by Yasmine Kanso

Today, we live in times where the general population of society has enough understanding and willingness to admit that they can all name at least one bad outcome from consuming meat. All while taking into consideration that the majority does consume meat. 

Reasons why we should stop the meat industry:

The first, being the most obvious one, is that animals are being exploited and murdered in mass numbers. And what is worst? These animals suffer by being forcefully injected with hormones, antibiotics, and other harmful drugs (which we then consume ourselves) to make them gain weight before their slaughter for our consumption.

Secondly, systems indulging in mass production, just like the meat industry itself, are also guilty of exploiting their workers. The Animal Legal Defense Fund explains that workers earn poverty wages to be exposed to dangerous conditions at the risk of their overall health being compromised.

Thirdly, our planet is being drained from its natural resources, especially in the use of water and land space, all for the benefit of our temporary satisfaction. 

Finally, the pressing point that directly impacts consumers, is the reality that we cannot deny furthermore: eating meat is in fact detrimental to our bodies. Not only is it cancerous, but it puts a lot of pressure on our hearts which raises the risk of heart disease along with other serious illnesses.

Regardless of what many findings have repeatedly confirmed, meat consumption is still being massively produced, well-marketed, and heavily advertised. People are still misled and even encouraged to “eat meat moderately.”

The way I see it, people keep finding ways and loopholes to eat meat feeling guilt-free.

So why do people keep consuming it regardless of the health issues it creates and the way it affects our planet? What is the root cause of this? Why have not we stopped?

Because meat is deemed as manly.

Studies have revealed that the attitude behind eating meat is related to political and social ideologies. It also concluded that “men are less likely than women to reduce meat intake or eliminate meat from their diet.” The same study pointed out that people with a strong emotional attachment to meat consumption displayed defense reactions to a plant-based diet. 

This evidently, immediately reminds me of fragile masculinity.

Men in this society have been fed the misconception that eating meat is healthy and that it is a good protein diet. How many times have you heard meat lovers say, “you need protein from meat?” Which disregards all other foods high in protein. Ever heard the phrase, “I’m a carnivore” followed by “men eat meat?” In some cases, it is even almost normal for someone to say that a meal does not count if it does not have meat in it; I hear that one a lot as a pescatarian. 

Let me repeat: toxic cultural notions of masculinity mixed with unrecognized or unchecked privilege, has some men convinced that if a meal does not include meat, it is not even considered a meal…

How abysmal. 

According to a research project by the University of Hawaii, “men routinely incorporate red meat” to prevent anxiety and stress caused by threats to their masculinity. So, to lower and ease his stress levels, a guy’s defence behaviour will be to eat meat. They discuss “how meat counteracts the stress stemming from any potential failure to express masculinity.” When a masculine person shifts their diet to exclude meat, they are usually faced with strong social backlash, which presents itself as levels of high anxiety for that person. A threat to someone’s masculinity creates a defensive reaction to eating meat… No wonder why the planet is dying.

Toxic notions of what masculinity should “look” like have been the root cause of many problems in our system, including men’s mental health state. Tradition says that we are used to eating meat as a habit. But is that habit not increasingly decreasing the quality of our lives? This tradition is one that has been immersed in our daily habits for far too long with evident heartbreaking consequences. 

We are part of a culture wired to enjoy consuming meat regularly. Yet while the meat industry exploits and contributes to toxic masculinity, it also favours the elite since the only ones profiting from it are mainly white men in power. It also promotes eating meat as an elite lifestyle to live by. The maintenance of meat consumption uses unethical notions of power to intimidate and falsely advertise meat. This toxic tradition filed with misguided concepts has gone on far enough. 

Meat consumption and its manufacturing industries are exploiting the planet, the animals, and our bodies. We are poisoning ourselves mentally, physically, and taking the planet along with us. The toxic masculinity characteristics that have become the norm in our society are literally killing us. Our overall health is being compromised for the sake of a temporary moment of relief socially constructed and misinformed by elite culture and fragile masculinity.

The climate crisis is a state of urgency. These perpetuated ideas are draining us of our overall health and exhausting the planet from its wildlife and natural resources. The truth is: the cost of reasoning with what benefits off people’s weak spots, which strictly profits industries and disadvantages all major factors, is simply too expensive and doesn’t work well in our favour.

Article cover illustration by Lehel Kovacs