Website for the “Ethically Handsome” Man – The Discerning Brute

Discerning-Brute-vegan-men

The Discerning Brute is a website for the ethically handsome man and definitely worth checking out!

When it comes to veganism, sometimes it feels like we’re talking about secret women’s business; after all, 79% of US vegans are women (vegetarians are a more even split at 59% women, 41% men). But a popular website is shaking up the image of what it means to be manly: TheDiscerningBrute.com, for “the ethically handsome man.” I wanted to write this post to introduce you to the website and the inspirational man behind it. 

While it’s not an out-and-out vegan or vegetarian website, the Discerning Brute was founded in 2008 with a focus on “fashion, food and etiquette for the ethically handsome man,” and regularly highlights visionaries and creates discourses with creative influencers who want to “redesign the world, redefine success, and look good doing it.”

The site was founded by Joshua Katcher, an adjunct professor of fashion at Parsons The New School for Design. He is also the founder of the Brave GentleMan clothing label, which utilizes what Katcher calls “future suede,” “future leather,” and “future wool,” sustainable and ethically made fabrics which are superior to animal fibers. There has been a growing popularity in the fashion industry the last few years for the use of these high quality, cruelty free materials. 

Katcher says, “In order for fashion to be truly good, the handsomeness of an object must be matched by the handsomeness of how it was made. There is poetic grace and heightened pleasure in fashions of conscientious construction.”

We couldn’t agree more. Here’s to the ethically handsome man!

Joshua Katcher_Discerning Brute

Real Men Eat Plants, Not Meat

Real Men Eat Plants

I am certainly someone who has been breaking the vegan stereotypes since I was young, and I think the mold is quickly transforming when it comes to women going vegan… now it’s time for the men to catch up!

Vegan Club Brad PittI’m into “manly” men. They are my “type” and I’m telling you right now, a guy who fits the mold of a macho man in most ways (is a sports fan, tattoos, beer-drinker, knows how to fix things, lifts weights, etc.) AND eats plants instead of meat wins the title of REAL MAN by a long shot!

Meat and machismo have always gone hand in hand… no more! There’s nothing manlier to me than a man eating Gardein wings while he watches football and drinks a beer. And a guy putting Beyond Meat‘s Beast Burger in his shopping cart… that’s what I call sexy. Just look at some of the male celebs who are vegan, some of whom have been plant-based for 10+ years (click on each for some current info):

I have lived in Miami Beach the majority of my adult life and I will be the first to admit the dating scene here can be rough, and a successful relationship can be tough. I will say that I have been fortunate enough to have found guys that I was able to have long-term relationships with in part because they fully respected my vegan lifestyle, even though they were not vegan themselves. Respect is a requirement, along with an open mind and a desire to make moves in the direction of a healthier, more compassionate and conscious diet and lifestyle. Dating a non-vegan is not easy for me, just as dating a vegan is not easy for non-vegans. 

From the health aspect alone, when I see my man eating animal products it’s had not to think about the damage the food is doing to his health, just as it would be to see your partner smoking a cigarette. It’s a completely valid concern when it comes to the person you love. Then, when it comes to animals and the environment, it’s hard to understand how my man can put the animal cruelty and environmental destruction factors aside and continue to put dead flesh in his mouth. That being said, everyone is different in how they process information and emotions. I believe the best way to promote the vegan lifestyle I believe so strongly in, is to continue to do what I’m doing… leading by example, educating, and inspiring as many people as I possibly can in a positive, sexy way!

I may not have turned boyfriends vegan, but I can happily and truthfully say I have made a huge positive impact on the eating habits of all my boyfriends past. I look forward to meeting more and more real men who step up their game by embracing a macho vegan lifestyle in the near future if they haven’t already!