Do Guys Drink White Wine? Fighting Stereotypes
It seems silly, right? The stereotypes around food, beverages, clothing, and even activities come into our cultures and stick so hard they refuse to budge even when we push against them.
Can men wear pink? Can women be firefighters? Do girls drink beer? Do guys drink white wine?
And what does it say about those who break the stereotypical norms?
Stereotypes Rooted in Practicality
The origin of stereotypes and cultural norms were rooted in practicality.
There are some cultures that don’t allow women to walk outside alone. Western culture used to have the same practice. And for good reason.
There was a time, not too long ago, when the rule of law was not what it is today. We did not have police officers patrolling the streets, keeping the peace, and women, in most cases much weaker physically than men, were only safe under the protection of their fathers, brothers, or husbands.
Another one would be women not working outside of the home.
It made sense for hundreds of years.
Someone had to care for the children, someone had to tend to the home.
And for many generations, work was divided more or less equally between men and women. Men did most of the backbreaking labor, or after industrialization did the work that required leaving home and children.
Women were the natural nurturers, in most cases, breastfed babies, and tended to toddlers.
Practical, right?
But then what happens is those practicalities get taken too far.
Two very important factors get lost in the mix: first of all, women are not always the “weaker” sex. Throughout history we have seen women warriors across civilizations. Second, women at home with children were not resting on their laurels. They still did all of the backbreaking work that comes with caring for a household – chopping wood, growing, raising, slaughtering, and cooking food, educating children, laundry, cleaning, etc., etc., ad nauseam.
Then, when civilization developed further and we did establish rule of law, we introduced domestic conveniences that made running a household easier, and women were much safer on the streets, we forgot to shift our perspectives, our expectations, our norms, and our stereotypes.
Gender Norms
Because we allowed those stereotypes to become so fixed in our psyches, we also allowed them to go to extremes.
We decided that women were “weak.”
Which meant men had to be “strong.”
Then both weak and strong got out of control.
We expected men to be overaggressive and hypermasculine and women to be defenseless and simpering.
This expectation does a disservice to both men and women.
Women get passed over for jobs they are well suited to, they get discounted when they speak up, and they get ridiculed for wanting more out of life than motherhood and domestic duties.
And men get shoved into boxes they often don’t fit into well, they’re not allowed to show emotion, and they are denied entry to aspects of society they may enjoy.
Like wine.
Do Guys Drink White Wine?
Of course guys drink white wine!
Guys also drink strawberry daquiris and champagne spritzers. Men wear pink. Men can be nurses and stay at home dads.
It seems in this society we often say “girls can do anything they want!” But we forget to say the same of men. And it is no less true.
The history of wine is actually rooted in men, if you think about it. Kings, tribal leaders, and emperors had their own stores of wine. Wine was around long before beer, and it was drunk by both men and women.
And white wine is in no way more feminine than red wine.
The only difference between white wine and red wine is the grape the wine comes from and the temperature.
White wine ferments more slowly and at a cooler temperature than red wine, which is why it is kept cold.
So if you’re wondering if it’s weird for men to drink wine or if white wine is a female drink, the answer is no to both.
Wine is wine is wine, and it is for everyone.
White Wine
There also seems to be a misunderstanding about what white wine is.
White wine is not necessarily sweeter than red wine.
Chardonnay can be dry and sharp. Sauvignon Blanc can be crisp and taste distinctly of hard liquor.
The best wine for men is really based on the mood, the atmosphere, and the dish he may be having with his wine, not the color of the liquid.
White wine goes best with fish, chicken, and white sauce dishes, whereas red wine pairs well with red meat, pork, and red sauce dishes.
White wine is preferable on a hot day for obvious reasons, and red wine is ideal on a cooler, crisper day.
The rules of wine have no gender, and if they did, they would really lean more toward men, if you think about it.
Look at the Greek god of wine, after all. Dionysus was distinctly male, with several female acolytes who adored and worshipped him and men who wanted to be like him. And Dionysus and the incredibly masculine Greeks never had any problem drinking white wine versus red wine.
Guys Can Do Anything They Want!
So, if you’re wondering “do guys drink white wine?” the answer is “guys can do anything they want!”
In fact, if you’re a man and you’re reading this, make sure to get out and drink more white wine when you feel like. Try more varieties, explore different pairings with different dishes, visit some wineries and see what they have to offer.
And while you’re at it, put on some pink every once in a while, and feel your feelings. The world can use more men unafraid to break ridiculous stereotypes that have us all in their grip.
May you be the men to lead the way.
Cheers!
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