The urban Indian woman loves her drink, sometimes able to down as many pegs as the guy she's with. A new study suggests how men may have trouble digesting this. italk gets knee-deep in the gender-tipple debate
The urban Indian woman loves her drink, sometimes able to down as many pegs as the guy she's with. A new study suggests how men may have trouble digesting this. italk gets knee-deep in the gender-tipple debate
Lady Astor, the first woman to serve as Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons, once famously said, "I would rather commit adultery than drink a glass of beer." Miss Astor, who had even chided Winston Churchill for his alcoholic ways, would turn in her grave if someone told her about the modern woman's drinking ways. The young urban Indian woman loves her drink, and is not afraid to say so; Muthaliks of the world be damned. But a recent study conducted across two American universities suggests that most men are not looking for a woman who matches them drink for drink. The results published in the March issue of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, found that an overwhelming majority of women overestimated the amount of alcohol a typical guy would like his female friends, dates or girlfriends to drink.
"Although traditionally, men drink more than women, research has shown that women have steadily been drinking more and more over the last several decades," said the study's lead author, Joseph LaBrie, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Loyola Marymount University. "Our research suggests women believe men find excessive drinking sexually attractive and appealing, but it appears this is a giant misperception."
Five drinks, and no second date
Marketing executive Rajiv Sathe seems to agree with the study. "If a woman drinks as much as I do on the first date, it would be an eye-opener. I don't know if there would be second date," says the 23 year-old. His views are shared by Kunal Sukhani, 26, who feels women who make drinking a habit make themselves vulnerable to exploitation. "Once it becomes a habit, she will end up drinking at all gatherings. What if she doesn't know enough people at a party. It's dangerous to be drinking so much since you could rell out of control," he says.
Chicks drink more than they did
The observation that women have started drinking more than they did, was made by Dr Richard Grucza, an epidemiologist and professor at Washington University School of Medicine. Grucza and his team studied surveys conducted in 1991 to 1992 and in 2001 to 2002 and their results, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, revealed this: "We saw an increase in the number of women who drink as they 'immigrated' into the culture that was once unique to men," Grucza was quoted as saying, "They picked up a lot of the same mores and attitudes and behaviours and ideas about what is socially acceptable, that men had previously held." That could explain why young, middle-class and educated women are increasingly drinking like men. UK even launched an ad campaign picturing a grizzled man in drag with the caption: "If you drink like a man, you might end up looking like one."
Such men can go take a hike
But most young women are not buying the logic. Luxury writer Anamika Butalia, 24, says men like Rajiv "should take a hike". The whisky-lover says, instead of adopting regressive attitudes, men should view women as drinking buddies. "I want to accompany a man I date, for a drink. Why are women supposed to sit nursing their lame Cosmopolitans, while the man enjoys the smoothness of single malt?" she fumes.
Media professional Sonal Shah (name changed) agrees with Anamika, but admits that drinking like a man brings with it the stigma of being branded "easy". "Sometimes, men look at women who drink at par with them as women who they can bed easily," says the 23 year-old who has recently abandoned her vodka for a shot of whisky. And it's not just men, but women who judge other women. "I get reactions to my 'wild, forward nature' all the time!" she grins.
I drink more than my husband: Case study
Jairaj, 28, has no choice but to accept Priya's love for single malts, especially Glenfiddich. "I drink much more than him," she laughs, "In fact, he is the one who refills my glass as soon as it's empty. "That's because women who drink are so much more fun," Jairaj chips in. The Andheri-based couple are regular party goers, and write off the study in question as prehistoric. "More than men, women judge other women who drink. Men have no such problem," Priya says.
If you try and drink like a man, there's big trouble: Dr Shripad Bodas Liver specialist
Research from the Bronx VA Medical Centre in New York has shown that women need 3 times less alcohol than men to spur cirrhosis of the liver. Liver specialist Dr Shripad Bodas advises women not to try and walk alongside men in this regard. "The tolerance levels of men and women are drastically different, and it's primarily due to a difference in hormones."
I have no problem with her drinking whisky. But we would curb our drinking if it was affecting our health.
Kingshuk Chakravarty, employee with Tata AIG on girlfriend Upasna Mann from NDTV
Hey, bartender, a vodka straight up: Reagen Thomas Bartender
Vodka is a favourite with women. "Men and women drink equally, now. They have started sampling whisky, but most women I serve have a soft corner for expensive vodkas like Grey Goose and Belvedere, which they prefer to have with nothing else but ice."
You could risk infertility: Duru Shah Gynaecologist
"Drinking could affect fertility. And when paired with smoking, it's even more dangerous, as smoking depletes the eggs in your ovaries and leads to premature menopause. If you drink while you are pregnant, your child could be born with abnormalities."
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