Simone Barclay shakes her head as she recalls a recent supermarket visit. "I was looking at the rosé section - it's like half the wine section now. And I'm not surprised.
Because it looks so pretty and fresh and the labels are gorgeous, and it's like, whoa, why wouldn't you drink this stuff?" The psychologist has been sober for 25 years. But even she was tempted by the display, seemingly aimed very much at women.
"That particular genre is very feminine. And it's fresh and summery and it's pink, for god's sake." For Barclay, the takeaway impression was, "How harmful can it be?"
Barclay specialises in addiction and sees a large number of women in her practice. Alcohol is baked into our culture, she says.
"Alcohol is still the most widely available, accessible and socially endorsed drug." She notes that every one of our transitions as humans is marked by the consumption of alcohol: birth, christenings, birthday celebrations, marriages, funerals.
"We are so surrounded by it in every way that for many people I think it's impossible to think of a life without alcohol in it." Alcohol has become far more prevalent in our lives over the generations, but there's been a particular shift for women. Jennie Connor, emeritus professor in the department of preventive and social medicine at Otago University, has spent much of her career researching alcohol harms and policies. She says that over time it has become more common for women to drink.
"In my parents' generation, women drank a lot less than men, and it was quite common to be a non-drinking woman.
Denne historien er fra January 27 - February 02, 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra January 27 - February 02, 2024-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
