In our lecture with Prof.  Vooris today we learned about the close connection between vegetarianism and lesbian potlucks. Lesbian potlucks arose as a place for lesbians to find support and community. Food traditionally serves as the center of gatherings and provides comfort. Food is also traditionally prepared by women. These traditions continued in the lesbian potlucks. Vegetarian dishes became popular as a way to uphold these food traditions while also pushing back against patriarchal systems that required lesbians to create separate spaces, like the lesbian potlucks, where they could  exist safely. The meat industry was seen to represent the same patriarchal system that oppressed lesbians and women. Vegetarianism gave lesbians another way to reject this system.