Food for thought: Why are more women than men raw foodists?

[Rawcstacy]

I love to analyze things, never can leave things well enough alone, actually. Now the number of cooked food vegetarians is pretty equally divided sexwise. Concerning raw foodists however, I observe here and elsewhere the ratio of rawfood gals to rawfood guys is on the order of 2 to 1. Now I'm certainly not complaining as amongst those who're unattached that means more choice on my side of things. However surely there exists an equal multitude of enlightened men out there, or perhaps it's an issue of dietary discipline, more addicted to food than women?

[lovenlife]

Interesting. This is an interesting topic.

How can one ever know the ratio or the numbers? Do we know every raw guy and gal in the world? I was wondering where and how one might search?

It might appear to be that way as men tend to hold onto their emotions more maybe vs talking them out? May emo eat more? Hmmm good question

Good thinking gal(?) haha

[Rawcstacy]

Good thinking gal(?) haha

If you read carefully, you'd notice that I'm a raw guy.
Reread here:

I observe here and elsewhere the ratio of rawfood gals to rawfood guys is on the order of 2 to 1. Now I'm certainly not complaining as amongst those who're unattached that means more choice on my side of things.

But as you've said on another thread you don't like figurrin nor fussin things out.:D Not necessarily a bad thing. I like simple gals.;)

[lovenlife]

Dont be mistaken . I have ONLY come to this place (of simplicity)after studying raw for over three years. Now I coach others on this amaZING journey. It really is so simple!

[FreedomSeeker]

You know, Rawkstacy, I noticed that too. In my home, the guys are far more attached to the whole steak-ribs-potatoes thing than any of the girls ever were (there are three and three in our family.) Maybe guys are used to being able to eat--in fact, needing to eat--more than girls do, and so the high calorie items are less likely to be restricted by them, making them harder to give up? I know my husband, while willing to eat much of the raw stuff that I make, can't conceptualize giving up meat and cooked food entirely.

Maybe, also, women who are mothers spend so many years trying to get fruits and vegetables into their toddlers and children that the idea of eating a raw vegan diet doesn't sound so strange to them. I spent far more time preparing food and worrying about nutrition than my husband ever did. I know that's not the case in every family, but is probably closer to the norm than the converse.

Also, maybe there is a difference in taste perception between the sexes. Women seem to like their sweets more than men, and men seem to go for salty and fatty when they are indulging. Generalizations, of course, but again, these are just personal observations. It is far easier to accept smoothies and raw treats as substitutes for previously indulged-in sweets than it probably is to accept avocadoes and unsalted nuts as substitutes for a bag of chips, or what have you.

Intriguing thread! I'm interested in other ideas people have...

[Amii]

Maybe it's because I'm a teenager but I think this ratio has a lot to do with women being ready to try "anything" to improve their appearances, whereas men are more likely to take the more commonly-approved routes such as exercise if they want to shift a few lbs, but women are more open-minded to "fads" which leads them to realise that raw is not a fad but a brilliant lifestyle.

Think about how many people, when they first hear about raw, will have "rapid weight loss" and "skin improvements" thrown at them as the major benefits. I think women are more sensitive to this. Myself, I have struggled with disordered eating since I was 12 (I'm now 18) but I became interested in raw when my dad started to eat raw. He's since got back to cooked food but I've stayed interested because I want to get the benefits whereas I don't think he really is that bothered about it.

In fact sometimes I think that ^ like you said, that guys are attached to the whole steak+chips thing and in particular the image it carries with it. A lot of the most "manly" guys are all beer-pong and ribs. IF you know what I mean :P so I guess guys are a bit sensitive to looking less like their peers in that respect.

Just my worthless 2 cents. Also, I wish I knew some raw foodists, in fact I'd love to date and marry a raw guy, and have raw kids and life an amazing RAW life... haha sorry, got a bit carried away there! :p

[ReneeH]

You might be interested to know that when I do my demo at Whole Foods I get MOSTLY MEN who come over to taste.. I love it!!! They drag over their sceptical women (who ends up loving the samples) and are delighted with the RAW Samples!!! It's cool!

[nadien alexandra]

If you read carefully, you'd notice that I'm a raw guy.
Reread here:

I observe here and elsewhere the ratio of rawfood gals to rawfood guys is on the order of 2 to 1. Now I'm certainly not complaining as amongst those who're unattached that means more choice on my side of things

But as you've said on another thread you don't like figurrin nor fussin things out.:D Not necessarily a bad thing. I like simple gals.;)



It's not that easy to tell. I'm a girl and I could have very likely said the same thing, if you know what I mean.

[DebB]

Most girls I know are more open to change than guys I know. For me, this is a big committment and it takes work, especially in the beginning. Lots of folks aren't interested in either. (and that's okay). *Ü*

[rawlight]

It's not that easy to tell. I'm a girl and I could have very likely said the same thing, if you know what I mean.

Right, always the presumption of heterosexuality :D

[xPIXIEx]

I haven't really noticed. Probably because my husband is almost as interested in raw food as I am, and there seems to be quite a bit of raw men out there who are well-known. As far as forums are concerned, yeah, I guess so. Didn't really think about it before, though.

[Revvell]

I'm thinking the guys don't talk about it as much; they just do/eat!

It's like when I rode motorcycles. The guys wanted to go and park and talk about mc's. I wanted to ride! This is the opposite ~ they don't want to talk, they want to eat...

Although, there are as many men on stage at the various events as women for the most part.

[TaupeRawMan]

If there are actually more women, it might be because more women come to it to lose weight....just a thought.

[joya]

maybe because more women are responsible for cooking for their family, or themselves... think "traditional" gender roles.

I dunno. just a thought.

[lovenlife]

Women are nurturers, keepers of the keys, watchers of the pots, seekers of the family health. It is in them to tend to the needs of the family.

Personally, my family is all grown, yet I am still in that role. By example ,I set for my grown people, that taking care of ones health is important.

The "dad" is the one who brings it home (yes in hunter/gatherer days) and turns it to the woman to fix suppa.

Perhaps this plays a part. Smart women want to raise healthy people. Awesome men want to make sure the money is there to provide the food.

Just my thoughts.

[Rawcstacy]

Lots of good ideas from everyone, thanks! Part of the issue for me is that there isn't yet a community in this part of the world.http://smileyjungle.com/smilies/sad2.gif (http://smileyjungle.com) So I've never attended a raw "event" in my life to base my obsrvations. For myself there really isn't anything to envy about living in North America(where 90%+ of you are located) EXCEPT for the critical mass of raw foodists residing therein. *SIGH*


Although, there are as many men on stage at the various events as women for the most part.

I base my assumptions on the fact that many women in this forum have non-raw partners, so these aren't the same men that are "on stage"

[Revvell]

I base my assumptions on the fact that many women in this forum have non-raw partners, so these aren't the same men that are "on stage"

Uh huh and that sentence was taken out of context with the rest of my statements. There may be many men outside of this forum who are raw who have non-raw female partners as well.... and, who don't frequent forums... or, at least THIS forum.

[RawKnitster]

I went to two raw potlucks this past weekend. Both were in different neighborhoods around Seattle. I'm right inbetween so I gather with both groups. There are a few other crossovers, but most people attend only one of the groups. Each group is very different in age and sex.

One group has some single women, some couples, some married women attending alone (me), but it seems the majority of the people attending these potlucks are single men.

The other group is mostly women, many older, many overweight. There are a couple of husbands and a couple of single men. The single men are among the crossovers coming to the potlucks for both groups.

Neither group seems to represent the raw community, but put the groups together and maybe you get an accurate picture. Kind of hard to pigeon hole rawbies. As a whole, we are a very diverse group. :)

[cattchels]

I think culturally it is because the raw food movement is looked down upon as a weak and sissy "hippie" thing that "real men" don't participate in because real men eat meat. My husband is just a vegetarian, and he gets so much slack for that, far more than anything I've ever gotten.








_________________________________________________
Raw food for your health!
Vegetarian for 8 years
Vegan for 2 years
No fast food (http://www.chacha.com/topic/fast-food) in 14 years.

[brydee]

I would like to say that its because woman are wiser blah blah blah. but to be honest i think its more likely that from reading and talking to other women who have gone raw, alot of them have done it firstly for fertility and weight reasons and later focused on the health side. Not saying ALL women, but the majority i have personally read about.

[xPIXIEx]

I think culturally it is because the raw food movement is looked down upon as a weak and sissy "hippie" thing that "real men" don't participate in because real men eat meat. My husband is just a vegetarian, and he gets so much slack for that, far more than anything I've ever gotten.

Oh yuck, the real men idea. Sad, but true. This is one thing that drives me insane. Men are "supposed" to eat certain foods, wear certain clothing, partake in certain activities, listen to certain music....or else they aren't men. :rolleyes: When I worked at Subway, a couple came in and asked about low fat subs and I told them that their best option is the veggie delite. The man says, "Oh I'm a man. I have to eat meat." It makes me want to pull my hair out.

[luckitri]

In general I think that evolution has not been so kind to the woman's body as the man. The woman suffers very quickly from adverse circumstances whereas the man can put off the day of reckoning for many years before he has to face that what he is doing is wrong for his body. Then again I know woman who just HAVE to eat raw meat because they do not feel well unless they do. Many men also do not feel well unless they have meat. There is no one size fits all solution and therefore judging is idiocy.

Then we have the cultural part and for a man to spend much time considering his input and his outflow in terms of what he ingests is effeminate seeming. Also the man has to maintain his strength to be the breadwinner and so he must eat the macho foods in case he gets some work. I get a kick out of going to Walmart in the border town because there they sell desiccated beef balls to help the male machismo (in the supplement section.) I guess PETA does not go to border towns.

Even though I have the men of my house agreeing with me that animals are just as smart and just as spiritual as humans - they still must have their meat.

[katchmoleen]

I had a bunch to say until I read luckitri's post. I agree very much with that. Women seem to be under a lot of stress in this modern world, what with adding working to the traditional role of caring for the family, and in most families I see, the man has not quite caught on to doing more at home to make up for it. I have seen so many women with health difficulties that seem to be either brought on or exacerbated by stress that their men do not seem to feel. I do believe men's bodies are hormonally equipped to handle stress better than women. So you have a lot of sick women and not so many sick men. My husband has a constitution of iron, and so does his brother. My husband eats healthy non-raw, his brother lives on canned food and beer, yet they both are hardly ever sick. If I ate like his brother I would most likely be disabled.