In Hallie's blog, she confronts the relationship of vegetarianism to gender. According to a 1992 Yankelovich study in the Vegetarian Times, 12.4 million people call themselves vegetarians and 68 percent are female while only 32 percent are male. In my 19 years of life on this planet, the only male vegetarian I have known is my grandfather who was choosing such a lifestyle for health reasons. Most males I talk to about my choice to be vegetarian scoff and go on about how meat is delicious and meant for our consumption or something along those lines. Meat is masculine. Haven't you heard of the "Manwich"? Hallie asks the question, "Why do you think some men perceive vegetarianism as something that makes them a weaker human being and have you ever had experiences with those type of people, male or female?"
Our society is stuck in our gender roles. Women are supposed to be more sensitive and caring while men need to be tough. They are not supposed to think about what is on their plates; they just need to eat it and enjoy. The more meat the better. On the other hand, women may choose to be vegetarians because they are more aware of what they eat and want to be healthier. According to statistics gathered by Men's Health magazine, women visit the doctor an average of 6.2 times per year and men 4.5 times per year and, in most cases, people choose to be vegetarian for a healthier lifestyle.
When I watched the PETA video "Meet your Meat," (it can be found on Youtube!) I was disgusted and emotional. However, when I showed it to my brother, boyfriend, and other male friends, they exclaimed that it made them want to eat a cheeseburger. It's hard to say whether they really meant that or they just wanted to seem "strong." The large difference in women vegetarians to men can, like Hallie said, stem back to the hunting and gathering lifestyle, but it is time to move on. Even though it's quite prevalent that meat is masculine, I don't know how society can get past this.
My question to you is: Because of your gender, do you feel pressured or like its your obligation to eat certain foods (like a salad if you're female, and a bacon cheeseburger if you're male)? How can we get past this idea that meat is manly?
I responded to this. :)
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