When Lantern Books asked me submit a piece to the anthology Defiant Daughters: 21 Women on Art, Activism, Animals, and The Sexual Politics of Meat (Lantern Books, March 2013) I was thrilled to put to paper some of the many ways that Carol J. Adams’ work has impacted my life and activism career, and to share how my relationship with my brother Asher grew due to our mutual love of Carol’s book The Sexual Politics of Meat and shared commitment to veganism.
The anthology, edited by the fantastic Kara Davis and Wendy Lee with a foreword by Carol J. Adams, features 21 pieces by women artists, feminists, vegans, chefs, professors, and writers from all backgrounds. All proceeds from the anthology go to the wonderful vegan multimedia collective for change, Our Hen House. Jasmin Singer of Our Hen House and I actually share a section in the book entitled “Fish and Frog,” and I recently did a piece for Our Hen House’s online magazine that relates to my essay in Defiant Daughters, which you can read by clicking here.
Here is the description of the book Defiant Daughters from Lantern Books’ website:
One writer attempts to reconcile her feminist-vegan beliefs with her Muslim upbringing; a second makes the connection between animal abuse and her own self-destructive tendencies. A new mother discusses the sexual politics of breastfeeding, while another pens a letter to her young son about all she wishes for him in the future. Many others recall how the book inspired them to start careers in the music business, animal advocacy, and food. No matter whether they first read it in college or later in life, whether they are in their late teens or early forties, these writers all credit The Sexual Politics of Meat in some way with the awakening of their identities as feminists, activists, and women. Even if you haven’t read the original work, you’re sure to be moved and inspired by these tales of growing up and, perhaps more important, waking up to the truths around us.
My chapter, entitled “Brother Knows Best,” includes the ways in which my coming out as vegan and queer were interconnected, and how Carol J. Adams’ The Sexual Politics of Meat helped me recognize these interconnections. It also discusses the ways in which my friendship with my brother Asher and our mutual commitment to helping animals helped me through it all. Here is an excerpt from my piece:
Unlike his hand-me-down t-shirts and jackets that ended up in my closets, my brother’s vegetarianism fit me well, and I made it my own. When he went off to college, Asher granted me access to his bookshelf, which included his treasured science fiction and war books, french novels, and dog-eared copies of classics we were made to read in high school. Many of his books collected dust in his absence, but when I reached the end of high school, one precious book on his shelf shifted everything in my world: The Sexual Politics of Meat.
The red cover immediately stole my attention. A striking image of a woman in a sexualized pose, with portions of her body demarcated as cuts of meat, was both familiar and disturbing. Its cover offered an immediate opportunity to consider the connection between the consumption of women and animals.
Reading the book at age seventeen, I realized that it was hypo-critical for me to be vegetarian and not vegan, since I believed so deeply in animal welfare and human welfare (my primary reasons for abstaining from animal flesh). I knew that eating cows was out of alignment with my ethics after my brother helped me to see how meat comes at the price of animal suffering, but this text illuminated an entirely new way of understanding how animal agriculture of dairy products reveals the ways in which females are particularly exploited.
Understanding the mechanisms of privilege and power that reinforce the eating of animals helped me recognize how I, a woman coming into my non-normative sexual orientation, related to the animal agriculture industrial complex. As I uncovered universal truths about the connections between oppression toward women and animals, it was in no way coincidental that I came out as a vegan and a lesbian the year I turned eighteen.
Thank you for reading! I am so honored to have been a part of this collection; the other writers are incredibly talented and truly carry the torch of Carol’s work, more than 20 years after The Sexual Politics of Meat was first published. I hope you’ll check out the book when it comes out in March. You can pre-order by clicking here. Additionally, you can “like” the book’s Facebook page and stay tuned for excerpts posted by other contributors in anticipation of the launch.
queerveganfood.com 
This book is going to be amazing. I am so proud of you!
Thank you, Angel! The other pieces are incredible I can’t wait for the book to come out!
I can’t wait for this book! You, Jasmin, and Carol Adams together in one book? Could it get any better than this? Your piece sounds fantastically intriguing, just like everything else you write. Way to go, Sarah!
Thanks so much, Ali!
sarah this is amazing! congrats 🙂 i am so proud of you and can’t wait to read more of the book!!
Thank you so much, Heidi! Your support means the world to me, truly. I am such a big fan of yours and am excited to give you a copy when it comes out!
Hi Sarah,
I will definitely read this book when it comes out – especially your contribution. I expect it to be challenging and well-written. And congratulations on being included in the anthology.
Jonathan
Dear Jonathan,
I love our connection and your support means so much. Thank you and I do hope you get a chance to read the book, I think you’d love it based on how much you loved Sexual Politics of Meat (Carol is incredible…)
Sarah, communicating with you means a lot to me as well. I just am saddened that we never found time to sit down in person before you moved all the way across the country. I think there is a lesson to be learned there. March, 2013 for the publication, I see. “Talk” then if not sooner.
Looking forward to it. xo
What a lovely story of your queer vegan origin! I too became vegan because of a close relationship with another person that led me to books and politics. I find that these stories—stories of human connection followed by education—are very common (for queers and vegans and leftists more generally), and that gives me a lot of hope in the future, and a lot of faith in the magnificent power of human relationships and community.
Hi Raechel! Thank you!
That’s awesome that you found your way to veganism because of a relationship. It is really inspiring and gives me hope too!
xoxo
Sarah
like! I will definitely read it when I get the chance. Must be wonderful to contribute to such a special book, congratulations!
Indeed, I am honored to be part of this! 🙂 Hope you’ll enjoy the essays, many amazing pieces!
I enjoyed reading your post and look forward to reading this book! (I heard Jasmin speak at “The Seed” in NYC last May. She’s funny and so inspiring.)I could listen to her all day. March is only one month away – can’t wait!
[…] book Defiant Daughters: 21 Women on Art, Activism, Animals, and The Sexual Politics of Meat, to which I contributed an essay, was published this month. Centered around the work of one of my […]
[…] pretty happy to report that there was one vegan mention in the publication–my contribution to Defiant Daughters: 21 Women On Art, Activism and The Sexual Politics of Meat gets a nod in the Mixed Media section on p. […]