Ladies, Don't Look At Me To Start Your Beer Revolution

[Illustration by Kyle T. Webster | BA mag #27]

This is my very first article to ever be published. It was published in the Beer Advocate Magazine April Issue # 27. You can subscribe to BA and get a subscription of the Magazine or order special back issues of the mag.

Beer Advocate Magazine

This article was briefly mentioned during the Women In Beer Panel at the Craft Brewers Conference which I was on this year and is part of an on going discussion about women in the beer industry and how women and beer are perceived in general.

This article is more or less a manifesto, a proverbial "kick in the skirt" to those women who are not sure that the beer world is "safe" for them. A slap down to those who think the beer world is so "male dominated" yet sit on the sidelines and do nothing about it. Or worse yet perpetuate the perceived "male dominance" by forming women exclusive groups. Doing to the men what has been done to them for so many years. Bleh!

In the weeks to come as I get the audio from my panel discussion at the CBC, I will blog that panel discussion and add some more depth to my answers and the panel over all.

There is certainly a generational gap when it comes to these issues. The women who have had to forge their careers, and the women today who enter with the luxuries of a more female friendly environment. I don't mean or aim to piss all over those who have worked hard to be taken seriously. But I don't support the effort to make beer only about them or their issues either.

I am taking a stance now once and for all, no special treatments or marketing ploys for women when it comes to beer. The beer should be about the beer. Women and men alike will drink it if it is worth it's salt. Beware of the marketing angles that tell you women need special treatment, or special attention and care in order to drink more beer. Down with separating the houses, and trying to capitalize on women as though we were weak, stereotypical, and worst of all, predictable. Enjoy the reading. As always comments are appreciated.

Click the images to enlarge.

 

 

 

Comments

[Scandalous Candice]

Jayne,

It's certainly not an apology or worse yet an excuse to anyone for the lack of a woman's forum.

I don't think I am continually mentioning the forums on BA, but for the article, it was crucial based on the reasons why women want their own forum. It was to illustrate how ridiculous a so called "safe" place to go was when dealing with beer. Also as being my main line of work, BA is relevant to the conversation from my point of view. Not only that, it is the largest user based online beer community in the world. It has to be talked about at some point.

If someone would bring up women in beer in a constructive way for a change instead of complaining about men, sexist ads, women only groups, marketing to women as a ploy or an angle on something instead of having genuine intentions, then maybe I wouldn't have to rail against most of these bogus demands on behalf of women.

[Jayne Yaya]

Seems like an apology / statement / excuse for not starting a women's only section (which I agree with) and nothing more. Perhaps more focus on women as beer consumers or in the industry as opposed to continually pointing to why a women's only forum would suck on your husband's message board would have proved more artful.

[Diane]

We may see women all over our local bar, beer expos, beer weeks, selling us our homebrew supplies, and owning our favorite brewpubs, but the advertising is still negative and that is what undermines us and what pushes women into "safe havens." Heineken and Budweiser and Coors portrays us as stupid bimbos consumed with a desire for low cal over good taste no matter what the reality of female beer drinking may be. These are the things that effect us and what we want to be "safe" from so we can talk beer frankly w/o fighting through stupid stereotypes every step of the way, but you're right, a haven is not going to change the way things are. To break down sexism in beer we need to do more than be seen and heard drinking, we also need to speak out against this kind of advertising, to publicly boycott such brands, and for our male beer drinkers to do it with us.

[doggybloggy]

good job.....

[Amy]

Fantastic article! I feel the very same way. Thanks for speaking for us who don't care what gender beer drinkers are - just bring us good beer! :)