Audio of talk here: https://archive.org/details/SvetlanaC
For more information about this talk, see the link above.
Talk given at the Animal Activists Forum 2017 in Melbourne: http://www.activistsforum.com/
2. TW and CW:
The topics covered today may include
but not be limited to speech and
images of racism, sexism, violence,
animal abuse, ableism, sexual assault
17. WHAT HASVEGANISMGOTTO DOWITH INTERSECTIONALTHEORY?
HOW DOESTHE INCLUSIONOFVEGANISM IN INTERSECTIONALITY BENEFIT
THE MOVEMENT (and the animals)?
1) it defines non human animals as oppressed individuals and a minority group
2) it brings speciesism to light within groups who are focused on justice and dismantling
oppression
3) it creates alliances and intersections of power of individuals striving for justice - a united
movement targeting all roots of oppression is more powerful than divided movements
because
4) all oppression is interconnected and addressing only one form whilst perpetrating or
ignoring another is counterproductive, morally inconsistent and less effective.
5) the animal rights movement is thus a social justice movement and is unique in the sense
that it is led by allies within the oppressor group i.e. humans.
22. HUMANISED HUMAN
(WHITE, CIS HETERO
MALE)
ANIMALISED HUMAN
(POC, POOR/ETHNIC)
HUMANISEDANIMAL
(PETS)
ANIMALISEDWOMAN
(women,WOC in
particular)
ANIMALISEDANIMAL (animals
produced for food, fashion,
entertainment etc)
FEMINISEDANIMAL
(hens, cows) Adapted from Carol JAdams
25. “It is actually women of colour, poor women, lesbian
women, trans women, disabled women, and other
vulnerable women pay the price of white women’s
“empowerment.” Privileged young white women can
enter public spaces, flaunt their sexuality, and find it
“liberating,” but it’s the masses of poor and
disadvantaged women who are not allowed to participate
who also bear the brunt of that “liberation” through rape,
sexual harassment, and beatings.”.
- Dr Corey LeeWrenn
Vegan voices of color blog also states: “Effectively
engaging communities of color in the fight for animal
liberation will not be accomplished by telling us to
shut up about our issues and focus on animal lives. It
will not be accomplished by a PoC walking past a
naked,White womxn laying on the concrete
lacquered in red corn syrup.”
26. "Instead of seeking to free ourselves from the system that oppresses us,
we are trying to find our place within it" - Christopher Sebastian
Is collective freedom achieved by neoliberalism – the very fabric of what
allows speciesism and other forms of oppression to thrive – though
choices of privileged individuals not impacted by the consequences of
their choices in a society with power abuse and inequality?
Or does total liberation require the challenge of privilege to lift those who
are oppressed?
Why do the same tired excuses come up in other movements? Because
the narratives of oppression are the same.
32. “Every woman ensconced in fur should endure
a rape so vicious that it scars them forever.”
GaryYourofsky
"moral schizophrenia" - Gary Francione
THE COST OF HEROWORSHIP
33. Food access as a form of control, WHITE
PRIVILEGE, CLASS and COLONIALISM
40. THE ROLE OF CAPITALISM IN OPPRESSION AND
ANIMAL EXPLOITATION
41. CAPITALISM
- an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for
profit, rather than by the state.
- focused on exponential growth on a planet with finite resources
- everything that can be commodified and sold as goods for profit is favourable and is simply called business
- this includes packaging and trade of living beings, and ideas as "intellectual property", including social justice
movements
- has been successful due the dominance of classism, white supremacy, war, violence as punishment for non
compliance, patriarchy, heterosexism etc
- David Nibert wrote about the economic gain as being the drive of oppression in his books
-The words "capital" has it’s definition rooted in animal husbandry and animal domesecration. Animals were used
as instruments in war. Animal agriculture not only gave way to expansion of capitalism but played a central role to
colonisation.
Animal agriculture requires extensive land occupation and the expansion of white settlement in every part of the
world, Americas, Asia, Pacific and the Islands would not have been as successful as it has been without Animal
agriculture and the exploitation of both human and non human animals. It has certainly paved an easier and
quicker road for the success of industrialist era.
42. Dr Melanie Joy's "Defence MechanismTheory"
To maintain power, Carnism uses primary and secondary defences. Capitalism uses the same tactics
PRIMARY –VALIDATE ITSELF
SECONDARY – INVALIDATE
OPPOSING SYSTEM
Natural, Necessary, Nice
Anti____
47. Capitalism –Coopting +
commodifying social justice
- By coopting, and commodifying altruism and social
justice and profiting from the packaged product,
capitalism effectively decontextualises (rebrands),
compartmentalises and reduces the movements
i.e. Removes their power
- Neoliberal tactics are not solutions to an issue or
system rooted in capitalist free market ideals
missguided
Image source: daily mail
48. "In a nutshell, the in vitro meat scheme ignores speciesism. It ignores an
ideology of oppression. Beyond excluding many other facets of animal
exploitation, it also condones the consumption and oppression of
NonhumanAnimals as a symbolic matter.To “okay” this behavior, even if it is
not directly hurting the select few nonhumans represented, is hugely
detrimental to the advancement of Nonhuman Animal rights"
"Dairy cattle, veal calves, wool producing sheep, layer hens, and racehorses,
for example, all go to slaughter when their bodies become “spent” and they
become a burden on the industry. Unless dairy and eggs become obsolete,
these animals will still be sent to their deaths regardless of in vitro markets.
And what of “leather” and “fur”? In vitro meat does nothing to reduce the
demand for animal flesh used for fashion.
What of rodeos, zoos, and circuses? In vitro is totally unrelated.
And vivisection? Not only does in vitro fail to solve the problem of using
Nonhuman Animals as test subjects, but it will inevitably require considerable
amounts of pain and death to create in vitro meat.
.. A society that symbolically normalises oppression will facilitate actual
oppression.That’s common sense.”
- Dr Corey Lee Wrenn
49. VEGANISM – MORAL BASELINE?
The problems of basing morality in privilege and absolutism
53. VEGANISM AS A MOVEMENT OF ALLIES
I ONLY CAREABOUT
ANIMALS
54. HOWTO BE A GOOD ALLY
EDUCATEYOURSELF: spend the time researching for available information from reputable sources about the
experiences of minorities.The multitude of stories and personal accounts will give a broader understanding and
empathy of the struggles of others.
LISTEN: Learning is facilitated by listening not speaking.
KNOW WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE FORYOUTO SPEAK.
ATTEND EVENTS AND INFORMATION EVENINGS: if you show your care, interest and true support of other
communities, they will show interest and listen to you so you can exchange ideas
BE AWARE OFTHE WHITE SAVIOUR COMPLEX: entering spaces as a white individual to dictate advocacy is
inappropriate.This applies to any position of privilege especially if you are not part of the same minority. Both
groups can exchange knowledge respectfully and grow stronger as a community.
ALWAYS CALL OUT/IN RACISM, SEXISM, QUEERPHOBIA, ABLEISM ETC: being an ally is full time
ACKNOWLEDGEYOUR MISTAKES: no one is a perfect advocate and we all make mistakes. Listen to the
individual who calls you in/out and accept your mistake, apologise and make changes to behavior, mentality.
GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE: part of the use of the term pro intersectional as opposed to intersectional is
recognising the origin of intersectionality from women of colour and the privilege as a white individual to use this
concept and adapt it.
59. THE IMPORTANCEOF INCLUSIVITY, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONAND NURTURING POSITIVITY
1) By creating a community "mental tribe" and inviting non vegans by relatability, we make them feel
welcome on common ground
2) Focus on discussing a non-vegan's non violent beliefs and not on their unconscious taught behavior
I.e. nurturing their empathy and compassion.
3) Story telling allows the listener to relate to you and see themselves in your experiences vicariously,
and share your journey to veganism from a non threatened position. E.g. James Aspey's success from
speaking is largely from his story telling which allows the listeners to "put themselves in his shoes" and
creates trust and rapport from inviting them into his tribe.
4)"Goal is not to be right, but for both parties to be and feel understood" - Melanie Joy.
5) If you don't care about your audience, it will show and they will feel like they should not care either.
6) Remember how and why you subscribed to carnism before veganism and try not to come from a
place of judgement as this creates a "us" and "them" mentality.
7) Know when it's appropriate to outreach – avoid relaying guilt ---> creates negative shame emotions
8) Don’t end the conversation with just "why" but give support information on "how" - people may be
overwhelmed with information and it may seem like a burden.
60. BEAWAREAND GETTO KNOWYOUR AUDIENCE
ONE ON ONE ADVOCACYVS ONLINE SPACES
Single mum?
Immigrant?
Mental Health?
POC?
Women?
Non – Christian?
