Veganism and Feminism in Politics

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Political beliefs are always evolving, and within the 21st century the growing population of individuals taking part within the ecofeminist movement is becoming recognized in politics. In regards to ecofeminism there is both representation and misrepresentation of this movement within the political world, specifically within the patriarchy and the last presidential election. Veganism and feminism are largely debated topics among individuals who support ecofeminism and among those who on the contrary believe there are much larger and pressing topics in the world.

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Ecofeminist ideological standards have begun to work their way into politics in the last couple of years as more people are taking action in the large problem of exploitation and objectification of both animals and women. In an academic article published in the Journal of Feminist Geography, Anne DeLassio-Parson disputed that “eating meat upholds the patriarchy and refusing to eat it can be deemed an act of feminism” (Pevreall). Thus, it becomes clear that members of the patriarchy hold outdated westernized beliefs that meat is a necessity among the everyday diet, and when an individual parallels their beliefs to that of an ecofeminist lifestyle it is often portrayed as an act of rebellion. This further solidifies the ecofeminist belief that ditching animal products is an act of liberation, as not only is it saving the planet, but it is contradicting the patriarchy. Patriarchal beliefs often parallel those of classic western culture and ideologies and contradict the ideological viewpoints of both veganism and feminism. Thus, by adapting a vegan and feminist lifestyle, the patriarchy is challenged and individuality is formed. Additionally, “many members of the black community who have turned to veganism have done so in an act of social justice” (Pevreall). This further perpetuates the belief that the patriarchy is unsupportive of progressive ideologies held by the vegan and feminist movements, as more minority individuals are adapting these lifestyles in order to liberate themselves and seperate themselves from the past political world.

In regards to the presidential election of 2016, individuals identifying as feminists and/or vegans held a specific standpoint concerning the election of Donald Trump. In a study that recorded and interviewed the responses of ecofeminists regarding their vote in the last presidential election “only 4% of respondents voted Trump, while 14% agreed with or were neutral about Trump’s campaign promise to “Put America First” (Corey, 32). These statistics prove that the overwhelming majority of ecofeminists are left winged liberals and democrats who oppose the political stance of Donald Trump. Most ecofeminists are progressive and want to strive to change the future for both women and the negate current position of animal agriculture. This striking study further perpetuates all of the previous claims that women taking part in the ecofeminist movement strive to liberate not only themselves but the animals who do not have a voice. Ecofeminists are often misinterpreted when it comes to politics because anyone who holds a high position has an opposing belief and is unwilling to compromise with the upcoming generation of progressive individuals. Ecofeminists aim to obtain liberation for themselves as well as any creature in their surrounding environment, thus going against the patriarchy and adapting to their own beliefs.