Episode 29

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Published on:

7th Jun 2023

Dr Kadri Aavik - Masculinity, Meat-Eating, and Vegan Men

Between 2016 and 2020, the number of vegans in Europe has doubled from 1.3 million to 2.6 million. More and more people are questioning the consumption of meat and dairy for ethical, environmental and health reasons. The majority of these people are women, but there are a significant number of men who are vegans, too – and over 30% of Europeans say they are consciously eating less meat. In this episode, we explore men’s experiences and motivations for becoming vegan, and how they deal with masculine norms and expectations about food. For instance, veganism and vegetarianism are sometimes portrayed as ‘unmanly’ and effeminate, whilst meat-eating is often associated with strength, virility, and masculinity. The meat and dairy industries are also major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions – might the climate crisis and increasing recognition of the harms caused by these industries be leading to changes in the attitudes and behaviours of some men?

We speak to Dr Kadri Aavik, who is an Associate Professor of Gender Studies at Tallinn University, Estonia. Kadri has written a book about her research in Estonia and Finland on men and veganism, which has been published this year by Palgrave Macmillan: ‘Contesting Anthropocentric Masculinities through Veganism: Lived Experiences of Vegan Men’. Research for the book was conducted as part of the project ‘Climate Sustainability in the Kitchen: Everyday Food Cultures in Transition’ (University of Helsinki, 2018-2022), funded by the Kone Foundation: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/projects/climate-sustainability-kitchen   

We cover the following topics in this episode:

  • Why food and eating are gendered (02:38-05:02)
  • How to define veganism (05:02-06:49)
  • Kadri’s research with vegan men in Estonia and Finland (06:49-09:41)
  • Men’s motivations for becoming vegan (09:41-11:20)
  • Kadri’s own relationship with veganism (11:20-13:33)
  • The connections between meat-eating and masculinity (13:33-15:02)
  • Gendered differences in diets (15:02-17:14)
  • Men’s engagement in household cooking (17:14-21:32)
  • Navigating family relationships as a vegan (21:32-23:32)
  • The influence of patriarchy on human relations with other animals (23:32-27:42)
  • What this has to do with climate change and ‘Anthropocentric masculinities’ (27:42-32:10)
  • Barriers to veganism for men (32:10-37:33)
  • The different contexts of veganism in Estonia and Finland (37:33-41:39)
  • The extent to which veganism is a ‘privileged’ phenomenon (41:39-44:35)
  • Achieving institutional as well as individual change (44:35-48:48)
  • Veganism as a form of activism, not just a ‘lifestyle choice’ (48:48-50:45)
  • Impacts of veganism on men’s relationships (50:45-54:12)

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About the Podcast

Now and Men
Changing Masculinities, Challenging Norms
What role can men play in achieving gender equality?
Why is feminism good for men?
How are rigid ideas about masculinity holding back our lives—and how are people around the world challenging them?

These are the questions at the heart of Now and Men, a podcast hosted by social researchers Dr Stephen Burrell (Lecturer at the University of Melbourne, Australia) and Sandy Ruxton (Independent Researcher and Honorary Fellow at Durham University, UK).

We explore masculinity and change in the lives of men and boys today, diving into issues such as gender-based violence, fatherhood, men’s health, politics and the environment. Grounded in feminist thinking, our conversations connect big ideas to everyday experiences—showing how gender shapes all of us, and how men can be part of building a more equal world.

At a time when regressive versions of masculinity are resurging—amplified by political leaders, online influencers, even podcasters—we spotlight the people pushing back. Each episode features inspiring voices working to engage men and boys in positive, transformative ways and imagining feminist futures.

New episodes drop every month. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts, and join us in exploring what healthy, caring, equitable paths forward can look like for men. Questions or comments? We’d love to hear from you at nowandmen@gmail.com.

About your hosts

Stephen Burrell

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I am a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Melbourne. I'm originally from the UK, and moved to Australia at the beginning of 2024. My research is about men, masculinities, and violence. I am particularly interested in the prevention of men's violence - especially violence against women, and violence against the environment - and promoting care as an alternative. I'm a big fan of feminism, drinking tea, connecting with nature, eating vegan snacks, and listening to heavy metal.

Sandy Ruxton

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Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Sociology at Durham University (UK). Independent researcher, expert on men and masculinities. Previous policy work on human rights, children and families, poverty and social exclusion, and asylum and migration. Programme experience with boys and young men in schools, community, and prisons. Steering Committee member, MenEngage Europe. Volunteer for OX4 Food Crew. Chess-player, bike-rider, tree-hugger. Great grandfather edited Boy's Own Paper, but was sacked.