Drinks Don’t Have A Gender

The food and drink culture we know today has been generations in the making. It is a culture that is steeped with traditions. Drinks have become so classic that they have their own persona, and by drinking said drink, these traits begin to be your own. Or, that is what people seem to think. But, this culture we all know and love is marred with gender roles. Somehow a man drinking a Manhattan is thought to be more masculine than a man drinking a strawberry daiquiri.

When someone says “Booze has no gender.”, most people think “Well, isn’t that obvious?”, but it does not seem to be so obvious. So, next time you are out, trying to decide what cocktail to order, do not let yourself feel limited by the booze “gender roles”. Instead, order whatever your heart desires.

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Photo Credit: http://munchies.vice.com/

Booze has no gender. This should be obvious, right?

Having spent more than five minutes on the internet, I know how upset people get over any statement like that, even when it’s about an inanimate object. A gentle loner somewhere is frothing “SJW,” before settling into a tub of raw cookie dough and an evening of trolling fan-fiction subreddits.

But there’s no secret cabal of PC cocktail warriors looking to make you less grumblingly fearful of pink drinks. Think of this more of an advisement, the same way that an article you might read about whiskey advises you on how to impress your buddies while getting pounded. (Oh, you’re really into rye right now?) We’re both trying to help you not sound stupid.

Think of it as a public service in an industry not always known for its progressive stances. Even after blatant sexism in advertising has kinda-sorta (but not really) drifted out of fashion, booze is often still hawked with a glib nod and wink toward gender roles, and the idea that what you drink is a signifier of your masculinity, femininity, and its relationship to sex or gender is still pervasive. There might always be some basic bro scared to drink out of a coupe (while still dropping fitties at the cocktail bar) but even cocktail writers and industry forerunners still seem comfortable calling cocktails “girly” from time to time.

Full article here.