Commentary on Kuntsche et al . (2011): Mothers and bottles – the role of gender norms in shaping drinking

In their intriguing paper, Kuntsche and colleagues (1) outline some compelling hypotheses about the relationship between women’s drinking behaviors and their social roles. The paper starts with the supposition (supported by prior literature) that it is an individual’s social roles, rather than her genetic makeup, her demographic status, or even her environment that pushes her towards or pulls her away from alcohol use. It asks, ‘What aspects of a woman’s social identity incline her to drink?’ Looking beyond the individual level, the paper goes on to ask whether the place of Women (as a class) in any given society also influences the drinking behavior of women (as individuals) in that society. How do societal norms, beliefs and attitudes about gender and about ‘women’s place’ interact with the actual roles that women hold to influence whether and how much they drink?add_3639 1933..1934