Social media feeds are rife with memes depicting exhausted women guzzling wine in giant glasses, with phrases like, “Technically, you’re not drinking alone if your kids are home.” They refer to wine as “mummy juice” or to the hour of “wine o’clock” – a time that all mums apparently look forward to as a way to get through the stress of raising their children.

From Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to movies and store shelves, a ubiquitous narrative has taken hold in popular culture: that it’s acceptable, expected and funny for mums to use a glass – or more – of wine to make it through the day. Yet while many women share these images in jest and don’t have a problem, addiction experts and those who have battled addiction themselves say the trend minimises the dangers of drinking to excess.

“Mummy’s wine has become a pop culture trend, a marketer’s dream and a hashtag,” said Dr. Crystal Tennille Clark, a psychiatrist and assistant professor who specialises in women’s health.

“I do think we’re losing sight of what a problem [drinking] could be. Many people, whether they’re men or women, don’t appreciate the risks of drinking.”

Hollywood perpetuates the storyline, and celebrities embrace it. Trips to the movie theatre to see Bad Moms and its sequel, which celebrated boozy mum culture, were common “mums’ night out” gatherings. Gabrielle Union’s recent book of personal essays is titled “We’re Going to Need More Wine”, and Kelly Clarkson hosts an Instagram video series called “Minute and a Glass of Wine”.

– Kate Thayer

Read more: Boozy Mum Culture Gone Too Far?

Image source – Unsplash