Gender & Intoxication

Gender and cultures of intoxication

The Gender, Alcohol, and Intoxication Study is a project funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to investigate young people’s ideas and experiences related to gender identity and alcohol use. Research suggests that the gender gap in intoxication is narrowing and that young men’s and women’s drinking patterns are becoming more similar. However, just because the frequency and quantity of drinking may be converging for women and men, this does not mean that the meanings, motivations, expectations, and risks related to intoxication are also the same for women and men. To date, too little research has examined intoxication from a gendered perspective. Our team is currently conducting 200 in-depth interviews with young adults to explore their beliefs and ideas about alcohol use and intoxication. These interviews will help to shed light on how intoxication is experienced and perceived differently for women and men, revealing the gendered nature of intoxication and how intoxication shapes gendered identities. Understanding how young people experience, negotiate, and orient themselves in a culture of intoxication is critical for designing effective preventive and harm reduction interventions tailored to the unique experiences of young adults.