feminist reasons for veg*nism ( was But I only eat organic, free range... Etc, etc...)

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

 

replied "I am veg first and foremost for feminist and environmental reasons and secondly for health reasons."

 

I think I understand the environmental reasons for vegetarianism/veganism but would love to hear about it from a feminist perspective.

 

If anyone who has chosen veg*nism for a feminist reason would elaborate, would love to hear how it applies to vegetarianism and veganism.

 

And, yes, I know Carol Adams has written a book about this topic but I haven't read it (is that the best book on the topic?)

 

Cheers,

Tammy

 

 

A dead cow or sheep lying in the pasture is recognized as carrion. The same sort of carcass dressed and hung up in a butchers stall passes as food. - J. H. Kellogg

Upcoming BAVeg Events:

09/22 Native Garden + Vegan Food Party - Pacifica 09/23 Veg Leafleting at Now & Zen Festival - Golden Gate Park 09/23 Central Vegetarian Dinner (NEW Monthly event) - Alameda 09/27 Fragrance Land Dinner (NEW Monthly event) - Cupertino 09/29 FogFest Parade Leafleting - Pacifica 10/02 Lunch, Munch & Mingle - SF Farmer's Market, Ferry Building 10/13 Walk for Farm Animals with BAVeg! - SF 11/04 Food For Thought Book Club: Committed: A Rabble-Rouser's Memoir - SF Sign-up for our monthly newsletter to stay informed and active!

[Guest guest]

Dear Tammy,I came into veganism because of my black feminist based literary and social activism to decolonize our (by "our" I mean black females in the USA) bodies from the legacies of slavery and colonialism. Such legacies  manifested as reproductive health ailments in our bodies, as well as a gazillion other dis-eases that far outshine white female bodies, statistically. In my opinion, what could be more feminist than making the connections to black female slaves being enslaved, exploited, tortured, and forced to breed "more slaves" to the exploitation and suffering that enslaved hens and [female] cows go through to breed more "slaves to feed the human carnivorous food culture?"  With fibroid tumors in black women 3x higher than white females, one has to wonder if the chemicals and hormones forced into hens and cows to overwork and exploit their reproductive systems to produce eggs and milk, Do black women's consumption of "suffering" (eggs, cow milk) reproduce that suffering into our own wombs as cysts, fibroids, ovarian cancer? If that's the case-- and if it non-human animal enslavement and control of their reproductive systems  looks frighteningly similar to black chattel slavery and the raping and exploitation of black female slaves--,  why would I, I self-proclaimed black feminist theorist, continue to enslave my own body and that of non-human animals? Why would I engage in my and their "colonization" further? The treatment of black chattel slave and the current treatment of non-human animals is a [by]product-- in my opinion- of colonialism, imperialism and slavery. This is why I practice veganism: for black feminist reasons. My theories of decolonization are grounded in bell hooks' and patricia hill collins' work.I could go in deeper, but need more time :-)  My new book coming out soon, has several black female vegans connecting veganism to black feminism and womanism. They talk more about it as well. I'm hoping I can explore more of these connections in the PhD program I'm starting this fall.BestBreezie Amie Breeze HarperbreezeharperRESEARCH: www.breezeharper.com---------Anthology: http://www.sistahveganproject.comTo Subscribe  sistahvegan- On Sep 16, 2007, at 7:36 PM, Tammy, BAVeg wrote:Hi all,  replied "I am veg first and foremost for feminist and environmental reasons and secondly for health reasons." I think I understand the environmental reasons for vegetarianism/veganism but would love to hear about it from a feminist perspective.  If anyone who has chosen veg*nism for a feminist reason would elaborate, would love to hear how it applies to vegetarianism and veganism. And, yes, I know Carol Adams has written a book about this topic but I haven't read it (is that the best book on the topic?) Cheers,Tammy A dead cow or sheep lying in the pasture is recognized as carrion. The same sort of carcass dressed and hung up in a butchers stall passes as food. - J. H. KelloggUpcoming BAVeg Events:09/22 Native Garden + Vegan Food Party - Pacifica 09/23 Veg Leafleting at Now & Zen Festival - Golden Gate Park 09/23 Central Vegetarian Dinner (NEW Monthly event) - Alameda 09/27 Fragrance Land Dinner (NEW Monthly event) - Cupertino 09/29 FogFest Parade Leafleting - Pacifica 10/02 Lunch, Munch & Mingle - SF Farmer's Market, Ferry Building 10/13 Walk for Farm Animals with BAVeg! - SF 11/04 Food For Thought Book Club: Committed: A Rabble-Rouser's Memoir - SF Sign-up for our monthly newsletter to stay informed and active!

[Guest guest]

The fast food/junk food companies have a history of targeting certain

groups (women, black people) with their marketing. It used to be that

you were a " cool " parent if you bought that stuff for your kids; now

the ads are trying to show that you're a " good " parent if you bring

home KFC or a frozen lasagna or take the kids out for a Happy Meal.

Busy mom with no time to cook? Don't feel guilty, bring home a bucket

of KFC.

 

I also find it disturbing that there are so many euphemisms for flesh

(filet, steak, pork, venison) but we still talk about eating chicken

BREASTS. Creepy.--Candace

 

 

, Amie Breeze Harper <breezeharper

wrote:

>

> Dear Tammy,

>

> I came into veganism because of my black feminist based literary

and

> social activism to decolonize our (by " our " I mean black females in

> the USA) bodies from the legacies of slavery and colonialism.