Gendered drinking: Meanings and norms among young Estonian adults

Abstract

Aim Current research in Estonia shows that drinking has increased both among men and women and that the gender gap in alcohol consumption is decreasing, especially among young people. This article will explore from a micro-level perspective how gender, meanings and norms are interconnected, and how these meanings and norms regulate and legitimise gendered drinking behaviour. Design The study is based on in-depth individual and focus groups interviews with young adults from rural and urban areas in Estonia, supported by participant observation. Results Women's drinking still carries a clear, albeit contested, double standard. Young men, on the other hand, contest the traditional masculine drinking norms and distance themselves from the heavy drinking practices of drinking to intoxication and drinking vodka, which are connected with images of Soviet-era (inflexible rural) masculinity. Conclusion In creating alternative modes of masculinity and femininity, young adults stress independence, individualism and being active agents in the reconstruction of their gendered identities. These aspects can be explained through broader processes in Estonian society during the last two decades.