Placentophagy and Embryophagy: An Analysis of Social Deviance within Gender, Families, or the Home (Etude 1)

Abstract

This paper concludes that the private, eccentric acts of placentophagy and embryophagy are not illegal. Placentophagy is the eating of a placenta. Embryophagy is the eating of an embryo. This paper suggests that placentophagy and embryophagy, while not specifically legalized by statute or case law, are not acts for which a person can be charged of any crime relating to anthropophagy. Anthropophagy occurs when a human eats human tissue or blood. First, this paper proves that for the most part, anthropophagy is not illegal in the United States. Statutes and case law demonstrate that generally, the consumption of human tissue or blood is not illegal even though the possession of human blood and tissue often correlates strongly with other criminal activity. Second, this paper will argue that placentophagy and embryophagy in the home are legal anthropophagic acts; and that the policy and politics, not law, are the only obstacles for some women who question their power to possess and eat human blood and tissue.

Keywords: placentophagy, embryophagy, anthropophagy, placenta, afterbirth, miscarriage, drink human blood, eat human