Is it legal to eat yourself?

186

I recently had a double mastectomy, and I asked if I could keep the tissue afterwards. They said I could pick it up after it was dissected in a lab and confirmed that I didn't have any tumors/cancer. When I picked them up the other day, the lab technician looked me dead in the eyes and explained that the tissue had been put through a variety of chemicals and was NOT safe to eat. I did not plan on eating my tits regardless, but the way she said it made me think this has been a Problem™ in the past...

Others have said it is straight up illegal, but they're ignoring the reason for making it illegal is likely for the same reason suicide is illegal (i.e. so the police can have full jurisdiction to stop someone from harming themselves). If you simply cook up a slab of yourself, then turn yourself in, the repercussions will likely be a mental hospital or something.

62

u/he-loves-me-not 2d ago

You have seen the post from the amputee who made tacos with his foot haven’t you??

35

u/Pancerules 2d ago

Around the time that dude made his foot fajitas I got my left leg amputated below the knee. Practically there was no way to follow in his footsteps (footstep?) cause I was in a medical rehab/nursing home at the time so I didn’t have access to cooking stuff or a fridge, but as a thought experiment I took it seriously. I wouldn’t make fajitas cause I don’t like peppers, but like birria or maybe a stew? I’d totally try it. If I was this guys buddy and was invited to sample ethically sourced human meat, I think I would. I do love trying weird and exotic foods!

16

u/Heptatechnist 2d ago

I feel the same way. If opportunity to try it, ethically, arose, I would do so.

9

u/AcidicSlimeTrail 2d ago

I have and it's very funny to me. Horrifying but funny use of free will

10

u/EquivalentSnap 2d ago

Why would you want to keep it for? What did you even do with it after?

28

u/AcidicSlimeTrail 2d ago

Well, I'm fascinated with medical stuff and taxidermy, so this was my best, most ethical chance to add human tissue to my collection.

I was *planning* on putting it on my curiosities shelf, but they uh, they gave me more than I expected lol. One tub per tit. Now my plan is to find a smaller container to transfer them into. I'm thinking an airtight jar shaped like a woman's chest or heart or something else fun :)

4

u/KiraTheFourth 1d ago

now i'm really curious to know what your curiosities shelf is like!

6

u/AcidicSlimeTrail 1d ago

Ask and ye shall receive. It's a pretty small shelf, though so it doesn't fit my bigger specimens (e.g. deer bones).

Worth mentioning I treat the dead the way I would want to be treated if I died- as something beautiful and worth being affectionately kept :]

54

u/HydeVDL 2d ago

type of shit I think when I eat little itty bitty parts of my skin around my nails

12

u/karmalove15 2d ago

I do, too. I especially like the cuticles.

9

u/potatoloaves 2d ago

Hmm yes very satisfying lol

39

u/Saltylemonsx 2d ago

Automatically thinks of that guy who made tacos out of his leg lmaooo

60

u/Fiending-Nemo 2d ago

autocannibalism is not illegal and apparently cannibalism isn’t illegal either but naturally there are laws that outlaw the purchase of human meat. i truly don’t mean to be a prick but you do know this was an easy search on google right?

82

u/EdgelordMcMemester 2d ago

op was too hungry to think straight

49

u/LadyTheRottie 2d ago

Omnom

12

u/SteampunkBorg 2d ago edited 1d ago

One of the more surprising things I found out a while ago. Eating human meat is legal (in all countries I checked), but almost every way to get it isn't

6

u/Northdingo126 2d ago

There are no federal laws in the United States that outlaws the act of cannibalism itself, but there are laws about buying human meat, and obviously there’s laws against killing people for it

3

u/j3nnacide 1d ago

ikr, I feel like I'm back here answering the same four questions about cannibalism every dang day. Just Google it, people!

1

u/StarElf21 23h ago

Well it is a morbid question

16

u/666hmuReddit 2d ago

I took a tiny bite out of one of my boobs once when I was in my self injurious phase. It didn’t hurt but left a really ugly scar. It looks like a cigarette burn

10

u/sechsechsechs23 2d ago

I clenched my boob with my hand when I read that. I can't believe it didn't hurt?!?!

6

u/mikobaby 2d ago

Yeah I eat my little hangnails all the time

3

u/MillennialMan5000 2d ago

Not sure I'd taste good

3

u/horsepighnghhh 2d ago

Your search history is…. Interesting

2

u/Moist_Fail_9269 2d ago

Yes because you provided consent.

2

u/lunarecl1pse 2d ago

Technically you can as there was a guy who ate his own amputated leg (he made tacos out it!) Source

2

u/BarryFairbrother 1d ago

One of the more unusual things I’ve read in my life.

2

u/TheHorseWasADiabetic 2d ago

If only I were that flexible.

1

u/Paulpogbaloveyou1623 2d ago

It's not exactly legal but also not specifically outlawed. There’s no law that says it is but there are other laws that totally come into play, like murder, assault, or desecration of a corpse, which would pretty much cover it. Basically, you could end up in some serious trouble for doing something like that.

1

u/QuietlySmirking 2d ago

I'm not that flexible.

1

u/SoftwareDifficult186 2d ago

One way to find out

1

u/lsody 2d ago

no, tuck in.

1

u/Chris__XO 2d ago

it’s not illegal but it might be hard unless you remove a rib or two and get very flexible

1

u/calex_1 2d ago

Oh to be that flexible. Seriously though, if you wanted to hack off your own leg, and roast it and eat it, I can't see how it would be illegal. It is your own body after all.

1

u/BarryFairbrother 1d ago

Only in Wisconsin and Indiana, not in Illinois I’m afraid.

1

u/rog_ale 11h ago

Yes, it’s legal. Technically, cannibalism isn’t illegal. It’s the killing or procuring meat that is. This is done so people who are stranded in a plane crash or off at sea can eat their fellow passengers’ bodies

1

u/Calfan_Verret 2d ago

Not particularly. As far as I’m aware, killing or assaulting someone and eating them is illegal of course, but the act of cannibalism itself is not in the US. There’s a famous Reddit story of a guy who got his foot amputated and managed to keep it through legal paperwork and took it home, cooked and ate it because he was curious.

1

u/rutherfraud1876 2d ago

Depends on how badly you want to survive

-1

u/-imagenotfound 2d ago

Yes but it's gross.

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