism--the repressed homosexuality, dependency, and power theories--hypothesized that men who drink addictively have the most fragile masculine identities. The 1980s have witnessed a widespread recognition of the dangers of equating drinking and manliness, and societal changes suggest that drinking may be gradually losing its masculine aura.

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Alcohol DrinkingAlcoholismFemaleGender IdentityHumansIdentification, PsychologicalMalePsychoanalytic TheoryJournal ArticleReview

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R Lemle, M E Mishkind. 1989. Alcohol and masculinity.. https://doi.org/10.1016/0740-5472(89)90045-7

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