Men Eat Meat To Feel More Manly, Study Says
Published
A study by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has found that men consume meat to adhere to masculine stereotypes.
Whether it’s standing over a bbq or ordering a bloody steak, eating meat can be interpreted as a masculine endeavour. At least, this is what UCLA found when it surveyed 1,706 American adults between the ages of 18-88.
The goal of the study was to identify whether traditional gender roles are reinforced through meat-eating by asking participants about their current habits and openness to leading a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.
UCLA psychologists Daniel Rosenfeld and Janet Tomiyama found that men have an increased tendency to consume meat like chicken and beef. Furthermore, men were generally less likely than women to consider a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. As a result, the study concluded that men are likely to adhere to masculine stereotypes.
The study published in the academic journal Appetite stated that alterations in how we view gender stereotypes could reduce meat consumption as a whole. Rosenfeld wrote, ‘Shifting men’s perceptions of ideal gender roles away from traditional masculinity could lead to their reduced consumption of beef and chicken.’
The study now hopes to further investigate stereotypes and how they impact what people eat. It notes that ‘A deeper understanding of the role of gender may help reduce public meat consumption to improve human health and environmental sustainability.’
On the back of the research, the study summarised that gender stereotypes are responsible for men eating more meat. However, changing the way masculinity is presented may be a difficult task, even if it has the goal of improving the environment.
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Topics: Food, meat, Now, Vegan, vegetarian
