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Dear Gwendolyn Good-Deed: I'm a soon-to-be sixteen year-old who's been a vegetarian for over three years. Over these years, I have noticed that many of the vegetarians are female, and not so many are males. Why is that? When I meet a non-vegetarian guy, and I tell him that "No, I don't
eat meat," I usually get a strange reply such as, "Not even chicken?",
or "No hamburgers?" I don't get it! I JUST told him that I don't
eat meat, and I'm pretty sure that chicken and hamburgers fall
into the category. I just don't get it. Gentle Reader: Ms. Good-Deed would like to point out that you are actually asking her two distinct questions in your brief note: the first part addresses the lack of a male presence (or, rather, a disproportionately strong female presence) that you've noticed in the vegetarian movement; in the second part of your letter you are confused as to why many omnivores question whether a consuming dead animal would be appropriate for one upholding meatless diet. Regarding the latter question, Ms. Good-Deed's been around the block of tofu quite few more times than you, and she's no less befuddled about this than you. Whether this is comforting or distressing news to you, gentle reader, is uncertain; what is certain, though, is that many people have a strangely flexible and unscientific notions regarding what is and what is not a plant. Ms. Good-Deed doesn't have any absolute answers to either one of your questions, but she'll at least give it a try. Regarding the first question, while Ms. Good-Deed doesn't have the exact statistics on this, she would say that she has noticed more female vegetarians than male, but not nearly as stark a difference as you have. Perhaps when you get a little older, in college or elsewhere, you will notice more male vegetarians, because people usually become less concerned about what their peers' think of them as they age. Peer pressure may be exactly why there appear to be more young female vegetarians than male: compassion tends to be considered more of a feminine trait, and it is nurtured more in girls than in boys. As liberated and modern as we like to think we are, many boys don't escape elementary school without having their innate empathy and sensitivity battered around a bit. To cry easily or acknowledge a lack of desire to participate in traditionally male activities or behaviors is to be labeled a sissy, which is diminutive of sister and a high insult, with its implications of "girliness" and foppishness. (In the interest of conserving space and staying to the point, Ms. Good-Deed will refrain from exploring the tacitly sexist undercurrent of this word.) To reject meat because it goes against one's principles, which is the primary reason why young people become vegetarians, is often tantamount to an admittance of one's compassion, which is in many ways a barometer by which one's masculinity or femininity are gauged. There is also the predominant attitude lingering today that animal products are necessary for growth and strength. Vegetarian physicians have made some in-roads at debunking this myth, but it still exists. Due to societal and social pressures, girls are more concerned about maintaining slim bodies, and this may contribute to the appeal of a plant-based diet, whereas boys typically strive for height and strength. Since the prevailing attitude is that one becomes tall and muscular through consuming animal products, that is another reason why one may find fewer male youths who are vegetarians. Perhaps because of these factors, as well as others not explored, the culture of vegetarianism is more open for young females than males, in other words, it's might be more accessible for them. You might consider starting a vegetarian group in your high school if there isn't already one existing, or participate in chats on the teenvegetarian website. You might even meet Y-chromosome vegetarians from your area. Another way to meet male vegetarians is to post a message on any number of online message boards. As far as why male non-vegetarians ask whether you, as a vegetarian, can eat chicken or hamburgers, Ms. Good-Deed doesn't think that this is a gender specific problem. Through the years, she has heard this absurd line of inquiry from males and females alike, and today she is no closer to understanding it than she ever was. But here's a shot: Perhaps your inquisitor eats such a meat-centered diet, he cannot conceive of your lifestyle or your diet. Maybe, in the case of chicken and especially fish, the person questioning you doesn't think of these creatures as feeling beings, and this is the first time he's ever had to consider the possibility. Another angle is that he may have met pseudo-vegetarians in the past, the self-proclaimed types who actually do eat fish and chicken, and your questioner is simply trying to understand how serious you are about your diet. It can be any number of possibilities; Ms. Good-Deed simply answers this question with a matter-of-fact, "No, as a vegetarian I eat a plant-based diet that doesn't include chickens or any other animals. I also don't eat their by-products." That's usually straightforward enough that there's no room for interpretation. So, gentle reader, these are Ms. Good-Deed's answers to your questions. She hopes that this has been useful for you and that you meet some non-hamburger eating male vegetarians soon. If not, don't despair: they're out there. Best of luck, XOXOX,
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