With Father's Day approaching, I've noticed plenty of articles and advertisements touting food deemed appropriate for and appreciated by adult human males. Ubiquitous among these suggestions are large cuts of beef.
Dad wants a steak, we're told, or perhaps prime rib. No one seems to be suggesting other types of animal protein. Tilapia or boneless chicken breasts aren't being promoted.
It has occurred to me that somehow our society has gendered beef as masculine. Why that is I'm not entirely sure. Yes, beef is "red" meat, and maybe there's some pseudo-mythological connection between blood and the violence of masculinity, but there hasn't been much violence involved in the acquisition of beef for a couple of millennia (unless you throw in bullfighting, which is unnecessary to animal husbandry).
We don't even hunt cattle. Deer, yes. Wildfowl, yes. Even fishing has its challenges. But venison, pheasant and walleye garner nary a mention for Father's Day.
Longtime readers of this blog are well aware that I'm no vegetarian, but to me, animal protein is animal protein. One type isn't more macho than another. But clearly there are plenty of other men in our society who have been led to believe otherwise.