Animal welfare is a feminist issue --- and not just because of the awful, objectifying campaigns that PETA runs.
I've been a vegan and a feminist since I was 14, and am now 19. Many of my peers, my teachers, and other adults in my life have responded patronizingly, treating it as an indication that I am overly upset and emotional, since, you know, women don't think, we only feel. And we just love baby animals.
When I told some people I had decided to become vegan, particularly guys my age, I was met with responses like "I think it's really sweet when girls don't eat meat." Because, obviously, emotions are female, caring is female, and veganism is a result of overactive womanly tendencies towards nurturing. Similarly, another common one is, "Cows aren't even cuddly! Why do you care about them?" Because, again, the only reason to be vegan would be because animals are adorable --- not because of a desire to reduce pain when possible or a concern about global warming.
Moreover, the perception that being a vegan girl meant that I couldn't tolerate images of violence or discussions of mistreatment of animals was also constant. I felt this stereotype hanging out with friends watching horror movies, in class debates about animal welfare, and in discussions I had with teachers about completely unrelated issues. Vegan was code for emotional.
I think that my experiences illustrate the extent to which stereotypes about overly emotional women are used against us when we choose to take strong stands on political issues. It is far easier to discount devotion to animal welfare, and many progressive social issues, as a product of women feeling too much then as a result of measured, thoughtful research. I'm not a vegan because I feel; I'm a vegan because I think. My gender identification has nothing to do with either.
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i never really thought of it that way! great post.
I wonder if part of their reaction was also because you weren't an adult. It seems teenagers aren't taken as seriously when they care about something.
I was a vegetarian for 10 years. Puppies are frickin' adorable.
odd.
I've never had that reaction, and I've been vegan almost as long as you...
Honestly, I hate pets. They're hairy and climb all over you and you have to take constant care of them and spend tons of money. And I'm also one of the least 'emotional' people my friends have met.
Very odd stereotype there.
Yes, people can assume vegetarians or vegans love animals. I don't want a pet unless someone else will do most of the work. I have no desire for a pet. I just think animals should be able to live the way their instincts tell them to instead of in very small cages.
I do really like animals but have never been a vegetarian: it is simply because I think that all the animals have their destination. But some ?? your posts are weird: What has pets hate to do with vegetarianism? I don't think I remember we eat our pets(puppies, etc.) not being vegetarians.
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I do really like animals but have never been a vegetarian: it is simply because I think that all the animals have their destination. But some ?? your posts are weird: What has pets hate to do with vegetarianism? I don't think I remember we eat our pets(puppies, etc.) not being vegetarians.
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You need to do some serious self-education on animal rights/ liberation theories.
I'm so tired of these threads here at feministing on vegetarianism... it's SO not the audience...
A lot of vegans are actually animal liberationists and would never own pets.
I was a vegetarian for 4 years. Got this reaction all the time. And when I dared to say that I was a feminist also the reactions that I got were always along the lines of :oh so now not only should women be allowed equal rights as men but animals should too?" it all sickened me.
I love you for posting this. Yes, a lot of reactions to veganism are extremely sexist. I've never personally noticed people connecting my veganism with my femaleness before (not to say its never happened) but I do notice a lot that vegan men get a lot of shit for it. Vegan men are seen as "faggots" or "weak", even though there are whole websites dedicated to vegan men who are body builders. I also hear a lot of crap from non-vegan men about how "soy will turn you into a girl!" because it has phyto-estrogens in it, as if no other plant on the face of the earth does and as if soy is the only thing vegetarians/vegans eat.
Plus, most people DO already eat soy without knowing it. I was had something tell me "but soy is so icky!" while eating a processed food with soy in it. (Side note-How on Earth is ordering, a weak farmed animal that was killed by someone else, processed, and then shipped in packaging manly?)
*Someone, not something. Sorry just woke up.
This is so true.
There is a lot of sexism and gender bias ingrained in society regarding the eating/not eating of meat. Vegetarian/veganism is absolutely targeted as something that is "sissy" and "girly," because eating meat is considered super masculine.
I see it more in the form of being bombarded with advertisements that tell me that meat is somehow a "manly" food. So obviously someone who doesn't eat meat is not "manly" enough.
Vegan was code for emotional.
That is incredibly frustrating.
I'd consider vegans realistic above anything because they use logical reasoning regarding the environment (and the issues of global warming) to make a sometimes very difficult lifestyle choice.
So, random thought for you v-types out there, is it sexism and male privilege that does this or for lack of a better term carnivore privliage?
I don't even know if such a thing exists, but I'm curious.
The word is Speciesism. It is not sexism, but it operates (at the very basic level) in the same way that sexism or racism operates. For example, the racist believes that people not of their race are not worthy of the same ethical concern as members of their own race.
Specism is the belief ethical consideration should only be extended to members of your own specie, other humans. This is present when the suffering of animals in the production of meat is discounted as inconsequential or even bizarrely enough, non-existent. Speciesism is also embodied in the "cute animal" syndrome the OP alludes to, where in animals are given consideration solely in accordance with their utility to us. Puppies are worthy or concern because they are cute and we don't eat them in western culture. In essence, caring about a dog costs us nothing, we are required to make no sacrifice in our lifestyle.
Veganism is not about animals being cute, it's about striving to reduce suffering and acknowledging the intrinsic worth that comes with sentience. Whether or not a particular animal pleases you by being cute has nothing to do with that animal's rights.
THIS. Thank you.
I wouldn't phrase it as carnivore (or omnivore) privilege. "Privilege" seems like the wrong word to use here. I think it fits more neatly into some of the standard framework of sexism -- that women make decisions based on emotion, that women are naturally more nurturing, and so on. I'd guess that that's where the stereotype that vegetarian men are sissies come from, too -- it's a decision that's seen as emotional and as coming from a desire to protect the weak, both of which are generally coded as feminine. (Also, probably a lot of leftover nutritional misinformation from the Meat Makes You Strong! sorts of campaigns.)
I agree that there is a lot of sexism equated with being an animal rights acitivist and/or vegan/veggie.
But I balk at the idea that animal rights is a required tenant of feminism. (Which might not be exactly what you said, so I apologize if I'm diverging.) It's not that I don't think animal suffering exists or that I think everyone should be omnivores, but that feminism is basically about everyone having equal rights and equal rights can't be given to animals. There should be laws that protect animals from as much harm as possible, but animals still aren't humans. I don't see the two issues so interwoven as some seem to think they are.
No one said it's a required tenant of feminism. But you might want to examine your extreme anxiety about that.
Also, it seems you need to do some reading on eco-feminist theories and animal rights/liberation arguments as well.
For a little information on ecofeminism, just google the word:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecofeminism
I'm a 20-year old vegetarian and feminist, and I've been both since the age of 13. I'm actually surprised by your experiences-- guys (and girls) have always been as dismissive of my vegetarianism as of anybody else's. Although, one boy who had a crush on me in middle school decided to impress me by being a vegetarian. And a very fucked-up teacher in high school tried to bond with me over our shared vegetarianism and love for U2. However, neither of these things really has to do with vegetarianism; if it wasn't that, it would be something else.
I also worked at an animal shelter for a while... no one found that adorable either. In fact, I think they were a little intimidated by the fact that I made my money struggling with stray pitt bulls all day. And that I was probably a better person than them for choosing to spend my time thusly.
Either way, don't take it out on the puppies. They're DAMN cute. And there's nothing wrong with feeling as well as thinking... don't let society's ridiculous gendered stereotypes affect who you are/ want to be. (Ok we can't entirely ignore expected gender roles, but, I think you get my point)
The not-so-subtle "vegan attitude" never sits well with me.
Fine, you made a personal, unhealthy life choice. Have at it. Your bones will be less dense than mine. Whatever.
But to act condescending, as though only intelligent people with empathy and blah blah are vegans, and everyone else is a sexist/"speciest"(whatever)/etc is garbage.
Humans are not meant to be herbivorous. We simply aren't. We may have evolved into omnivores, but we still present many predator traits, such as both eyes facing forward, and higher intelligence. Prey isn't intelligent. Herbivores are prey. Humans are predators.
No matter how far we come from our roots, we're still predators. Is it "cruelty" when the lion runs down her prey? No.
I don't like the condescending attitude of many vegans. You aren't very subtle with it, wherein you act as though you're somehow superior because you chose a lifestyle.
Frankly, humans aren't meant to be vegans. We're a predator species, not a prey species. Our eyes face forward. Vegans have 4-6% lower bone density than omnivorous humans.
You can have your lifestyle choice, but treat it as one. A lifestyle choice. It's not something that needs to be preached, pressured, guilted, or shamed onto the general populace that doesn't want it.
1. First of all, I don't appreciate YOUR condescending attitude. (so veganism is a personal, unhealthy life choice?)
2. I find it offensive that you say that humans aren't "meant" to be herbivorous so presumptiously, as I come from a part of the world where people have been vegetarians and vegans for thousands of years (south asia). We are perfectly (maybe even more) healthy, and our bone density is just fine, thank you.
3. Which reminds me, from a strictly biological perspective, humans aren't "meant" to be a lot of things that we are now. Yet we evolve, culturally and physiologically, because we have more important things on our mind that pure survival. Thats what makes us human, and not lions.
4. You may be venting your frustration out at some people who happen to be vegans and also happen to be condescending. But please don't extend this prototype to all veg/vegan people. Educating people on the benefits of vegetarianism is not the same as preaching, pressuring, or shaming.