本文援引Bourdieu的性別象徵支配理論與高夫曼的戲劇學觀點,結合歷史文獻、深入訪談、問卷、參與觀察等多種經驗資料,從以下幾個面向論述喝花酒文化是台灣社會支持與強化男子性的社會制度,並分析它的運作機制與再製邏輯:(一)1960年代以來現代資本主義經濟帶動喝花酒文化盛行,創造了以中小企業老闆為代表的「男子性」典範。(二)喝花酒文化建立了一套認可與擴大男子性的「制度儀式」,目的在強化支配取向的性活力,以及加入競爭資本遊戲的興趣與習性。(三)此項制度儀式是在色情場所舉行,雇用色情場所小姐扮演融合「侍女」與「蕩婦」的角色,建構一種愉快的性別宰制的氛圍,讓男性集體展現男子氣概,進而促成男性連帶。(四)女性在男性的社會遊戲中位居客體,不但是男性小團體操演性活力的對象,也是進行結盟與社會交換的工具與餽禮。色情場所有如是男性修補與鴆飲男子氣概的加油站、鴉片館。(五)喝花酒文化建構了一個以色情場所為基地,生產與消費男子性的象徵服務市場,不同階級的男性較勁著哪些人、哪種動機、哪種舉止是最具威風、合宜與高貴的男子氣行為。(6)女性無力奪回定義男子性的象徵權力,男性在象徵貨物經濟中繼續盤據主體位置。
A combination of historical texts, interviews, questionnaires, and participant observations is used to analyze Taiwan's "flower-drinking culture" (sex-service establishments frequented by groups of men) as a social institution that molds, supports, and reinforces masculinity. The reproductive mechanisms of the culture are discussed according to Bourdieu's male domination theory and Goffman's dramaturgical perspective. The five themes addressed in this paper are a) how the flow of global capital into Taiwan in the 1960s contributed to the rapid growth of flower-drinking, and how it supported the emergence of hegemonic masculinity as represented by small- and medium-sized business entrepreneurs; b) how the flower-drinking culture promotes two important characteristics required of boys to cross the threshold into manhood: sexual vigor and participation in social games that support the preservation and accumulation of capital; c) how masculinity rites associated with flower-drinking are reliant upon hostesses who blend images of promiscuity and purity to support their customers' sense of masculinity, to exaggerate their feelings of sexual vigor, and to promote fraternal bonds; d) how flower-drinking is positioned within the symbolic struggle over distinctions between social classes; and e) how Taiwanese women, in the absence of the symbolic power attached to redefining masculinity and femininity, acquiesce to the flower-drinking culture.