Yes, women lack a certain enzyme that helps metabolize liquor. It is not just because men on average are bigger. Take a 170lb man and a 170 lb woman with similar drinking volumes and the woman's health fades first. The fact that female alcoholics progressed more rapidly than males was noticed by AA's founders, but they did not have the science behind it. We do now and it is well documented.
Are Women More Vulnerable to Alcohol's Effects?
If you happen to be asian, there is another strike against you genetically speaking:
Asian Alcohol Intolerance