Köttnorm(än)

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to show how eating meat as a norm is linked to gender, and more specific; to problematize the meat normativity and its connection to masculinity. By conducting interviews with both male meat eaters and vegans, I wanted to see in what ways gender is performed through the speech of meat, and how male vegans relate to and are influenced by the connection between masculinity and meat. The basis of the theoretical view is social constructionism, which is based on the idea that individuals participate in the construction of social reality. My results show that we live in a society where meat normativity exists. Masculinity is performed in speaking of meat, whereas femininity is performed in speaking of revulsion from meat. What makes meat eating manly is what it is said to do for men: help build muscles and give strenght. The results also shows how others allot male vegans subordinated masculinity. The vegans in this study distance themselves from the hegemonic masculinity, which in our culture includes meat eating. Despite proclaiming that they are not influenced by the connection between meat and masculinity, it is revealed that they in fact are, even if subconsciously. Keywords: Meat, sex, masculinites, vegan, normativity Nyckelord: Kött, kön, maskuliniteter, vegan, normativitet