Friday rant: Book contracts are for misogynists.

Picture me, dear readers, with my head on my desk as I type this. I didn’t want to write about it. I was hoping that other people would. Indeed, a few have.

Long story short: Dude named John Joseph has written a book entitled Meat is for Pussies. Sit with that one for a sec, then feel free to join me down here on the desk at any time.

Where do I start with this one? (To the haters who are gonna ask if I’ve read it: Hell no, I haven’t read it. Why should I waste my time? I’m a blogger, not a book reviewer.) Perhaps with the idea that shaming someone into changing his or her behavior is not only frequently ineffective, but always unacceptable? With the reminder that feminizing insults are hateful and do nothing but reinforce destructive gender stereotypes and power structures? Maybe with the editorial suggestion that all the compelling reasons to go vegan will doubtless be lost in all the macho rhetoric, thus alienating a huge number of potential readers? And finally, with the admission that I am so over fighting with people like Joseph, who would probably tell me to lighten up and stop being such a bitch, and do I just need to get boned?

I know I’m not the only one frustrated with this. So, where is the blogospheric outcry? The Discerning Brute, that arbiter of vegan masculinity, announced its publication in a brief-but-positive paragraph that acknowledged the “controversial” title. (Way to understate things.) Bitch, on the other hand, brought the noise with a brilliantly reasoned post about the dangers of single-issue veganism, sexism, unexamined privilege, and general assholery. Kjerstin Johnson may not be vegan, but she really hit it out of the park, as did the majority of Bitch’s commenters, including a hetero vegan guy who said he was “never okay with harming one movement in order to help another.” I’m hopeful that more writers take this on, because however noble John Joseph’s intentions, however lyrical and majestic his prose, this narrow-minded shit hurts more of us than it helps.

So, to recap:

Compassion is not gendered.

Using sexism and homophobia to market your book is unoriginal.

Shock-value veganism is half-assed veganism. Go play with PETA and leave those of us doing real work in peace.

Oh, and STOP USING MY BODY AS AN INSULT. I AM MOTHERFUCKING SICK OF IT.

Image courtesy of I Can Has Cheezburger? (as if you didn't know).