I believe that the image chosen for our class discussion is meant to portray speciesism, which is the idea that humans are the dominant species with the right to exploit, kill, and consume other animals. To be honest, the image was a little vague to me, but as I began to think more abstractly I noticed certain imagery that symbolizes the need for equality. For example, the Pillsbury dough-boy figure was about the same size as the cooked red meat being cut into on the cutting board. To me, this reflected how humans and animals are both equal to one another, but the figure was more dominant due to it’s ability to kill the animal. This made me think, just because the figure was able to kill the animal and serve the meat for human consumption, does this give them the right to? I connect this to the patriarchal hierarchy in our ecosystem. As a society, we are taught this is normal behavior. We are taught that humans are at the top of the food chain because we have the ability to hunt other animals. We aren’t taught to question whether or not this is the right thing to do, because power structures are so present in all parts of the way we live- it just seems natural to us.
It is an interesting concept to think of the food we eat as gendered, but yet again, this is the U.S. where everything is based on and divided by gender. After following Eisenburg’s example of searching images of “women eating” and “men eating” on google, I saw the standards our society puts on men and women’s eating practices. Women are pressured to eat salads and greens, and men are encouraged to eat meats. Our gendered food comes from a larger social manipulation that works to separate men and women all the way down to the food we eat, and it basically comes down to femininity and masculinity. Meat means protein and muscle building, salads mean no weight gain.
Gaard would have to agree with my connection to meat eating and speciesism above. She believes that ecofeminists have a a deeper understanding to what animals go through because of women’s shared oppression under patriarchy. Sexism and speciesism is an interconnected oppression because they both stem from the idea that one being is greater than the other, whether its an entire species or an entire sex. She explains our relation to non-human animals, “… speciesism is a form of oppression that parallels and reinforces other forms of oppression… they are different faces of the same system,” (Gaard 20). That goes for racism, classism, ableism, etc. I think Curtin would expand on my questioning of whether hunting and consuming animals is morally correct. She sees the morality behind vegetarianism, but understands how in the some situations eating animals is necessary. There is a contextual moral vegetarianism that she explains as, “it recognizes that the different reasons for moral vegetarianism may differ by locale, by gender, as well as by class,” (Curtin). In economically stable and technologically advanced countries, people have a choice of whether or not to eat animals (Curtin). It is not necessary for their survival, yet people do it anyway.
I think this is where the connection between sexism and speciesism comes into play in the contextual moral vegetarianism. Our society does not need to discriminate against women, but it chooses to. Our society does not need to eat meat, but it chooses to. We don’t have to enforce gender roles with the food we eat, yet we do it anyway- it’s our normal. How do we change this? How do you change the morality of a nation? If ecofeminisists continue to draw the connection between non-human animals and people and the understanding of the same oppression with different faces, can our society change it’s hierarchical way of thinking? Eisenberg says, “it’s hard to shift an individual’s perception without first tackling their society’s view,” so I believe we have to change our environment before we can change an individuals choice. We have to popularize these moral choices to create a socially accepted environment that connects human oppression to non-human oppression.
Curtin, Deane. “Contextual Moral Vegetarianism.” http://www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/curtin01.htm. Accessed 24 Feb 2019.
Eisenberg, Zoe. “Meat Heads.” https://www.huffingtonpost.com/zoe-eisenberg/meat-heads-new-study-focuses_b_8964048.html. Accessed 24 Feb 2019.
Gaard, Greta. “Ecofeminism on the Wing.” https://www.academia.edu/2489929/Ecofeminism_on_the_Wing_Perspectives_on_Human-Animal_Relations. Accessed 24 Feb 2019.
Hi Victoria,
I found it interesting where you said as a society we don’t have to eat meat but we choose to eat meat. It’s not that I don’t agree, I understand your point, but I also find it very hard to look at in those terms. There are benefits to eating meat and yes there are other sources of protein available but I just don’t think it’s as easy a task as just making it. I believe it is a personal choice but as a mother and wife it’s a difficult choice. I was brought up in a house where meat was what we ate and unfortunately that is also how I am raising my children. When I say unfortunately, I admit that I wish I could make it a bit more vegetarian based. I’ve been trying to incorporate more meals that are vegetarian but I myself, find it difficult to do it because of the many different pallets in our household (there’s 5 of us). I enjoy eating meat/poultry/fish, but I definitely see that eating red meat regularly isn’t the healthiest and I would like to curb it but it’s a work in process. The issue is that if I were to go vegetarian, I’d be the only one in my household doing so, therefore, I am also the one who cooks most meals and cooking a separate meal for myself almost every single night, makes the task unappetizing.
Good post. I enjoyed reading it.
-Tara
Hi Tara,
I appreciate your response. Your situation sounds similar to Curtin’s contextual moral vegetarianism. Some people depending on their lifestyle, do not have the choice to not eat meat and for this reason you shouldn’t feel guilty. I completely understand, but what I am saying is there are people who do have the choice, but continue to do it anyways. I should have been more specific in my post! I am similar to you, I was raised on meat being the center of a good, balanced meal. I see the morality being veganism or vegetarianism and I want to be apart of that lifestyle. I want to start making better, more informed choices but it will not be easy. Changing your diet is a lot easier said than done!
Victoria
Hey,
I think my biggest piece I wish I would of brought up more in my post and you touch on lightly was how food is sold through sexism. I agree in that it doesn’t need to be there. In fact if I’m not conscious about it then I am numb to the billboards and flashing media of naked women eating burgers. They become objects and not women. How many ads do you think you see in a day and don’t even think about it? We should count and report back.
Hi Victoria,
Yes! That’s really the world for the class image “speciesism!” Our society does influence our ideas of who is atop the food chain, who is dominant, and who is not. The disparity between gendered food is based on the idea that meat makes you stronger and vegetables make you leaner, and easier to dominate. This concept is very important to the patriarchy because when we really break it down, you see the truth. A long time ago men became afraid of women, women could create people (men could not), women had a very high tolerance for pain, one that men likely found confounding, women were equally able to hunt, nurture, and keep their children alive. Women even had something over men, they were able to arouse them and control them with their sexual appeal, so men became afraid like the cowards they show themselves to be. They began to plan ways to overpower women, abusing them, raping them, and beating them into submission, from fear of their own inferiority. Men created a social structure of which they stood atop (the patriarchy), they began telling little girls how they could dress, who they could marry, and even what they should eat. This all to control a being who from creation is physically, mentally and emotionally superior to them. They began to control and conquer animals with this same abuse and aggression, then aligning women with animals in an attempt to solidify women as inferior to men. It isn’t until recently that women have been able, slowly but surely, to fight back against these social structures, fight back against them men that oppressed them. We must as people in a society, assure equality, and make sure to respect and worship people for what they are. Men, truly when broken down to just an animal is at best just of use for their semen, and little to nothing more, especially when compared to women. This may sound harsh, rude, and aggressive, but it is the truth of our nature. How most of us pray to a God, who has been aligned with the image of men, when women are the true creators of life, is a concept that has been adopted and reiterated by the fear of inferior men, unable to reason any importance within their own existence. When we talk about these issues, we realize the layers and complexities of oppression and the irrational creation of the patriarchy. We must destroy this destructive social structure, no one has to be oppressed, but everyone needs to be equal.
– Mirko Lopes
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