10Questions

Adams at a recent speaking engagement Questions10 >CArol J. Adams Twenty years later, the sexual politics of meat are still ripe for discussion. By Joseph Connelly

Carol J. Adams’ The Sexual Politics What’s the significance of the absent What evolutionary benefit could there of Meat is a radical work that significantly referent? have been for an animal-protein based, altered both the course and discourse of 2 The function of the absent referent is to 4 patriarchal society? vegan history, offering critical theory that has allow for the moral abandonment of a being. None. Neal Barnard of the Physicians immeasurably influenced the second wave of I also observe that in a patriarchal culture, Committee for Responsible Medicine suggests Western vegetarianism. Adams’ SPoM was a women and animals become overlapping, that at one time it might have been necessary sleeper hit at the time of its release, and has intersecting absent referents. for our evolutionary predecessors to have built popularity slowly and steadily, much like compact protein sources, especially in terms of the veg movement over the past two decades. How did patriarchy co-evolve with their need for concentrated fat, but that time The book cross-references meat eating with humans’ relationship with animals? passed long ago. It’s now thought that the first gender, race, and species oppression and 3 With the domestication of animals, meat eaten was actually taken from insects shows how they all have roots in patriarchy. humans discovered how conception and from scavenging the meat left over when Adams has constantly updated her watershed happened, and, after that discovery men carnivores were done eating; until recently work, and this year saw the publication of an wanted to control women’s sexuality so that the majority of human beings survived on expanded 20th anniversary edition, indicating they ensured that they weren’t getting stuck vegetable protein. that the book is just as relevant and needed with offspring who weren’t theirs. Other today as when first published. series suggest that hunting animals gave Why are meat’s sexual politics so men more power because they controlled the deeply embedded in our culture? In SPoM, you coined the term “absent valued protein source—animal protein. Some 5 Dominance provides intermittent referent.” For those who have not yet read anthropological studies have found that in rewards, and as we know, intermittent 1 the book, please explain what that is. cultures where vegetable protein is the main rewards are all that are needed for someone Actually, what I did was wrench a literary term protein source, more egalitarian relationships to continue to do what he or she is doing. from its mooring and politicize it. Basically, between men and women exist. In SPoM, I Through dominance (over women, non- behind every meat meal is the death of the avoid making a definitive claim because— dominant men, people of color, and animals), animal whose place the meat takes. The however it evolved—right now the problem of people experience pleasure: the pleasure of

“absent referent” is that which separates the patriarchy and meat eating is so intertwined consuming or using another. This pleasure Albert uke L flesh eater from the animal and the animal that we won’t undo one without challenging exists because of privilege, because our

from the end product. and ending the other. culture has inequality structured within it. © Photo

34 VegNews Think. Eat. Thrive.™ November+December 2010 But the privilege and its cultural construction years through to and after menopause, anti- disappear from consideration, and what abortionists focus on women’s decisions at remains is the “pleasure.” certain times in their lives not to have children and depict the woman who aborts as being It’s been 20 years since you first immoral rather than making an ethical, published the book. What has changed thoughtful, engaged decision about herself 6 in that time? and those she lives with. On the other hand, First, the appearance of wonderful vegan within the animal-rights movement—among restaurants, cookbooks, seitan recipes, those who oppose bringing any children into cupcakes, truffles, marshmallows, food the world—sometimes women are called fairs and celebrations, and the entire vegan “breeders” and are criticized for becoming community (which VegNews does a great job of pregnant. In either case, women are not representing). Yet, at the same time, the word trusted to make ethical decisions about their “feminism” carries negative connotations own reproductive capacity—she is either a for so many people, including young monster or animal-like. Ironic, isn’t it? women, who don’t even realize how they are benefiting from feminist activism. Second, the I heard you made a guest appearance increased sexualization in representations 9 on the “beef” episode of Law & Order: of domesticated animals (what pornography Special Victims Unit. used as standard poses for women in the In a way, yes! As the cops try to solve the 1980s, meat advertisements use in the 21st murder of a young woman, they arrive at a century). Third, the push back by meat eaters book signing, where a white woman is showing who continually try to find new ways to slides that juxtapose images of women and justify killing animals, such as the slow food meat. She is saying, ”Our society views women movement, locavore movement, backyard and animals pretty much the same... as cuts chicken raising, and home slaughter. Finally, of meat” and “Meat eating and the patriarchal that a new generation of students and scholars world go hand in hand.” It was very strange are discussing “intersectional oppressions” seeing my own fictional counterpart, showing and including animals within their analysis. my SPoM slideshow! Many people saw it as an homage to my work; I like to say that it Can you give an example of illustrated my theory—because even when a intersectional oppression? TV show discusses meat eating, it can’t avoid 7 Culture is heavily invested in controlling acknowledging the patriarchal world in which female reproduction (after all, there wouldn’t it exists. be meat eating, dairy, or egg consumption without it): from the phantom of the “aborting You’ve written, “Engaged theory woman,” to the right-wing fixation on teenage makes change possible.” What girls’ sexuality, to the heinous treatment of 10 does this mean to you? female domesticated animals. Dairy farmers I think that would make a great epitaph. It’s want to make cows’ milk the de facto “milk” like feminist-vegan theory—I write theory while women are banned from breast feeding believing that understanding how our society in public. The lowered status of female animals is structured equips us to change it. For enslaved to humans’ desires is found in our instance, one of the reasons some animal words for them: “bitch,” “cow,” “sow,” “old activism falters is that it fails to challenge the biddy,” “hen,” and then those words are used patriarchal nature of animals’ exploitation. to put women down. So there it is: women, And feminists who continue to eat animals animalized; animals, feminized. don’t recognize how they are re-inscribing patriarchal values with those meals. Activism What do you mean by “the phantom of needs theory to keep it on track. the aborting woman?” 8 Instead of viewing women’s VegNews Publisher Joseph Connelly reproductive decisions as choices we are congratulates Carol on the anniversary of her making over a lifetime, from our teenage landmark book.

VN celebrates 10! vegnews.com VegNews 35