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why radical left movements need to include veganism + how to practice intersectional veganism
a thread:
a thread:
i am going to provide many resources within this thread. i implore you to read them and engage in open-minded dialogue about them. i know that many of my comrades have it in them to go vegan, and i hope these can help.
first things first. veganism is, in itself, a radical political movement. it is against the oppression of all sentient beings, and against the commodification and exploitation of their bodies. this perfectly aligns with leftist ideals, correct?
sentient beings should not be tortured. they should not be treated as machines. their value should not lie in how much money they can make humans. we murder them and it kills us, through both chronic disease and environmental destruction.
here is the official definition of veganism. i cannot stress the phrase “as far as is practical and possible” enough. this means that even if there are obstacles preventing you from following a fully plantbased lifestyle, you can still be vegan.
here is a lovely article that explains just that, by @TheVeganLeft: https://medium.com/@veganarchistmemes/dear-leftist-critics-of-veganism-veganism-is-not-ableist-or-classist-95d280e0a747
4 billion people live on a primarily plantbased diet. it is the extreme overconsumption of meat in the western world that is the root of so much suffering. if you are a westerner, you must realize that eating this much meat is abnormal. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/78/3/660S/4690010
how can you possibly organize for a political revolution if you can’t even change your dietary habits? how can you sacrifice for social change if you can’t sacrifice your taste buds? going vegan is a first step for many people to realize the power their individual actions hold.
mainstream veganism is very misconstrued. but the fact of the matter is: the future is vegan. there is no future without veganism-life on this planet cannot sustain itself without humans switching to mostly plantbased eating. we can’t improve society if we go extinct first.
it’s true- there are racist vegans. there are ableist vegans. etc. it is abhorrent, and should never be tolerated. but this is the reality of any social movement-there are always terrible people within it. this should not stop you from making ethical choices.
frankly, these people are not “vegan” to me. they do not fall under the definition of vegan, as veganism promotes a stance against the oppression of ALL animals. humans are animals, therefore veganism includes fighting back against human oppression as well.
& the thing is, veganism IS a human rights issue. here’s a thread explaining why that is, by @tyrathetaurus: https://twitter.com/tyrathetaurus/status/1050834020928385024
how factory farming is a main perpetrator of environmental racism: https://foodispower.org/environmental-and-global/environmental-racism/
those on the left understand intersectionality and inclusivity. to make veganism palpable and helpful, we MUST practice intersectional veganism. but how do we do that?
the first step is to reject white veganism. white veganism, similar to white feminism, is essentially the lack of intersectionality. here’s an insightful blog post on the topic, written by @zipthevegan: https://zipporahthevegan.com/2020/04/26/white-veganism/
another thread on white veganism, by @milkmyoats https://twitter.com/milkmyoats/status/1276849012642021378
the next step? center vegans who are BIPOC instead of white vegans. this is more accurate to the true vegan population, anyway.
this thread is on Black veganism, and gives a list of Black vegans to interact with. https://twitter.com/tyrathetaurus/status/1064559570985447424
article on Latinx veganism https://emperifolla.com/2020/09/26/the-vegan-dilemma-how-latinx-embrace-their-heritage-through-veganism/
we must recognize that the origins of veganism are rooted in african and asian cultures. humans have been practicing vegetarianism and plantbased eating for thousands of years; it didn’t start with avocado toast white girls. we cannot let our view of veganism be whitewashed.
here is a great article about the origins of faux meat in asia: https://www.vice.com/en/article/8xyqqz/the-origins-of-fake-meat-are-rooted-in-chinese-cooking
furthermore, indigenous hunting practices MUST be respected. indigenous peoples ate meat sustainably and respected animals before colonization caused the barbaric system of animal agriculture we see under capitalism today.
although there are many indigenous vegans, there are also indigenous peoples who rely on subsistence hunting. this is not at all comparable to someone in the western world picking up a steak from the grocery store, and frankly, it is no one’s business. end of story.
to conclude this thread, here is a BRILLIANT publication on veganism as left praxis. thread below gives the link and outlines its main points. https://twitter.com/jan_dutkiewicz/status/1321089519697989633
comrades, it’s time to align our morals with our actions. it’s time to fight for liberation for ALL. it’s time to fight for the future of our planet. it’s time to go vegan. please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. we welcome you with open arms. 
