Beer is so popular with men, you could almost say it's a necessity for manhood-that is, manhood as part of his gender identity, not the biological kind. Gender is all the things society tells boys about how to be men. Gender is what a man's parents, especially his father, told him, or showed him by example, were part of being a real man-things like working hard, being the boss over his own home, liking cars, and being able to fix things. Gender includes the things men enjoy doing together like shooting pool at the bar, talking about sports, fixing cars, and drinking beer. Beer drinking is associated with masculinity. The labels on the beer cans and advertisements for beer are designed to be attractive to men.

             When beer is advertised on TV, the ads are always run during times when men will be watching-for sporting events, for example, like the Super Bowl. Beer ads often show men in social groups-sometimes with beautiful women, implying that if they drink a certain brand of beer, women will love them. The ads don't actually say that, but the underlying message comes through clearly when you see men and women on television drinking beer and dancing, and having a good time together. The women are always sexy in beer ads.

             Men often drink beer while they stand around a car with the hood up and look at the motor. It's part of knowing about mechanical things. Moreover, a man who has been socialized to like sports will probably like to drink beer together with other men while they watch a big game on television. This kind of homo social activity, where men get together and can say what they want because no women are there, is definitely enhanced by the presence of a six-pack. Men also like to take beer on the golf course when they play. And, of course, they take beer with them when they go fishing. The alcohol makes these casual activities more fun and helps the conversation too. Two men with beer don't have to be sensitive about each others feelings.