Veganism = Feminism

The Venn Diagram of Justice: Saving the Animals and Smashing the Patriarchy in One Equation

Welcome back to the Slow Dinners table! I see you’ve come back for more—pour yourself a glass, dip the pitta bread in the hummus. I hope you've brushed up on your high school math because tonight, we’re bringing out the big guns—set theory and ethics! Yep, you heard that right. I’m here to make the case that “Veganism is Feminism.” It’s a bold claim, and at first, it might sound as ridiculous as comparing falafel to tofu. But stick with me—we’re going to explore this from every angle: vegan, feminist, anti-vegan, and even sexist. And yes, we’re going to back it up with some math!

Photo by Chuko Cribb on Unsplash

The Vegan’s Perspective

If you’re a vegan, the connection between veganism and feminism is as clear as a sunny day on a Greek island. It’s all about ethics and compassion for all sentient beings. Vegans argue that the way we treat female animals is a direct parallel to the exploitation women face.

Take dairy and eggs, for example:

• Cows: They are repeatedly impregnated through artificial insemination (aka rape), only to have their calves taken away shortly after birth. The distress is palpable—for both mother and calf—and yet the cycle continues so we can have their breast milk in our coffee.

• Hens: They’re bred to produce more eggs than nature ever intended, draining their calcium reserves and leaving them weakened and fragile. And don’t get me started on the tiny cages.

For vegans, it’s all about ethics. Ending animal exploitation is just another step towards ending all forms of oppression, including the patriarchy.

Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash

A Feminist’s Take

Now, let’s put on our feminist glasses. Feminism is all about equality, autonomy, and freedom from exploitation. Look at the agricultural industry’s treatment of female animals, and you’ll see some undeniable parallels:

• Consent and Autonomy: Female animals have none. They’re used, manipulated, and discarded without a second thought—things feminists have been fighting against for decades.

• Violence and Exploitation: The systemic harm inflicted on animals mirrors the violence women endure in a strict patriarchal society. If you care about autonomy and consent, it’s hard to ignore what’s happening on farms.

This isn’t about shaming meat eaters; it’s about consistency. If we’re truly against oppression, that commitment shouldn’t stop at humans.

The Anti-Vegan Angle

Alright, time to play devil’s advocate. The anti-vegan might scoff and say, “We’ve always eaten animals—it’s just natural.” But hold up, this view often comes bundled with a side of sexism.

• Control and Domination: The anti-vegan perspective often justifies dominating animals—especially female animals—for human benefit. Sounds familiar, right? It’s an echo of old-school patriarchal control.

• Ethical Inconsistency: If you’re against human exploitation—particularly of women—then surely, opposing the exploitation of female animals follows. Otherwise, there’s a glaring inconsistency in those values.

By supporting practices that exploit and harm female animals, anti-vegans unintentionally uphold a mindset that’s… well, pretty sexist.

What About the Sexists?

So what about the unapologetic sexists? You’d think they’d outright reject the idea that veganism has anything to do with feminism. But here’s the catch—they actually make the case for it without realising:

• Exploitation and Devaluation: Sexists tend to devalue women, viewing them as inferior. Sound familiar? It’s the same rationale used to justify the treatment of female animals in agriculture.

• Moral Disregard: A lack of empathy for women’s rights usually translates to a lack of empathy for animal rights, too. It’s a “might makes right” mentality that doesn’t leave much room for compassion—whether it’s towards women or cows.

By dismissing female autonomy, sexists unwittingly support a system that treats female animals the same way—drawing a pretty neat line from sexism to anti-veganism.

Photo by Saad Ahmad on Unsplash

The Theorem of Rights for All

Alright, math nerds, here’s your moment. Let’s prove this once and for all

1. Human Rights and Gender Equality: Let’s start with the basics. Gender equality is grounded in the belief that all humans deserve fundamental rights—like autonomy, freedom from exploitation, and the right to consent. Now, remember, humans aren’t a unique category; we’re just one type of animal. In set theory terms, we say:
   H⊂A
   where H is the set of all humans and A is the set of all animals. So, whatever principles we use to treat humans fairly should logically extend to animals, right?

2. Basic Rights for All: These fundamental rights—autonomy, freedom from exploitation, and consent—can be represented as a set, let’s call it R (for Rights). If you’re in favour of gender equality, you believe that every human h∈H deserves these rights:
   h∈H⇒h is entitled to R
   In simpler terms, if you’re a human, you get to enjoy the basic rights in set R.

3. Extending Rights to Animals: Now, here’s where it gets interesting. If we’re saying that all humans should have these rights, and humans are just a subset of animals, then logically, shouldn’t these rights apply to all animals? Particularly to female animals, who face exploitation similar to that of women in human society. So, we extend our set R to all animals a∈A:
   a∈A⇒a should be entitled to R
   This means the same ethical principles we use for gender equality among humans should, for consistency's sake, apply to animals too—especially females.

4. Veganism and Feminism as Overlapping Movements: Here’s the big reveal—veganism is about granting these rights to animals, while feminism is about ensuring these rights for women. In set theory, we can say that both veganism V and feminism F are subsets of the same set of basic rights R. They are fundamentally aligned because they both argue for autonomy, consent, and freedom from exploitation:
   V⊂R and F⊂R
   Therefore, the intersection of veganism and feminism is tied to the same core values:
   V∩F=R

5. Veganism and Ethical Consistency: If feminism and veganism both advocate for the same basic principles, then rejecting the link between the two is, mathematically speaking, inconsistent. The conclusion is clear—veganism and feminism are intersectionally connected, not because it’s trendy, but because the math (and the ethics) check out.

And there you have it— the veganism is feminism, not because it’s trendy, but because the math checks out!

Photo by Roman Mager on Unsplash

The Math Doesn’t Lie!

So, whether you’re a vegan, a feminist, an anti-vegan, or even a proud sexist, the math doesn’t lie—veganism and feminism are deeply intertwined. We’ve dug into the ethics, explored the intersections, and even got a little nerdy with some set theory. So next time you’re at a dinner party and this topic comes up, just remember: when in doubt, whip out a Venn diagram. Math has a way of making any argument seem indisputable.

Call to Action: If this made you think, laugh, or roll your eyes, share your thoughts in the comments. Let’s keep the conversation going. And don’t forget to share this post with your friends—because nothing spices up a dinner party like a debate over ethics, feminism, and set theory. Now, who’s passing the olives?