Why throughout history men eat women and how it threatens

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Many stereotypes are so deeply rooted in even the brightest minds that they seem to be an immutable truth. Moreover, they are multiplied and distributed as advice, both from loved ones and from TV screens. Even if you look back, the historical facts will confirm: women have always been limited in food. This continues to this day, but now the scheme works in a completely different way, the weaker sex, in pursuit of a ghostly ideal, independently refuses the most tidbits. Why is this happening and why is food a hierarchy?

"A girl is always on a diet", "A man needs meat", "I only need a salad, and my husband needs cutlets" - these and other statements of "real men" and "wise women" abound in forums, programs, and ordinary conversations. But that's nothing, some 150 years ago, it was completely indecent for girls to eat in public. In restaurants, only ladies of easy virtue ate, and all because in order to put food in your mouth, you had to open this very mouth wide, and this is an extremely indecent gesture for a woman.

Therefore, noble ladies were prepared for sweets, some sweet sauces from pastries, ice cream and other things that can only be removed from a small spoon with your lips. In general, a woman had to behave as if she was feeding on sunlight, nectar and the fragrance of flowers.

Moreover, such an attitude towards female food culture was practiced not only in Europe or Russia, but also everywhere. In Japan, it was considered that it was indecent for girls to chew outside the house, even if it was a date in a restaurant, then it’s okay if a lady would be content with some kind of milkshake while her companion was happy to eat a meat or fish steak.

India, modern times. Millions of women prefer vegetarianism, but not at all because their religion dictates so, because their husbands did not even think to give up meat and eat it regularly. Moreover, a vegetarian, who, of course, does not eat meat solely out of love for animals, regularly prepares "corpses" for her family members with her own hands. Does it smell like double standards?

No, there are no official laws restricting women in food and never have been. However, in many works of ethnographers describing the life of the 19th century in Europe, there are references to the fact that women eat after all, moreover, standing, separating pieces of meat and putting them aside for men. Themselves are content with broth, eat, dipping bread in it. That is, there is no need for restriction, women from childhood are given instructions (and by other women) that it is indecent, bad to eat a lot, it is impossible to choose the most satisfying pieces for yourself.

In modern society, restrictions of this nature have not disappeared, moreover, food is officially divided by gender by the producers themselves, for this it is enough just to look at the advertisement, but more on that below. From each iron, women are imposed on the principles of nutrition, restrictions served under the sauce of the now popular "proper nutrition", marathons, diets and veganism - all these are exclusively female hobbies and not by accident.

The most important means the most well-fed

One can hardly argue with the assertion that throughout history, and even now, food has been used to demonstrate one's position in society. Depending on the value and complexity of obtaining (read "price"), this or that product was considered elite, which means that it was allowed by one and not allowed by another. If you put it in a softer form, then it is suitable for some and harmful for others. Considering that meat is most often used as an elite food, the cries that a man definitely needs meat, and a woman should eat fruits and vegetables, acquire a completely different color, lining up into a hierarchical system.

Such a serving was so tightly stuck in their heads that in Europe they absolutely sincerely believed that they needed meat, but such meat is harmful for the peasant, it is preferable for him to eat coarse and vegetable food. Even if it was about meat, then it was subdivided into what was intended for the upper strata, and what was suitable for the peasantry. Only in this hierarchy, women did not get meat at all.

But the restrictions for the less privileged segments of the population can be not only in the quality of food, but also in its quantity, in other words, in terms of calories, satiety. Some hundred years ago, it was believed that a child should not be fed, otherwise he becomes too active and noisy, and good children just sit, preferably in silence. Not surprising, given that the child in many cultures was not even endowed with any rights. Probably, about the same algorithm worked in the case of the woman. A well-fed and very energetic woman could start anything, for example, a feminist revolution, defend her interests and suddenly realize that everything here rests on her shoulders, which means that feeding an extra and most gluttonous mouth is somehow meaningless. Simply put, a lot of uncomfortable questions could arise if a woman suddenly had extra energy, which means “keep the cabbage, dear”.

It is likely that women in India are simply very sorry for animals and therefore do not eat meat, and everyone else is just very worried about a thin waist and their own aesthetics. But let's be frank, humanity has been using beauty standards for a huge amount of time to meet other needs - social and economic, otherwise they would not change from generation to generation. And therefore, if it is believed that a thin waist is beautiful, then this is because it is very beneficial for someone. Someone who loves meat and does not want to share it even with his own life partner. Sharing a bed and even life is easy, but a piece of meat is too much.

If a woman in the 21st century still has to hear that "her" food is salad and dry chicken breast, and a man is not suitable as food, then it is time to remember that food is just a matter of hierarchy, so what place is are still trying to point out to a woman ?!

Gender division of food by manufacturers

Commercials, like any other advertising, demonstrate the state of affairs in society in the best possible way, because before addressing the target audience, the needs and interests of this very audience are studied. However, in the case of food products, their advertising becomes just another message, deepening the postulate “leave the meat to the man”. After all, you rarely see a pretty woman in an advertisement eating a steak or a sausage. No, girls advertise yoghurts and juices or whatever else women should eat. Oh, flakes!

Of course, marketers are confident that they are only acting on the basis of dietary habits inherent in a particular gender. After all, even in a restaurant, a man will be offered something meaty, fried, and a woman will be offered a light salad, fish or soup. Only it never occurs to anyone that women here do not independently determine their eating habits, the decision was made for it a long time ago, and several centuries ago, when it seemed that the mammoth carcass was too small to feed women and children with it.

Certain gender roles are instilled in children from birth, including in relation to food. Yes, despite the fact that nutritionists say that the needs of men and women for food differ slightly, for example, a man needs on average 700 calories more due to his greater body weight, we are not talking about any colossal differences that would allowed some to eat exclusively meat, and others - morning dew.

However, it is women who are forced to have a special relationship with food. The desire to be beautiful (another, perhaps the most powerful stereotype) causes a constant feeling of guilt from the amount eaten, every bite that gets into the mouth is accompanied by a struggle of hunger and appetite. While a good appetite in men is perceived as an extremely positive phenomenon. It is not surprising that women always have a more emotional relationship with food and are overweight much more often than men.

It's not uncommon for marketers to take on too much by not only presenting a particular product, but also who should eat it. Potential buyers are not only offered new yoghurt, but also shown exactly who should eat it. Sweets are usually shown by women who are very cheerful and for some reason slender. Men's food is always satisfying, and the men from advertisements themselves are always energetic, athletic, and if something doesn't work out for them, it's because they are hungry.

Also, judging by the advertisements, women, well, just don’t feed bread, let me prepare food for your family, but watch it absorbed with rapture. The same principle is dictated in many culinary forums and groups. "The husband will ask for supplements", "Sweep it off the table in a minute!" - these and other fantastic descriptions of recipes, implying that for a woman there is no greater happiness than a well-fed man. And in general, even at work, women only think about coming home and immediately start cooking dinner. And have a snack yourself with some yogurt or green salad leaves.

The gender division of food is flourishing in catering establishments as well. Moreover, full of stereotypes about what representatives of one sex or another should eat, men and women, especially during dates, behave according to these attitudes. Men tend to order truly "men's food" in order to impress, while women, on the contrary, will remain hungry, so as not to be considered gluttons.

Modern concepts of women's relationship with food

Perhaps, among all gender stereotypes, food stereotypes occupy a special position, probably because they are carried away at a time when it was necessary to fight for food and only the winner could claim to survive. Isn't that why the principle “who is stronger is the steak” still exists, even if this time the “mammoth” was honestly obtained by a woman, albeit in the office, but nevertheless.

The opinion that women eat little because they do not need much by nature is so common that it is surprising for some men when a companion has an adequate appetite, which she does not intend to hide. For a long time, there was a story on the network about how a young man was indignant that his girlfriend was eating men's food - steaks and other types of meat, when he expected that she carefully fried the meat for him, and she herself, so be it, would eat some salad and a couple of slices of cheese.

In 2019, in Russia, it was proposed to divide the calculation of the consumer basket, from which many amounts of social benefits are added, and the size of the minimum wage is formed. So, experts have calculated that men need food products 14% more expensive than women and, based on this, it was proposed to form a grocery basket. The initiative did not pass, this indicator, as before, implies a division by age into children, adults and retirement. Thus, it was not possible to secure the right of men to eat better than women at the legislative level. And why, if in fact it was so for a huge amount of time?

Moreover, even if, for example, we accept this strange given that, being representatives of the same species, men and women have different needs for food, it is women who have the sacred duty of cooking. Surprisingly, given the fact that food is needed mainly by a man, and she will eat cottage cheese, smoothies, muesli and other incomprehensible substances.

By the way, it is the burden of cooking that often makes a woman refuse her own portion or supplement to it. After all, if all the food ends now, then she will have to cook again. Sometimes this scale outweighs in the direction of limiting your own appetite.

What is it fraught with and what to do?

Modern society is very addicted to food. A real cult has been made of food for a long time, it is not surprising that there are solid vegans around, "ashtrays", "carbohydrates", raw foodists and many others, for whom food is practically a religion. It seems that everyone has the right to decide what exactly and how he should eat, but all these dances with a tambourine around a carrot for a couple are started in order for those around him to know about it. Otherwise, what's the point? This is because food has always personified the level of a person, "you are what you eat." And a spiritualized, creative person must definitely eat something refined, and not sausages from the nearest supermarket.

In pursuit of images and stereotypes, the main thing is forgotten, that food is, first of all, a source of nutrients necessary for the functioning of any organism (and even a woman's, yes!), Vitamins and microelements. And if they do not come in the right amount, then a failure will occur in the work of this very organism. The same principle works when something comes in excess and eating only meat and fatty foods will not lead to anything good.

Women have long declared a fight against these and other stereotypes that have filled their lives since childhood. They do not agree to meet someone's expectations only because society wants to see them in a certain way and expects certain actions from them. Body positivity has become one of these movements, the participants of which teach others to love themselves along with all the shortcomings..