Man and Meat: Politics of food

I found the article The Sexual Politics of Meat to be both very interesting as well as
informative. I have done a few readings about of economic class can effect a person’s
diet as well as how poverty can lead to violence against women, but I have
never had the chance to read about how gender inequality relates to one’s diet.
One thing that struck me quickly was the discussion of how cultures run by patriarchies
were often ones economically centered around meat while cultures that were matriarchal
were often centered around vegetables. It was also interesting to note that
women are often at lower levels of status in meat based industries. Meat is
considered cultural the highest class form of protein that can be ingested in
diets and often is a right given to men over both women and children. While we
now know it is possible to live a nutritiously balanced lifestyle without meat,
meat is often seen as a more than a dietary staple in prosperous societies and
more as a symbol of wealth. It was also interesting that the article noted that
women felt lest confident in noting quality meat in a market. I would be
curious if men feel just as unconfident when identifying quality fruits and vegetables
within the store?  In addition to gender
inequality meat also comes with racial inequalities where the highest status
racial populations likely have the easiest access to meat. In an article I read
for another class it discussed a farming area in China where a family was seen
as prosperous if they had meat with their meals.

           One thing I also found very
interesting was the language of meat. In the male culture it is expected that a
man likes meat. When he does not he is generally considered to somehow given up
a part of masculinity. While I have never given it much thought until this
reading, it seems obvious that men have often have tried to keep the title of
masters of meat. Most cooking that is managed by men often relates to the cooking
of meats such as the act of grilling or making barbeque. Women cooking often
relates to dishes that do not focus on meat and when it is involved it is often
a filler that is generally expected to be fed to men. When thinking of trying
to get kids to eat their vegetables it often seems to always be little boys
that are showing disinterest in vegetables never little girls. I was surprised
that the article discussed that men were more likely to eat meat even over
children. I would be curious to see if little boys are more likely to get meat
than little girls? You would think in regions prosperous or scarce in meat the
focus would be on sustaining child of these communities as opposed to
sustaining male adults. I guess it would make sense if the men were the typical
economic provider but it still is surprising. In the modern age it seems silly
to put gender context on food and nutrition but it is a subject that has
predominately been a part of human societies since the beginning of
civilization.

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