Stereotypes In Meat For Man

1505 Words4 Pages

Yasmin Lall
Mrs. Hampsey
AP Lang Period 5
17 January 2014
Meat for Man, Dainty for the Lady
Stereotypes are an inevitable aspect of any society. It would be lie if you said that you have never been victim of or used a stereotype. In more recent years, gender biased stereotypes have become the focus of modern debate. Are they right? Wrong? The stance on this type of stereotype usually depends on who you are. Who are you? Not just personality wise, or race, religion or culture, but genetically, chromosomally. Are you XX or XY? The answer to that question is what will reveal your stance on gender stereotyping. In many instances the word stereotype has a negative connotation, but is it always bad? Men are expected to eat a protein filled diet based around meat, and women are expected to eat dainty, light foods. By maintaining these stereotypes, the image of men an women remains the same in society.
Men are built in a way that suits their lifestyles. Most men have characteristic broad shoulders and tall statures. They are built to go out into the world and fend for themselves. Men are the members of the group that have traditionally gone out into the wild to hunt and capture prey. With bodies built for the stamina to carry out such tasks, it is only logical that men should be eating a hearty meal. It is necessary that a highly nutritious diet be consumed by the individuals who are supposed to be out in the word doing the dirty work. Although gender roles in the workplace and in the general public are frowned upon now, men are still looked upon to go out when conditions are less than perfect to be the provider for the family. The toughness of the food that a man consumes is synonymous to his level of masculinity.
Women have histo...

... middle of paper ...

...e as they are believed to be. Masculinity and femininity are ideas, not something that can be defined and set in stone. Men are victim to the same exact concerns as women and feel as if they shouldn’t be. Men have historically been the breadwinners, strong and independent with a thick skin that can handle anything. While men can definitely deal with stress, anxiety, and depression, it is more common to see men cope publicly with these issues. Often times those coping methods include using/abusing substances like alcohol or drugs, or through an exhibition of their manliness and masculinity by displaying sexual dominance and violence. Having an eating disorder as a coping method is considered too weak for a man. Eating disorders aren’t a good coping method in general, but those who have one and can’t admit to it may be causing irreversible harm to his or her body.

Open Document