In the personal is political realm there always comes yet another hoop to jump to prove ones authenticity. The radical feminist thicket that must be manuevered to gain authentic womyn status contains tests over what is, or isn’t, acceptable compromises with Teh Patriarchy(tm). Lipstick, high heels, haircoloring, marriage, child bearing — no aspect of any individual woman’s choice is immune to scrutiny and analysis. Observation of the long thrashing debates, containing large doses of paranoia, sanctimony and old-fashioned snobbery, can provide interesting and entertaining reading. Though, I suspect, not in the way the Vagina Warriors intended.
Authenticity now includes food choices
A couple of years ago I got called on the carpet by a vegetarian blamer who was deeply grossed out by blogular photographs of my meaty lunches. At the time I demurred, not having fully worked out the connection between women’s oppression and the global megameatyocracy. But today I lounge before you in my lime green recliner and declare that there is no legitimate argument on behalf of consuming corporate meat. Convenience is not a legitimate argument. Price is not a legitimate argument. The delicious flavor of applewood smoked bacon is not a legitimate argument. Tradition is not a legitimate argument. Culture is not a legitimate argument. Culture, as a matter of fact, is never a legitimate argument for anything. Fuck culture [...]
It is a documented fact that whenever human beings are given authority over lower-status beings  whether the lower status beings are cattle or women or slaves or prisoners of war  those in authority are unable to contain their vicious impulses and quickly morph into sadistic amoral assholes. This is a cornerstone of patriarchy.
Hmmm… women = cows. Or was that cows = women? My, how enlightened.
But of course, they argue, it isn’t about making human beings and animals of equal moral value, it’s about the commodification
the chickens are still being commodified, which is where one of the main arguments against animal food comes from. These chickens become something that can be bought or sold. Seeing animals in that kind of way is what leads to the commodification not only of what they produce, but of their personal bodies and lives. That is not unlike what happens with women stuck in the grinding cogs of patriarchy – female labor (both the labor of birth and the labors of domesticity) was something that became quite commodified, and the attitudes that licensed that kind of thought also licensed later traditions of rape and kidnapping and spousal abuse. Another appropriate example would be that of the American enslavement of all ilk of indigenous people. Heck, slavery world-wide tends upon the same kind of commodification-domination line. And I don’t think that commodification-domination of another aware, sentient animal is a very thoughtful, good faith decision.
I mean, what’s a body to do?
Gender, race, and class ALWAYS intersect in every single damned situation, and we cannot deny that. [...] It’s a vicious fucking cycle because the capitalist white supremacist patriarchy is a system and it controlls everything.*
Twisty draws her “meat eating is the anti-feminist” inspiration from Gary L. Francione, an animal abolitionist who argues that animals have inherent rights not to be property of humans and we are morally compelled to be vegans, including the banning of all domestic animals. He uses the commodification argument
postmodern feminists have created a brand of “happy†commodification for women just as the [animal] welfarists have created the phenomenon of “happy†meat and animal products. The postmodern feminists often conveniently ignore the fact that women involved in the sex industry are raped, beaten, and addicted to drugs just as the welfarists conveniently ignore that animal products–including those produced under the most “humane†circumstances–involve horrible animal suffering. And both groups ignore that the commodification of women and animals, irrespective of treatment, is inherently objectionable.
Certainly food can hold certain religious or ritualistic positions within human cultures. However, the adherents of those traditions — i.e. Judaism, Islam, Mormon — don’t look to force non-followers to adopt their beliefs. I’ll refrain from criticizing the radicals like Twisty or Gary (I can’t promise not to mock their tones) as long as they keep their hands off my standing rib roast.
Bon Appétit!
Comment by Foxfier on 2/26 @ 2:54 am #
…Er…I grew up on a ranch.
Just tonight, I cooked and served a chunk of cow that I followed from conception to cooking. (ay, IV tech– great for heifers)
The biggest suffering that steer ever met was when it was, ah, emasculated, at which point it bawled for about five minutes, then ran over to mamma when we opened the gate and showed no pain thereafter.
Although I’m female, I’m pretty sure that guys wouldn’t recover from that so quick….
Comment by Cybrludite on 2/26 @ 3:12 am #
And all that screeching on their part is supposed to make me take them seriously? Do they have any clue whatsoever of life outside of academia? I guess it’s true that some things are so stupid, that only an “intellectual” will believe them…
Comment by blake on 2/26 @ 3:23 am #
Wait, that site isn’t a parody?
Comment by Alec Leamas on 2/26 @ 3:39 am #
This feminism thing, beyond the pop equality stuff, really is a matter of going through the rabbit hole to a place from which return is unlikely.
See, also, Manhanda, on why silly commercials are really teh Patriarchy at work:
http://www.earthisland.org/eijournal/new_articles.cfm?articleID=1057&journalID=88
I suppose, however, that any man telling woman she wasn’t allowed to eat beef would also be . . . teh Patriarchy . . . so, and therefore, the only legitimate comment on beef comes from properly radicalized feminist womyn who like eggplant.
Funny, because I take my comment on beef from a guy named Vincenzo who has a dry-aging locker and always throws in marrow bones for my German Shepherd. My guess is that his membership in the Order of the Sons of Italy is incompatible with being a proper feminist. Feminists don’t often smoke robustos and play Bocce, do they?
Comment by Sean M. on 2/26 @ 3:47 am #
Perhaps not, but they may be as hairy (hairier, even?) than Vincenzo.
Oh, and KEEP YOUR MATRIARCHY OFF MY PORTERHOUSE!!!
Comment by SDN on 2/26 @ 4:54 am #
That’s some industrial-strength stupid there. Just Damn!
Comment by Diana on 2/26 @ 5:19 am #
Show me some “happy” meat and I’ll show you a patriarch.
Comment by Pablo on 2/26 @ 5:40 am #
Oh, but it’s OK to raise poor little plants in neat little patriarchal rows, dump disgusting animal feces on them and then mow them down with violent machinery just just before they finally become mature enough to make their own life choices. All so you can have a big steamy lump of tofu death.
SOYBEANS HAVE RIGHTS TOO, RAPISTS!!!1!
‘It tastes good.’ is a great argument for eating pretty much anything…except feminists.
*urrrrpp*
Comment by N. O'Brain on 2/26 @ 5:58 am #
So THAT’S their problem.
Not getting enough meat.
Comment by Rusty on 2/26 @ 6:20 am #
What did Jeff Dahmer say to his dinner guests?
How about a little ground Chuck?
Dinner tonight- Some thinly sliced Canada goose breast saute’d in butter with shallots and garlic. Served over rice with brocolli.
Comment by Spies, Brigands, and Pirates on 2/26 @ 6:21 am #
Dammit, I haven’t even had breakfast and now I’m wondering if that local steakhouse still has the Tuesday special on all-you-can-eat ribs.
What do you want to bet that culture is a legitimate argument for her when it comes to wearking a burqa?
Comment by B Moe on 2/26 @ 6:33 am #
I grew up on a ranch.
And you likely provide food, shelter and healthcare for your cattle from birth to when it is time for them to pay the bill. Domestication is an evolutionary choice, most animals can’t be domesticated, some can. They trade high infant mortality and a very rough life for a safe infancy, comfortable life, and early retirement. In evolutionary terms it is a great deal, you propogation is guaranteed.
And hopefully, someone will someday explain to her that all labor is a commodity.
Comment by syn on 2/26 @ 6:44 am #
There must something in ‘Organic food’ which is producing so many miserable creatures; in any case if the useful idiots are willing to pay 30% more to eat a product which has the same nutritional value as ordinary food who am I to stop them from being so anal-retentively stupid.
That said; one of these days Feminists will eat their own shit to prove they’re organically purifed.
Comment by Rob Crawford on 2/26 @ 7:02 am #
I think they’ve been doing that — intellectually, at least — for quite a while.
Comment by The Sanity Inspector on 2/26 @ 7:39 am #
Wait, that site isn’t a parody?
It’s hard to tell, since radical feminism is so far beyond parody nowadays. We may have a little blue-on-blue incident with Darleen’s post, here. We’ll just have to convene an inquest once the Culture Wars are over to find out.
Comment by Q30 on 2/26 @ 7:50 am #
“It is a documented fact that whenever human beings are given authority over lower-status beings  whether the lower status beings are cattle or women or slaves or prisoners of war  those in authority are unable to contain their vicious impulses and quickly morph into sadistic amoral assholes. This is a cornerstone of patriarchy.”
What documents are she referring to? Opinion essays which she’d written earlier?
She DOES know that “documented facts” require actual documents, right?
Part of me wonders if the author of this is actually the product of a brilliant master-satirist and is privately laughing at all the schmucks who agree with her.
Comment by LiveFromFortLivingRoom on 2/26 @ 7:58 am #
That said; one of these days Feminists will eat their own shit to prove they’re organically purifed.
This is a sick thought but is there a version of the word “blumpkin” where the deed is performed on a female?
Comment by Scott on 2/26 @ 8:02 am #
“Hmmm… women = cows. Or was that cows = women? My, how enlightened.”
I believe it was Ed Bundy who proclaimed “Why go out for milk when you got a cow at home?”
Apropos of nothing, I’m sure. Long live the patriarchy. And meat, of course.
Comment by Dan Collins on 2/26 @ 8:07 am #
You mean I have the right not to bend myself to the will of my cats?
Comment by alppuccino on 2/26 @ 8:15 am #
They really should bottle their own farts, for those lonely, insecure situations.
Comment by Cincinnatus on 2/26 @ 8:40 am #
With all that patriarchal commodification(TM) you’d think there’d be more wife-swapping, dammit.
Comment by Kevin on 2/26 @ 8:44 am #
REAL women go out and get their beef right from the cow in the field.
Comment by McGehee on 2/26 @ 8:47 am #
Last night for dinner my wife and I had cheese steaks. The reason for my choice is obvious, but apparently my wife is a gender traitor.
Comment by Darleen on 2/26 @ 9:02 am #
Spies
I love the irony of the “culture is never a legitimate argument” because the raison d’etre of the radical feminist/Vaginia Warrior movement is to make over culture to their own far left cultural standards.
Comment by Darleen on 2/26 @ 9:05 am #
McGehee
I enjoy all sorts of needlecrafts and am currently working on crocheting a beautiful sweater with a yarn that contains wool and alpaca —
Cuz I’m a gender traitor and animal exploiter!!
Comment by Swen Swenson on 2/26 @ 9:23 am #
As absolute proof of this assertion allow me to present the average university thesis committee..
Comment by JD on 2/26 @ 9:23 am #
I was starting a new diet, trying to eat healthier. In honor of the vajayjay warriors, I am going to Shula’s tonight and going to try to finish the 54 ounce Porterhouse. Because of the dead cow patriarchy.
Comment by Dan Collins on 2/26 @ 9:36 am #
Free the cows! Return them to the wild!
Comment by Schreiber on 2/26 @ 9:38 am #
I half-think (okay, not even half; I’m reacting, not thinking because thinking about this isn’t worth the time or the effort) that what an individual who gets that worked up over exploitation and domination really wants is to be exploited and dominated, probably in a bodice-ripper pulp fictiony sort of way.
Thoughts anyone?
Comment by N. O'Brain on 2/26 @ 9:43 am #
“# Comment by Dan Collins on 2/26 @ 9:36 am #
Free the cows! Return them to the wild!”
Where they get eaten by wolves, like they should be!
Comment by Dan Collins on 2/26 @ 9:43 am #
Too ugly.
Comment by Mikey NTH on 2/26 @ 9:44 am #
I suppose all of that is very important in certain parts of Manhatten and southern California, and select university faculty lounges; but I doubt most anyone else will care about this trivia. Seriously, how rich and bored do you have to be to turn this stuff out and for which self-selecting circle…whatever?
If Karl Marx could come back and see the strange lands his ideas have led people to, I wonder if on his return he’d burn the original manuscript?
Comment by DWB on 2/26 @ 9:55 am #
“Some thinly sliced Canada goose breast saute’d in butter with shallots and garlic. Served over rice with brocolli.”
Sounds good.
I used to not like meat on the rare side. Until I started eating Goose and Duck meat. It all tastes like liver if you overcook it. Which is fine, if you like liver. But, why not just eat liver then?
Anyhoo, I can eat any meat rare now after eating rare Duck and Goose. It’s fantastic and the only way to eat it. The occasional bloody juice drop freaked my wife out at first. But, she’s over it now.
Duck Scampi is our favorite. Sauteed garlic, celery, red bell pepper, sometimes tomoato’s, pasta and medium rare chunks of Duck. Salt and red pepper to taste. Mmmmmm.
Goose meat burritos are another favorite.
We have some plucked White Fronted Geese that we plan to stuff and roast. Never had that yet, should be good.
Oh yeah, two little girls, 3 and 5 years old, were watching a nature show. A shark attacked and ate a seal. The 5 year old started crying. To which, the 3 year old said “The sharks have to eat too!”
They either get it or not. The ones that don’t, seem to prefer to live in mental isolation from realities. Is it a sign of simple choice or just weakness?
Comment by McGehee on 2/26 @ 10:02 am #
Well, the only meat I can eat less than medium is prime rib. Don’t go for the aquatic poultry much myself, and in fact I only ate duck once, when in high school while working off a portion of my tuition. One of the brothers who taught at the school was a gourmet cook.
It was okay, but on that occasion I think I would have preferred meat loaf.
Comment by mojo on 2/26 @ 10:04 am #
“Megameatyocracy”? Say wha?
Comment by Eric on 2/26 @ 10:20 am #
I thought it was a parody as well. Are you sure that isn’t the case?
Is there any way I may escape being compelled to support people majoring in self-pity?
Comment by Spiny Norman on 2/26 @ 10:30 am #
#28 Dan
Free the cows! Return them to the wild!
Do you mean like this?
Comment by SGT Ted on 2/26 @ 10:34 am #
If Karl Marx could come back and see the strange lands his ideas have led people to, I wonder if on his return he’d burn the original manuscript?
No, he’s the proto-moonbat. Every biography I’ve read of Karl Marx showed a guy who thought and emoted just like his stereotypical useful idiot followers.
Comment by daleyrocks on 2/26 @ 10:40 am #
Some people just aren’t happy unless they find something to BITCH about. It allows them to take the focus off the flaws in themselves and their lives. Get out the blamethrower gals, time to blast the patriarchy again. Sadly, some of those people never grow out emotional infancy.
GET YOUR FEMINISM OFF MY MEGA MEAT!!!!!!
Comment by BJTexs on 2/26 @ 10:51 am #
So if I were to follow this tortured logic … then biofuels constitute a patriarchical terrorism of starving people, who aren’t allowed to eat meat either.
I’m so confused…
Comment by Tony LaVanway on 2/26 @ 10:52 am #
This a parody,right?
IMAO,Daily Gut,Ace of Spades,and Protein
Wisdom, Teamed up to create the ultimate feminist parody.
Right?
Tony
South Haven,MI
Comment by Schreiber on 2/26 @ 10:58 am #
If this is parody, the satire is lost on the commentators over there.
Comment by J. Peden on 2/26 @ 11:01 am #
Scratch a Prog, get a word-salad.
Comment by Radish on 2/26 @ 11:02 am #
Culture, as a matter of fact, is never a legitimate argument for anything.
Except burqas, purdah, FGM, arranged marriages of teen and pre-teen girls to their first cousins, and executing rape victims.
Comment by Carin on 2/26 @ 11:02 am #
It is a documented fact that whenever human beings are given authority over lower-status beings  whether the lower status beings are cattle or women or slaves or prisoners of war  those in authority are unable to contain their vicious impulses and quickly morph into sadistic amoral assholes.
What documents are she referring to? Opinion essays which she’d written earlier?
She DOES know that “documented facts†require actual documents, right?
.
She did link the word “documented” – to something on Abu Ghraib. @@. Thems your “facts” supporting her assertion.
Regardless, I find the comparison of women and/or prisoners to cattle interesting. Or, did I mean to say sophomoric? Yes, it’s that second one.
Comment by Education Guy on 2/26 @ 11:09 am #
I read the FAQ’s on that blog and was happy to realize that there is an invisible hand in society that has elevated my to the station of master. So if you are not a “honky” male, you need to pay up. Else, I’m going to sick that hand on you.
Please make all checks payable to “the patriarchy” and remit to the owner of this blog. He’ll make sure the hand gets its cut.
Comment by Carin on 2/26 @ 11:16 am #
What is it about feminists (today?) that there arguments are always so angry and insulting? I read a bit over there and it’s just so predictable.
Comment by Carin on 2/26 @ 11:18 am #
their, there, they’re …
It’s the snow and cold up here in Michigan. It’s frozen my brain.
PREVIEW COULD BE MY FRIEND IF IT WAS HERE. I blame the patriarchy.
Comment by Techie on 2/26 @ 11:21 am #
Wait, I thought that those type of Feminists were also Multi-cultural types? Isn’t culture everything to them as well?
Comment by Rob Crawford on 2/26 @ 11:32 am #
But your femininity? Yeah, put that right back on it.
Comment by Jack Klompus on 2/26 @ 12:08 pm #
Sigh. She’s from Austin. There are so so so many people like that here. But the fun part with them is that when you smirk at them and condescendingly but pleasantly throw a single line that fits outside the “paradigm” you can almost see the little adding machine rustily computing over their head what the correct response is to someone who doesn’t “slum” on the East Side and think and dress like a little friggin’ indie robot. It’s a fun town!
Comment by Sigivald on 2/26 @ 12:34 pm #
I’m with Blake.
I do so wish this world was one where that site was parody, because the ability of people to sincerely believe that sort of thing makes me fear for both the Republic and the human race.
Comment by ushie on 2/26 @ 1:10 pm #
Trust me, that’s an old argument. I heard a variation of it from Alice Walker back in the ’90s, who said that animals are in the same plight as Black people used to be, and someday we’d be enlightened and would no longer eat them. Not that I’d heard of people eating Black people at some point.
Oh, and she also said horses should be allowed to vote. I would personally pay money to see the pollworkers’ faces if I should lead a pony up to a voting booth in November.
Comment by McGehee on 2/26 @ 1:12 pm #
Oh, come on — Blake, Sigivald, that site is parody.
The unintentional kind.
Pingback by O! The Humanity [Dan Collins] on 2/26 @ 1:20 pm #
[...] some perspectives it’s outrageously strange. Almost as strange, perhaps, as the imputation of bovine sentience. Posted by Dan Collins @ 1:20 pm | Trackback Share [...]
Comment by J.Brenner on 2/26 @ 2:34 pm #
“Thus we can but conclude that hamburgers and radical feminism are mutually exclusive.â€Â
“Thus we can but conclude that hamburgers and radical feminism are mutually exclusive.â€Â
I’ve thanked Blame the Patriarchy for enhancing my meat eating experience. Obviously, the fact that Gaia cries every time I bit into delicious piece of fatty red meat is ample grounds for gratitude. But ultimately, I believe there is a more substantive basis than carnilicious abandon for showing our appreciation for this kind of strident little rant. Note that this person has obviously been a radical feminist for much longer than she has abstained from eating meat. Yet, having made this vegetarian commitment relatively recently, she is evidently eager to close the door behind her in order to exclude any of her erstwhile sisters who are not ready to follow her into the wonderful land of soy milk, tofu and processed vegetable protein: radical feminism and meat are “mutually exclusive”, there is “no argument” for believing otherwise. Women who purport to be feminists, and, who persist in their meat eating behavior, are then fooling themselves….sorry, but there can be no argument on this point. The self sabotaging nature of such a position probably has not occurred to her for the reason that her primary motivation for this declaration is not to advance her ostensible social political agenda, but rather, by declaring her own purity in front of an audience, to establish and show off her own unique identity. Folks like Twisty have been in the political wilderness (with the exception of a few urban areas and many universities) for so long that can’t come close to the type of inclusion (no matter how often this quality is lauded in other contexts) and pragmatism that would be necessary to increase their numbers and impact. Thank Gaia for immature, deluded and fractious little groups of angry lefties – may they never grow-up.
Comment by Jim in KC on 2/26 @ 2:52 pm #
I don’t know, foxfier. I can emasculate calves all day and it doesn’t bother me that much…
Comment by mishu on 2/26 @ 4:17 pm #
Meat provides a highly concentrated source of protein which is essential for the development and health of the brain. Reference.
No meat, lame brain.
Comment by JD on 2/26 @ 5:35 pm #
I am going to attempt to join the 48oz. club tonight.
Comment by JD on 2/26 @ 5:39 pm #
Because of the carnivorous patriarchical nature of the penis people that like to eat dead cow slightly less than medium rare still bleeding a bit with a nice salad a huge potato and some shrimp wrapped in bacon cooked in butter and covered in cheese.
Comment by Rusty on 2/26 @ 6:35 pm #
DWB. We had a good season this year. I think it’s a good lesson for the kids to see just where food comes from.
Comment by Rusty on 2/26 @ 6:36 pm #
DWB. We had a good season last year. I think it’s a good lesson for the kids to see just where food comes from.
Comment by daleyrocks on 2/26 @ 6:42 pm #
Rusty – Are the kids a bunch of dummies? Don’t they know where the kitchen is?
Comment by mishu on 2/26 @ 9:33 pm #
damn. my link no workie. Here’s the raw url.
http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/archives/G/ucb927.html
Comment by Alec Leamas on 2/26 @ 11:50 pm #
I would like to get it out into the discourse that whatever this Patriarchy thing really is, and to the extent that it exists in practice and outside the minds of the wharped, I am entirely and enthusiastically in favor of it, and in favor of its continued care and maintenance.
Apparently, the Patriarchy is responsible for bacon, steak, high heels, lingerie, the neatly depilated female pudenda, high explosives, the internal combustion engine, the domesticated dog, football, and all manner of other wonderful things I deem desirable – and indeed, necessary – to my station in life. In short, I have become accustomed to the Patriarchal manner of living, so to speak, and remain unconvinced that it needs tinkering.
It cannot be gainsaid that Feminism has provided me with a comparable bonanza. Perhaps the only benefit of Feminism inuring to my kind is that it organizes the least desirable women under a single label, so that I may dismiss them forthwith and without much individual attention.
Ding dong, the witch is (still) dead. Long live the Patriarchy.
Comment by Amy Alkon on 2/27 @ 4:01 am #
Personally, I like my meat still mooing, and I see cows as lesser creatures than humans, if you don’t count brainless feminists.
For the syndicated column I write, I interviewed investigative science journalist Gary Taubes (author of the terrific book, Good Calories, Bad Calories, about dietary “science” masquerading as science). His quote:
“Meat is the single best source of virtually every vitamin but vitamin C.â€Â
More from that column:
http://www.advicegoddess.com/ag-column-archives/2007/07/splendor_in_the.html
The real idiots are all those people feeding their children soy. And they wonder why their 8-year-old has the tits of Cherry DeeLight, who’s on nightly over there at Live! Nude! Girls! And I’m talking the 8-year-old boy.
Comment by Ralph Phelan on 2/27 @ 12:11 pm #
“What did Jeff Dahmer say to his dinner guests?”
My favorite:
What did Jeff Dahmer say to his Lorena Bobbitt?
Hey, if you’re not gonna eat that, can I have it?
Comment by Greg on 2/28 @ 3:36 am #
No, no nonononononono! It has GOT to be a huge joke. I mean, this is way over the top stuff here. You will pry my bacon-greased fingers away from my bacon-topped double cheese mega Whopper over my DEAD BODY!!!!
Which, considering my weight, might not be too far away. But still!
Having said that, if you think Muslims aren’t trying to force everyone to give up pork and alcohol, I’d like to know what you’re smoking and how much it costs and can I get some of that myself… I challenge you, just go to ANY Islamic country (heck, region will do) and see.
Comment by JD on 2/28 @ 6:10 am #
Add Amy Alkon to the list of cool people in this world.
Trackback by 20 Y O With Exclusive Download on 3/15 @ 10:17 am #
20 Y O With Exclusive Download
interviews, pop-culture reviews with a measure of editorial But 20 Y.O. Zeghibe,