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Beyonce’s use of veganism through her ’22 day challenge’ is a business opportunity which promotes discrimination, according to two professors.
An article written by the academics, titled The sexual politics of veggies: Beyoncé’s “commodity veg*ism, claims the singer’s promotion of veganism as a diet ‘reproduces existing patterns of discrimination and inequality’.
In the article, the authors look at the implications of veganism within a post-feminist context.
‘Dietary practice’
Ella Fegitz and Daniela Pirani, both professors at the University of London, describe the 22 day vegan challenge as a ‘post-feminist dietary practice’ – which ‘reproduces existing patterns of discrimination and inequality’.
They claim this is a consumerist form of veganism which simply promotes the concept of a ‘sexy body’.
Fegitz and Pirani write: “While these diets have an important role for vegetarian eco-feminists, as signs of resistance against the patriarchal and capitalist exploitative system, in post-feminism they have become sexy and business oriented.”
Eco-feminists
They add: “Our argument is that while eco-feminists have embraced vegetarian and vegan regimes as ethical and political choices, post-feminism depoliticizes and deradicalizes them.
“In this way, they become part of an individualistic project that emphasizes empowerment and meritocracy; choice, agency, and responsibilization; and the focus on a healthy, sexy body.
“Ultimately, the post-feminist articulation of vegan diets promotes a form of ‘commodity veg*ism’, that is not only devoid of any critical force, but also reproduces existing patterns of discrimination and inequality.”
