Eating meat has, universally, been largely associated with powerful performances of masculinity. As Carole J. Adams suggests in her book “The sexual politics of Meat,” she explains how the human domination of other species (more specifically the animals we eat) has put “others outside the sphere of human concern” (Adams) and in the process, has dehumanized people that, through a constructed lens, is defined as beastlike. Femininity, is thus looked at as the opposition and frequently abused by objectification into animal traits. For example, in her chapter titled “Dismembered texts, Dismembered Animals,” she explains how men dismembers a women to her anatomical parts analogous of a butcher deconstructing the identity of the animal for slaughter. Men want to make women into their objects and “consume” in a sexual and violent way in order to dominate and enforce hegemonic masculinity. The relationship between consumption and masculinity has its nuances, however which show the more complex gender and political forces which police the world’s food culture and inversely, how different foods defines one’s masculinity.

Meat eating, according to Adams is recognized with power in society. In Brazil, a branded meat company running a campaign for Pica Friboi became a internet trend with the saying “Ask her if she is Friboi,” the context behind this is a commercial involving an famous male actor Tony Ramos interrupting a female butcher who asks for steak (in the form of raw beef) from her male assistant and asks her “is the meat, Friboi?” while the advertisement sells a brand of meat, there are implied gender rules demonstrated which put great men at the forefront of knowing good meat from bad meat. the saying “Ask her if she is Friboi” was language for: Ask her about her fine body qualities. Masculinity is connected to power and meat-eating became a common display of this while women, who are responsible for cooking and treating the meat, became surprisingly the meat or object of consumption. In a sequel to the ad, Ramos this time asks a man (of a couple) “Wait are you not going to check to see if the it is Friboi?” Noticeably, the male consumer is not asked to check with his partner because its socially inscribed that as a man you act and make the decisions. Adam’s argument here seems to be demonstrated through the scenario of meat policing masculinity and oppressing the female identity by seeing consumption of women and food as virtually two sides of the same coin.

I came across an article about dog meat and the connection between eating dog and masculine politics in Hoi An, Vietnam. Dog eating is not a socially supported practice, and while it often is obtained by shady means of stealing dogs from owners and providing the meat in unimpressive hideaways under the pseudonym of “fox meat,” the consumption of dog, seduces businessmen and government officials where the act of taking each other out to these restaurants helps ensure business relationships and economic favor. The meaning of dog meat. specifically comes from more than the allure to eat “exotic” food, rather it is strongly tied to the idea of Confucianism masculinity. In Confucianism, which is a patriarchal concept, there is an emphasis on the integration of both state and family. the responsibility of a man is to view the state and its political relationship and his family relations as one. A good Confucian gentlemen then, is one that practices “successful public vocations, commitment to political affairs,” (Geng 2004:91). The effects of this towards the country’s hegemonic masculinity define masculinity in being educated, and politically involved. The influence of Confucian ideals begins to shape the Hoianese Masculinity and specifically why, dog meat becomes the carrier for demonstration of power. Confucian himself was fond of dog meat and Confucianism remains the state religion of Vietnam with Buddhism being practice in smaller pocket regions. Eating dog meat, among men that work in the modern state system as businessmen or government officials is a sign of their loyalty and commitment to the communist regime. The cuisine is popular among the ruling elite with identity to the Northern food culture where it originated from. Therefore, eating this meat, is a move to adopt to Northern cultural standards rejecting their own in order to demonstrate their political stance to their middle-class partners. The actual act of eating dog meat has deep knots in religion and politics which create the hegemonic masculinity in Hoi An.

The hierarchical placement of carnivores on the top of the food chain has since the beginning of civilization been incorporated into various hegemonic masculinities. Consumption of meat is still in some way embraced to be an act for ones ranked top of the hierarchy and respected/enforced among men. Its interesting to see the correlations between who eats, who is eaten, and why they eat what they eat in terms of gender and politics.

citations:

Filho, Ricardo gomes costa. “Meat Masculinity.” Contexts, vol. 13, no. 3, 2014, pp. 56–58. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24710553. Accessed 26 July 2021.

Avieli, Nir. “DOG MEAT POLITICS IN A VIETNAMESE TOWN.” Ethnology, vol. 50, no. 1, 2011, pp. 59–78. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41756650. Accessed 26 July 2021.