Girly Drinks: A Review of the Book That Explains Everything About Power... and alcohol

Note:

Written in early 2024 for Gender and Politics at GPS. The assignment was a book review — I chose Mallory O'Meara'sGirly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol because it was the furthest thing from my usual reading. It turned out to be one of the more interesting things I read that year. I will probably be quoting it if I visit a bar for the rest of my life, to the great annoyance of whoever I'm with.

Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol

By: Mallory O’Meara

Before delving into a nuanced review of the aforementioned book, I would like to first note that the structure and tone was especially pleasant to read. Akin to a chat over drinks, it was casual but informative, allowing for a more relaxed reading experience -- rather than a textbook-style information overload that sapped the fun out of the topic. While I originally leaned towards reading a book about misdiagnosis in healthcare, I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and tackle a topic that I hadn’t thought much about -- but now find myself fascinated with. 

In “Girly Drinks,” Mallory O’Meara tackles the historically complex relationship between women and alcohol, and the impacts on (and of) politics, economics, and culture. The evolution of societal attitudes towards the production and consumption of alcohol is traced through various cultures and historical periods from Mesopotamia to the 21st century. Personally, it was interesting to compare this book to another, A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage, as that covered the main impacts that different beverages had on culture, trade, and technology. The comparison was unique because, using my memory of that book as a framework, placing the women from Girly Drinks into those socio-political contexts provided a new perspective. 

The framework of the book follows the connection between female alcohol production and consumption with cultural perceptions and social norms -- and how they were influenced by (and influenced) historical events. A main issue brought up was that of gender equality and agency, as the ability to drink or brew alcohol was often synonymous with having higher agency in some form. For example, in Mesopotamia and Egypt, brewing beer was a sacred activity that was associated with goddesses, as opposed to the more male-oriented Greek gods or Christian customs (O’Meara 28). It was also brewed by women, with direct links between drinking, sexuality, and agency (O’Meara 29). In Egypt and Mesopotamia, this was paired with “no economic restrictions on women'' -- until the 2 cultures diverged (O’Meara 31). In fact, O’Meara directly links the establishment of the patriarchy (thanks to the Hammurabic Code) with the gendering of alcohol -- and the subsequent erosion of female agency (O’Meara 32). 

O’Meara further links the gendering of alcohol with the assumption of control. One example is in Rome, where “access to alcohol and judgment-free intoxication was reserved for men in power,” and few women were allowed “just a taste” of something far weaker -- symbolic for their inferior status in society (O’Meara 44). The engagement with alcohol has thus been continually manipulated to control behavior and reinforce expectations -- giving men “power” since their favorite era -- the Roman Empire. While the fluctuations of female power are traced through the next few centuries, the key point remains -- women gain autonomy through their ability to make and/or drink. This is then promptly followed by men (fearful of women having autonomy) villainizing this and creating the image that women who drink are immoral. At the same time, O’Meara balances the negative with ample evidence for the true impact that women have had on society as a whole throughout history through their interactions with women -- from Catherine the Great to the 1900s, there are several stories of women who utilize alcohol as a symbol for revolution and autonomy. Catherine the Great’s story was especially interesting to me because of the use of alcohol directly as a form of weaponry -- cleverly using vodka as an incentive allowed for a swift assumption of power and loyalty, which goes beyond the usual narrative of an “unhinged” leader who deposed her husband (the usual villain arc proposed by mostly male historians) (O’Meara). There were several brilliant political actors like Catherine, Cleopatra, etc, which helped frame the point that alcohol has been a tool not only of general societal manipulation but also a direct political weapon with highly visible impacts. This then helped shape the culture of the world as we know it today -- with the addition of some fun cocktail recipes from each chapter.

While O’Meara does not provide any clear policy prescriptions, there are several implied solutions to address the problem of agency, and the utilization of alcohol as a means to an end. Of course, emphasis is placed throughout on using awareness of history as a method to challenge existing norms. Unfortunately, the evidence in Girly Drinks is not limited to a historical context -- it’s repeating itself in modern society. Research suggests that women’s “balancing act” of maintaining control while also being able to drink, while not new, is exacerbated by social media (Lennox et al). As with most endeavors, women are judged far more than their male counterparts. In fact, both women and men “describe women’s drunkenness as being more shocking and unacceptable than men’s” (Lennox et al) . This is the exact argument used by men throughout the book -- for example, as far back as the Roman Empire, “showing signs of intoxication was considered to be embarrassing, even shameful for a woman” (O’Meara 50). Fast-forwarding to the 1990s, women were still being blamed for any misfortune -- as a result of them drinking, of course (O’Meara 301). The Institute for Alcohol Studies found that men’s drinking is described in a way that “allow(s) men’s dominance over women” (hegemonic masculinity), but women’s drinking “challenges or endorses behaviors that are traditionally conceived of as feminine” (appropriate femininities) (Pennay). While drinking cultures (like the Ladettes) faded by the 2000s, the concept that “boys will be boys, yet girls partying like boys might bring down all of society” remains pervasive (O’Meara 302). Both of these research papers reinforce the concepts about the cultural expectations regarding women’s consumption of alcohol (or the lack thereof). Not only are there clear expectations of how women should drink (of course it’s “better” if they don’t), the terminology used to describe the resulting states of intoxication is heavily gendered (Pennay). 

Given that the book addresses drinking culture as well as the actual brewing and serving of alcohol, it’s apt to also look at modern bartending culture. As summarized by historian David Wondrich, 

“During Prohibition, women came to speakeasies as customers. They came back as bartenders when men were away at war; when the men came back, women got pushed out. It’s kind of a vicious circle. The status rises, so more men get into it, and more men get into it, so the status is raised” (Allan). 

Essentially, the argument is the same; women are impeded from pursuing bartending, and once they are, of course, they are immediately sexualized or dismissed (Allan). Of course, it could also be argued that there was a high degree of political liberation found as women re-asserted themselves in drinking culture. While several sources focus on the negative aspects, like restrictions and the subsequent judgment of women who choose to drink or tend the bar, there is an argument to be made for the positive impacts that have been carved out throughout history. For example, the 1920s speakeasy and flapper  culture was considered liberating and “stood as an emblem for radical feminism” (Sholtis). Of course, women eventually used their right to vote to repeal Prohibition and assert themselves into alcohol-related industries (O’Meara). While there is a strong argument to be made for the high glass ceiling in the alcohol industry and its relation to female political assertion, there is an equally strong argument for the impacts that women have made on drinking and society throughout the years (Sholtis). 

The interesting thing about this book is that we can’t always implement a policy per say, but there are other things we need to be aware of as society engages in drinking culture. Basic awareness of social constructs such as perceiving women who drink as immoral, or the pressures women face to be seen as “balanced” in order to maintain control over the narrative (and by extension their autonomy and socio-political power), as well as the biased interactions that occur with women working in the alcohol industry is important. As for a more specific policy, it could also be beneficial to provide subsidies to women-owned breweries or other establishments within the alcohol industry, allowing them to establish themselves more prominently, thereby making it more accessible across the board (rather than female-owned or operated companies being unaffordable to make up for potentially lower customer engagement). This might allow for them to have the resources to make the industry more equitable rather than just “open.”

I would give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 because of the balance between a detailed exploration and humorous and personal writing style. By weaving a very well-researched narrative with quips and a relaxed prose, it made the content relatable and engaging. While there was a lack of “specific policy recommendations,” the main concepts were highlighted several times. There were continual links between themes and every concept was fleshed out -- if there were places where information was vague, explanations were provided rather than simply glazing over the matter. Knowing why there is no information about a topic is often as important as the information itself. Personally, this book felt like a very valuable contribution to my understanding of women’s issues -- and allowed me to learn about a historical topic that I hadn’t considered prior to reading. I enjoyed the book thoroughly and will probably quote it the next time I go out -- both imparting trivia and annoying my friends while they’re drinking (a win-win for me). 

Works Cited

Allan, Carrie. “'The line is crossed, and it's crossed daily': The struggles of female bartenders.” Washington Post, 26 September 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/the-line-is-crossed-and-its-crossed-daily-the-struggles-of-female-bartenders/2016/09/24/4cb2c1a6-7f4f-11e6-8d0c-fb6c00c90481_story.html. Accessed 12 February 2024.

Lennox, Jemma, et al. “The role of alcohol in constructing gender & class identities among young women in the age of social media.” NCBI, August 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6098244/. Accessed 12 February 2024.

O'Meara, Mallory. Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol. C. Hurst (Publishers) Limited, 2022.

Pennay, Amy. “Gender double standards in drinking.” Institute of Alcohol Studies, 17 October 2022, https://www.ias.org.uk/2022/10/17/gender-double-standards-in-drinking/. Accessed 12 February 2024.

Sholtis, Elizabeth. “Shaking Things Up: The Influence of Women on the American Cocktail.” Virginia Tech Undergraduate Historical Review, 23 July 2020, https://vtuhr.org/articles/10.21061/vtuhr.v9i0.4#. Accessed 14 February 2024.