What Is Black Veganism?

The Black Veganism

Black Veganism is one of the dissolute growing social movements today. It converges with others such as feminism, environmentalism  Black Lives Matter, and many vegans wonder whether veganism should be an intersectional movement? Do vegans fight racism?

Is There A Link Between The Black lives Matter Movement And Veganism

The Black Lives Matter program (Black Lives Matter, in Spanish) is an international movement born within the African American community that denounces systemic racism, police violence in the United States against black or racialized people and the lack of authorities’ response to racial discrimination. It started in 2013 and has grown in popularity since then, both inside and outside the United States. attacks. hate crimes like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Sean Reed a few names in a long list.

Since the beginnings of veganism, the oppression suffered by certain groups, whether black or female, has been compared to that suffered by non-human animals, seeking to provoke reflection in the receiver: they are now animals of other species. , considered inferior, those legally enslaved as until recently were black human beings.

Message From PETA To The Super Bowl

End with the hashtag #EndSpeciesism. This message is the one that the animal rights organization PETA wanted to convey at the beginning of the year in an advertisement for the Super Bowl. The one-minute video features cartoon animals kneeling during the American anthem from bees to bald eagles. He inspire by American footballer Colin Kaepernick, who knelt on the pitch in protest against police violence against blacks. The advertisement, with which PETA sought to “pay tribute to Colin Kaepernick and the movements that reject injustice”, was banned by the National Football League (NFL) and harshly criticized many citizens, who did not like the comparison.

Michael Harriot, columnist for The Root, an online magazine aimed at African Americans, called the ad a “despicable but expected” example of a “mockery of 400 years of systemic oppression by comparing black lives to that of black people. grizzly bears and bald eagles “. . .

A Divided Movement

Nearly one in four Americans (23%) said they ate less meat in 2019 than before: Whites, 19% less, while blacks cut their meat consumption by 31%, data shows by Gallup. For its part, in 2016, the think tank The Pew Center placed the number of vegans in the United States at 3%: 8% if we only take into account African-Americans.

Nearly one in four Americans (23%) said they ate less meat in 2019 than in the previous year

Despite the numbers, the group is ignored and has little media exposure – to find out, just look for photos of vegan people in an image bank or take the tour on social media like Instagram under the hashtag # vegan-.

Non-Intersectional White Veganism

Sadly, mainstream veganism is severely out of touch with most Pocks people of color. And also we see very few of our faces reflected in the movement. This white veganism is also too often non-intersectional. We see issues ranging from income inequality to access to food ignored, problematic connections of racism to speciesism are rampant without enough critical thinking in these comparisons, ”they say from the activist compilation Vegan Voices of Color.

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There Are Black Vegetarian Societies In Different States Of The United States.

In the same vein, and intending to spread veganism among the most marginalized communities, organizations like the Afro Vegan Society are on the move. And also black vegetarian societies in various states of the United States, and blogger Gwenn Hunter has created the Vegans for Black Lives Matter Facebook group, which more than 4,000 people join.

The purpose of the group is to show solidarity as vegans for the Black Lives Matter movement and to have conversations aimed at finding solutions that inspire new thoughts. It is important to show that we care deeply about the plight of humans and animals. We understand that we can do both while being compassionate for each other and allowing each other’s voices to heard, ”said Hunter.

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