Your Master Butcher: The Rhetoric of Consent in Cannibalism

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Authors

Tejada, Anastasia Marie

Issue Date

2023

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autonomy , cannibalism , consent , deviance , queer , taboo

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Cannibalism is not a new, perverse fascination the public has adopted; in fact, this act of deviance has been an area of interest for a while. The recent focus on this taboo subject has brought about new questions and controversies. Specifically, the case of German cannibal Armin Meiwes and Bernd-Jürgen Brandes which occurred in Germany in 2001. This case was particularly fascinating as both men consented to a sexual encounter that would end with the death and consumption of Brandes. This act of consensual cannibalism highlights current conflicts that occur within normative society. The public’s view of sexual deviance implicates ideas of monstrosity that connect taboo to the marginalization of sexuality and gender. Additionally, analyzing the rhetoric of consent and its relationship with physical autonomy reveals the fragility of contemporary legal structures that define acceptable sexual behavior. The case of Armin Meiwes reveals and tests the tensions between taboo and consent.

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