Browsing by Author "Uuksulainen, Mikaela"

Previous research suggests that following a vegetarian/vegan diet or lifestyle can be challenging for men due to the surrounding community and the norms of masculinity in society. The initiation and adherence to a vegetarian/vegan diet may have to be justified or excused, and on the other hand, there may be a rebellion against the norms. Due to various tensions, models of masculinity can either be consciously modified, challenged, or compensated. This study deepens the understanding of the topic by examining the own experiences of vegetarian/vegan men regarding the relationship between masculinity and diet. In particular, research focuses on how men perceive the influence of hegemonic masculinity norms in society on adopting and following a vegetarian diet. The research has been carried out using qualitative methods. The focus is on adult vegetarian/vegan men who were recruited for the study through Facebook's “Sipsikaljavegaanit” community. The data was compiled in January-February 2023 using an online questionnaire. The form included open-ended questions, in addition to which background information was collected through multiple-choice questions. The survey was answered by 251 men who define themselves as vegetarians/vegans, 206 of whom experienced that the norms of masculinity had in some way affected their diet or its implementation. The analysis focused on the responses of the latter individuals. The data was analysed by means of theory-based content analysis, with the help of Atlas.ti software. The results of the study show that the norms of masculinity had influenced the previous food behavior of many respondents, emphasizing meat consumption and reducing the consumption of vegetables. Switching to a vegetarian diet and talking about it was considered challenging for many. With the change in mentality, efforts were made to challenge the masculine norm of meat consumption. More than half of the respondents said they had encountered ridicule, joking and/or questioning of vegetarianism/veganism and masculinity. Many people found the questioning distressing, but not everyone was bothered by it, because for some, masculinity was not a desirable trait. The traditionally masculine appearance soothed the commentary on the vegetarian/vegan diet. Also, the example of physically powerful men seemed to normalize vegetarian diets for some men. Many respondents felt it was important to form their own definition of masculinity, and some men used the vegetarian/vegan diet as a tool to rebel against the norms of masculinity. Based on the results, it can be interpreted that the norms of masculinity present many men with challenges when it comes to following a vegetarian/vegan diet. The biggest challenges occurred when other men sought to question or discount those who followed a vegetarian/vegan diet. From the results, it can be concluded that traditional, hegemonic masculinity is not very widely manifested among vegetarian/vegan men, but most of them implement hybrid or alternative masculinities. Many men expand the definitions of masculinity beyond traditional notions, partly for other men as well. With this type of activity, the problematic culture of restriction between men could be changed towards a culture of support between men.