Alcohol use and abuse has always been more prevalent among males than among females. The assignment of social drinking to the male sex role is examined from three perspectives: (1) the act of drinking per se symbolizes masculinity; (2) the media explicitly portray alcohol as manly; and (3) alcohol use is closely tied to other male sex role attributes. The male-female discrepancies in light, moderate, and heavy drinking can be explained by this assignment of drinking to the male sex role. Three psychodynamic theories of alcoholism -- the repressed homosexuality, dependency, and power theories -- speculate that alcoholics are men who over-rely on alcohol to compensate for unconscious feelings of male inadequacy. Recently, there has been a widespread recognition of the dangers of equating drinking and manliness, and societal changes, such as the criminalization of drunk driving, suggest that drinking may be gradually losing its masculine aura. 108 references. (Author abstract modified)