What Is the Link Between Masculinity and Meat Consumption?

By Zoe Zerafa and Laura Charles

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Going vegan can be daunting, especially for those who know very little about a vegan diet. It’s important to learn what foods you can eat and where you get your nutrition from, but the transition is easier when done slowly.

A growing area of study within psychology is the gender differences between meat consumption and the link between masculinity and meat consumption. An interesting recent study that I recommend discovers links between male slaughterhouse workers repressing the emotions of other animals as well as themselves to maintain ‘hegemonic masculinity’.

84% of people who transition to veganism or vegetarianism return to eating meat and this may be because they make the change abruptly, eliminating meat, milk, and eggs from their diet all at once. Suddenly they have no idea what to eat and end up feeling weak and ill. But veganism, of course, is a perfectly healthy lifestyle to sustain.

So how can you make the transition easier?

  1. Start by adding more plant-based meals to your diet as little as once a week, or for several of your weekly meals.
  2. Once you are comfortable with cooking plant-based, eliminate meat from your diet but if you find this too challenging, start with red meat.
  3. Let yourself adapt to this change, educate and read articles on vegan nutrition to make sure you are getting enough of the nutrients you need.
  4. Next, eliminate milk and eggs, or one at a time. You will find an abundance of dairy-free products in the supermarket once you are looking for them, and eggs easy to replace in recipes (some recommend bicarbonate of soda, and others flaxseed).

So where can you get your nutrients?

  • Protein can be found in pulses such as lentils and beans, or in nuts and tofu
  • Pumpkin seeds, raisins and figs are all a welcome source of iron
  • Omega 3 can be found in flax and hemp seeds
  • Vitamin B12 can be found in fortified plant milks and nutritional yeast.
  • Some vegans choose to take supplements to guarantee they are getting ample amounts of these essential nutrients, but this isn’t necessary for a complete plant-based diet.

According to a recent Oxford study, if the world went vegan, it could save eight million human lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds, and lead to healthcare and climate damage savings of $1.5 trillion.

Find the Kent Vegan Society on Instagram @kentvegansociety and Facebook University of Kent Vegsoc