‘If I don’t look good, it just doesn’t go up’: A qualitative study of young women’s drinking cultures and practices on Social Network Sites

Abstract

Background: Young women in the UK often partake in a culture of intoxication in the pursuit

Not without my mobile phone: alcohol binge drinking, gender violence and technology in the Spanish culture of intoxication

“…The intensive patterns of alcohol consumption that affect a large proportion of young people in Spain has over the last decade consolidated what various authors have called a 'culture of intoxication' in other countries (Atkinson & Sumnall, 2016;Bailey, Griffin & Shankar, 2015;Hunt & Antin, 2017;Hutton & Wright, 2015;Lyons, McCreanor, Goodwin & Barnes, 2017). We are referring to the spaces of the nighttime economy, in which excessive alcohol consumption is considered to be, above all, pleasurable, as involving having fun and being sociable (McCreanor, Barnes, Kaiwai, Borell, & Gregory, 2008;Measham & Brain, 2005;Szmigin et al, 2008).…”

‘Isn’t it mostly girls that do pre-drinks really?’ Young men and women’s accounts of pre-loading in the UK

“…Women are now active participants in public drinking environments, and like young men, partake in a culture of drinking and intoxication in the pursuit of pleasure, group belonging and friendship bonding, both in public spaces and within the home (Griffin et al, 2009;2013;Measham & Østergaard, 2009;Niland et al, 2013;Szmigin et al, 2008). Despite evidence of convergence between the drinking practices of young women and men, experiences of drinking, intoxication and public, private and virtual drinking spaces remain gendered (Atkinson & Sumnall, 2016;Griffin et al, 2013;Thurnell-Read, 2016). Drinking spaces, and practices and relations within them, act as important sites in the performance and management of masculinity and femininity and as spaces in which heteronormative gender relations are played out and negotiated (Atkinson & Sumnall, 2016;Atkinson et al,2012b;Bailey et al, 2015;De Visser & McDonnell, 2012;De Visser & Smith, 2007a,b;Griffin et al, 2013;Measham, 2002).…”

“…Despite evidence of convergence between the drinking practices of young women and men, experiences of drinking, intoxication and public, private and virtual drinking spaces remain gendered (Atkinson & Sumnall, 2016;Griffin et al, 2013;Thurnell-Read, 2016). Drinking spaces, and practices and relations within them, act as important sites in the performance and management of masculinity and femininity and as spaces in which heteronormative gender relations are played out and negotiated (Atkinson & Sumnall, 2016;Atkinson et al,2012b;Bailey et al, 2015;De Visser & McDonnell, 2012;De Visser & Smith, 2007a,b;Griffin et al, 2013;Measham, 2002). Alcohol use and intoxication have traditionally been regarded as masculine behaviours and women continuing to face more social judgement and scrutiny for their alcohol use, intoxication, appearance and expression of their sexuality in drinking environments than men (Atkinson & Sumnall, 2016;Bailey et al, 2015;Griffin et al, 2013;Nichols, 2016;Thurnell-Read, 2016).…”

“…by the media), and have recently become virtual (e.g. Social Network Sites, SNS) (Atkinson & Sumnall, 2016;Barton & Husk, 2014;Griffin et al, 2009;Goodwin et al, 2016). Despite representing separate physical locations, private and public drinking spaces are not separate entities, and it is important to explore the relationship between the two in order to gain a better understanding of young people's contemporary drinking practices (Barton & Husk, 2014;Wells et al, 2009).…”

“…Despite representing separate physical locations, private and public drinking spaces are not separate entities, and it is important to explore the relationship between the two in order to gain a better understanding of young people's contemporary drinking practices (Barton & Husk, 2014;Wells et al, 2009). Moreover, the role of the media within young people's drinking practices is of importance 2012b;2013), and the recent phenomena of young people documenting their drinking experiences, including pre-drinking, on social media adds a further layer of complexity to the ways in which young people attach meaning and significance to drinking within their social lives (Atkinson & Sumnall, 2016;Atkinson et al, 2016; Moewaka .…”