A Masculine Salad?

First, a question. Is there such a thing as a masculine salad? I'm talking about a regular salad that is at least a 1:10 ratio between meat and lettuce/veggies, not a piece of meat with a leaf of lettuce on the side. So, is that kind of salad ever a permissible masculine meal?

The reason why I ask such a seemingly odd question is that I happened to watch an episode of Seinfeld this week entitled "The Wink". In this episode Jerry goes on a date and orders "just a salad." He sees nothing wrong with it, but his date thinks him less a man for it. I won't go into the details, but "society's" view that a salad isn't a viable masculine cuisine triggers a series of events that leads to a break-up. Is this woman right in her reasoning? Is masculinity really dependent on a diet of meat and potatoes? Or is it just a case of gender discrimination?

I contend that the ordering of a salad, and just a salad, is not only permissible for a man, but possibly even a manly act. I came to this conclusion through my belief that manliness is more about moral strength and self-control/restraint than physical strength and indulgence. Thus eating health food is manly in the sense that is shows the ability to control indulgences and diet. I am not saying that meat is taboo or that it isn't healthy to consume animal protein. I am simply defending a victim of gender discrimination via the medium of food. So, what's your view on the subject?



This post is dedicated to men who are manly with out buying into "Macho Masculinity".