This month we mark International Women’s Day, a time to continue to celebrate the role that women play in our lives as well as the craft beer industry. It’s also as great a time as any to continue to push for more equal gender representation in craft beer.
Humans have been drinking beer for almost 7,000 years, and from fermenting fruit, honey, and rice in China to creating the world's first barley beer in Mesopotamia, women have been involved in beer since the very beginning- and in fact, women were the first to brew and sell this delicious beverage and in some places the first tavern owners!
Women drink beer, and this likely isn’t shocking news as there’s a good chance you know a woman, or several, who drink beer, or you do yourself. Women also brew, package, sell, write about and market beer around the world. Those numbers are still low but by all of us being more inclusive and welcoming of women and those that identify as women those numbers will continue to climb. It is past due to get rid of outdated preconceived ideas, assumptions and biases.
As a society, we need to aid in that and provide both a safe space to enjoy a beer, be able to learn about beer, be listened to when we talk about beer and ask questions without feeling judged. Over the years beer has been the beverage of choice for peasants, gods, royalty & slaves from white-collar to blue-collar, low class, middle class and upper class. Think about that. It has helped us celebrate big occasions and comforted us in harder times. It has been a means of meeting new friends, remembering old and brings us together, most of the time.
Today, I ask you to raise your glass alongside mine to the women in our community, and beyond who are continuing to fight for equality in this world and to the allies and men that have their backs. 🍻
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN BEER?
* Find out what breweries are women-owned, women-managed or breweries that highlight their women-identified employees and support those businesses when deciding where to spend your hard earned dollars.
* Keep an eye out for beer releases with a charitable donation supporting or promoting women's causes, Wellington Brewery in Guelph is ALWAYS doing this alongside Little Beasts Brewing in Whitby as two examples.
* Support women who pursue a career working in the beer industry.
* If you are sending out press releases, creating social media posts, advertising a beer-related product or a newsletter, watch that vocabulary and be sure to make it inclusive to everyone. “He will be sure to enjoy this…” Newsflash, I would have too!
* Check out https://www.bravenoisebeer.com/ where they bring further awareness to the issues that women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ individuals face in craft beer and honour those who have spoken out.
* Encourage the women in your life to participate in craft beer and include them in the conversation. * Don't look so surprised when you discover a woman is responsible for the beer you're drinking. * Share this article... kidding, well sort of, but a 'like' and a share goes a long way and helps to amplify our voices.
*This was my latest article published in The Paris Independent online paper read it here also.
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