‘It almost feels like it gets lighter on your shoulders’: Men’s drinking with male friends in a low-income farmworking community in South Africa

Abstract

Problem drinking is a pertinent health issue amongst South African men, particularly in rural farmworker communities in the Western Cape  Province. Consumption of alcohol amongst these men often takes place in the company of male friends. To shed light on this phenomenon, we draw on data generated through individual interviews and focus group discussions conducted with 13 mid-life men living in one farmworker
community. Our thematic analysis of the data resulted in two themes: (i) drinking rooted and maintained in male friendships; and (ii) the therapeutic effect of an exclusive male drinking space. We conclude that gender transformation interventions are needed to address men’s problem drinking in this community.

Keywords: men, gender, friendships, problem drinking, alcohol use, South Africa