Vegan Feminists - Why speciesism is a feminist issue

[Haz]

Hey lovely people,

I think this might be my first post ever? Anyway, I'm interested in how some of you think the consumption of animals is a feminist issue. I'm assuming that here, The Kitten Board, you all love women no? Therefore you are all, in some way, feminists, even if you don't actively assert yourself as one.

Anyway, recently the biggest feminist conference in Australia in 15 years was held in Sydney. It was amazing. We spent two days discussing issues, socialising with other feminists (men, women and in between) and generally getting down into the nitty gritty details of our society that still oppress women. Progress was definitely made.

However, there was one issue that seemed to cause an intense amount of disagreement between the attendees, Veganism and its relation to feminism. So far as, when the vote as whether the next conference should be vegan or not the chairperson stated it a tie, when clearly a majority in the conference were in favour of a vegan menu.

Read about it here http://www.thescavenger.net/feminism-a-pop-culture/why-animal-rights-are-still-a-feminist-issue-84674.html.

Anyway, I'm really interested in what you guys have to say about the issue. anything. And i'd love to know about any other feminists conferences, or any grassroots conferences for that matter, globally, who have made a strict stance about vegan catering?

Just voice your opinion, if your for or against, whatever. I think it's an incredibly important and relevant issue to our planet.

I'd also love to hear about any other active feminist, pro-choice, or animal and human rights advocating events, persons, or movements taking place in your hometown, in the recent past, now, or near future.

It really is time to do something.

Thanks so much.

Now speak!!!!

Haz. x

[BeneathMyWillowTree]

Haz,

Que pasa? Me a feminist some way some how? Huh? Huh? I don't know about that one buddy! I can be such a guy sometimes. No wonder I'm single. Too much damn ESPN!

Veganism and it's relation to feminism. Hum? That is interesting. I didn't think the two could mix. I don't think they do in my humble opinion. I am a vegan! Yes I feel sometimes people can discriminate by not having somethng for me to eat, but then again I have to be fair. I can't be too aggressive about the issue cos not all people are vegans. It's more likely to have vegetarian friendly items on the menu, but not vegan. That is where I step in and do talk to managers at restaurants, fill out surveys, write letters or whatever I have to do to get the word out there about having more vegan friendly menus. I do like going places and ordering my food in a special way cos chances are a person has never had a request like mine. I have managers and servers do their homework to find out what the ingredients are in the foods they are about to serve me. By doing this it will prepare them for a fellow vegan that they may come across again some day. So it is always nice to inform people and answer questions that they may have for me. I am hear to educate not discriminate.

I would so loooove it if the Food Network had a vegan chef with there own show on there. Or even a segment once a week with a more popular chef that already has a show. That would be hella cool! It all comes down to being fair and having something for everybody. It would be great having more vegan friendly items for people like me that choose to be vegans. That is what it all comes down to...choice! I want options yes, but I don't want to ruin something for someone else either to get what I want.


Jenny B

[RainbowNerdette]

It is definitely true that the rate of vegans (and vegetarians) is higher among women and therefor feminists, who have an even higher vegan count, but specially the veterans from back when "we" were fighting for the rights of every living being and against war and against pollution and... Damn we were busy little chicks [blockquote]"The men were all for equality... Until we ran out of clean plates." [/blockquote]

I have been a vegan for a year but it made me pretty sick, physically so I went back to vegetarian, which I've been for over a decade but back to the issue;

Most feminists/lesbians my age (the ones I know at least) eat meat, most "older" lesbian feminists I know (note the absence of a slash there, somehow they all fall into both catogories) are hardcore vegetarians or even vegans though.

So I think it's more an issue of what kind of person you are and what your ideals are and old school feminism (rights for the ones who are kept quiet) seems to overlap with veganism (rights for the voiceless)

So there is no link, but there is a link.

I think there should always be a vegan food option available, regardless of where/when/what you are, but that's just my opinion of course.

[Guest]

You could also just be a Spiritual Healer and adopt a vegan lifestyle so as to be of better service energetically both to yourself and the world … and not because your mind has roots in feminism. Most of the healers I know end up being first vegetarian then vegan or raw foodists, irrespective of their sexual orientation or beliefs. I'm vegetarian right now but will certainly adopt a raw foodist lifestyle when I move out of my current country of residence.

So if I were to speak from the healer's point of view, it is soothing powerful feminine energy that pushes a woman towards having these warrior goddesses attributes such as not desiring to harm animals. But it's important to realise that the fight against discrimination is a masculine attribute; the masculine energy that we have within all of us and that is responsible for balancing of our intuitive feminine nature. So it might be a woman making the decision but it's a question of balance of her own inner male and female that pulls her towards adopting a specific lifestyle.

Love and light to you my friend,

Vi'