We recently met with Francis from The Female Glaze to chat all things veganism, baking and feminism. Read on to hear about how these things come together to form… a vegan bakery for hungry feminists!
Francis is the founder of The Female Glaze and last year created our spectacular rainbow cake in honour of Pride Month.
Tell us about The Female Glaze and how it came about.
Hi, I’m Francesca Torello (but everyone calls me Francis) and I live in the UK but am originally from Italy. I went vegan in 2017 while graduating from UNISG in Piedmont, one of the world's most well renowned universities for gastronomic sciences. Since my move to London that same year, I have worked in the vegan scene, from restaurants to independently owned coffee shops with a non-profit aim.
The Female Glaze was born after losing my job at the beginning of the pandemic. The original idea was to open a vegan cafe where I could host workshops, events, classes and anything to encourage feminist discussions. But I didn’t have the funds for such an investment, so opening a bakery from home became the next best option.
How do you feel the vegan movement is linked to other social justice movements such as gay rights?
One of the most impactful books I came across during my studies in gastronomic sciences was The Sexual Politics of Meat by Carol J. Adams. Through that essay, I got a first glimpse into how feminism and veganism share similar concerns around bodily autonomy, non-violence and the focus on building a supportive and educational community to uproot a damaged system. I took it upon myself to learn more about this overlap, a process which also aligned with my coming out journey. I went to a very multicultural university, where I befriended a lot of different people and learned about their culture and heritage.
My understanding of discrimination widens further every day, and I believe that once one understands how all oppressive systems interconnect, it becomes impossible to ignore. I’m also aware it can be damaging to put everything on the same level; consuming animals is much more normalised than racism or homophobia, and I wouldn’t dream of claiming that to be a good feminist or a good queer person you have to be vegan, just like being vegan doesn’t make you a saint. But I hope that we’re moving in the direction of linking these issues together and finding solutions based on empathy and inclusivity.
What challenges have you faced being part of the LGBTQIA+ community and being vegan?
As bizarre as it sounds, I’ve faced more questioning and alarmism about my veganism than I have about my sexuality. Like I was saying, one would hope a decent society doesn’t allow for discrimination based on a person’s identity, so people are reticent to speak up on their offensive, homophobic beliefs. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, but at least on a surface level, we agree it shouldn’t. But when I tell people I’m vegan, it’s often interpreted as a chance for a debate. I’m asked to justify my choice. People make jokes, try to catch me out or play devil’s advocate. I believe a lot of that comes from defensiveness.
How have you encompassed your ethics into your work and why is it important to you?
The Female Glaze isn’t only a business that is kind to animals, but it also promotes women's empowerment. We source our ingredients from companies that run women empowerment programs, especially when it comes to sourcing coffee and chocolate, since women farmers are constantly undervalued and underpaid for their work due to gender-related challenges. The companies we partner with are also, when possible, run by women and with a focus on ethical production. And last but not least, all the treats are named after feminists throughout history. By providing delicious goodies with a social purpose, we hope to help more people understand how food choices are political and important.
Approaching feminism through an intersectional lens, you realise how political all your choices are. Intersectionality is an analytical framework that helps us view all systems of oppression as linked. In my experience, feminism and veganism share similar concerns around bodily autonomy, non-violence and the focus on building a supportive and educational community to uproot a damaged system in favour of a better future.
It can feel overwhelming at times. While as a vegan I worry about avoiding the exploitation of non-human animals, what about the workers who produce my food being paid fairly? Or the environmental impact of my food choices? I struggle a lot with the notion of being “a perfect activist”, though I know rationally there’s no such thing. It’s never encouraged me when people shamed me or made me feel ignorant about something, so I wanted to create a business model as far away from that judgmental vibe as possible. Something that is accessible and informative. Like having a conversation over a cuppa and some biscuits.
What advice would you give to other individuals or businesses who want to take positive actions to stand up for what they believe in?
Don’t underestimate your impact. You may feel like you won’t individually make a difference, but being just one individual isn’t necessarily a limitation: it’s an opportunity. Figure out what motivates you; it’s about finding your niche and building it up from there. If you work for a big company, you could invest in sustainable, smaller businesses, be it for your office catering or Christmas gifts for employees. Start a petition to encourage your workplace to take part in vegan challenges, such as only serving vegan food for a month. Speak up about your values in an encouraging tone, rather than judgmentally. If something feels off or outdated, point it out. Use what’s at your disposal, whether it’s social media or whether you have the power to change suppliers or implement greener, fairer choices. The beautiful thing about activism and community is that everyone wants to raise awareness, so just try asking for support. We’re not here to make things harder. There are millions of ways to make a difference. Find yours.
The views expressed by our bloggers are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.
