The Chief Minister of the state that is the party capital of India, fears that even the girls are drinking beer now. He is not alone, as for many Indians, the sight of women enjoying a drink – beer, wine, mojitos, scotch on the rocks - is as unacceptable as girls stepping out in short skirts. Girls drinking beer has become the new measure of corrupted morality. The issue here is not about drinking but of gender bias and moral standards.
Girls drinking beer isn’t anything new.
In fact, girls drinking alcohol is not something that can be credited to millennials. Women and men took to Twitter to give a reality check, that girls drinking beer or alcohol isn’t a ‘new thing’. Several women are posting photos of themselves consuming their beloved beverage, using the hashtag #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer
Excessive Drinking is bad for both women and men
Our conservative views of drinking stem mostly from rampant alcoholism which is present in many parts of our country. Also, from watching sloshed fufas and jamais throwing tantrums at weddings.
For many Indians, drinking alcohol and alcoholism are synonymous.
Casual drinking, as a social activity is on the rise in small towns and cities across India. On the other hand, alcoholism is dangerous, there is no two opinions on that. This is applicable to both the genders. Then why is it that girls drinking beer is such a threat to our morality, while guys can go around puking their way through manhood?
Turns out there are double standards for drinking as well
Again, the weight of preserving the morality falls as always on women. But girls are the carriers of sanskaar from one house to another, and to their graves as well. Certainly, they cannot be allowed to get away with what boys can!
It is sad that we still give a lot of leeway to boys, even in matters like casual drinking, smoking, staying out late nights but have a strict and conservative approach for women.
Problems like drug abuse among Indian youth, falling gender ratio and increasing crime against women and children requires more attention than girls grabbing a couple of beers after a hard day at work. The cumulative health of Indians is more at risk from stress and unhealthy eating habits, than a beverage which contains merely 5% alcohol.
Finally, Dear Chief Minister Sir, Instead let focus on raising awareness about drinking responsibly.
Also Read : Iranian TV Host Faces Backlash For Drinking Beer And Not Wearing Hijab
Yamini Pustake Bhalerao is a writer with the SheThePeople team, in the Opinions section. The views expressed are the author’s own
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