Veganism and intersectionality in Brazil

Abstract

Brazil is one of the largest food producers in the world and also one of the most socially and economically unequal countries. Afro Veganism, Ghetto Veganism and Feminist Veganism are associated with this fight, addressing the contradictions between food, bodies, gender, and racism. This article aims to understand how these three collective movements articulate their discourses on veganism, highlighting the similarities and differences between their narratives, and thus understand the discourses of the vegan movement, considering the symbolic dimensions of food within the context of Brazilian socio- economic inequality. For the examination of the discursive content collected, intersectionality was used as an analytical tool. The analysis of these initiatives reveals a critical look on “traditional” veganism, criticismo of the [whitened] perspective of the vegan movement, the uncritical assimilation of products from the big agro-industry, the difficulties of accessing fresh food, the exploitation of human and non-human resources, especially feminine ones, and the relationship between speciesism and racism.