presentation for VegFest Bristol 2016

1. Pro-Intersectional Veganism
and What it Means to
Grassroots Vegan Activists
Roger Yates
VegFest Bristol 2016

2. teaching feminism
Liberal/Radical/Marxist/Black
black-poverty-female
not PLUS but TIMES

3. the logic of domination
entanglements of oppression and
liberation
alliance politics
we are each other

4. intersectionality
ONE
BE CONSISTENT
QUESTION ALL HIERARCHIES, NOT
ONLY THOSE IT IS COMPARATIVELY
SAFE OR CONVENIENT FOR YOU TO
QUESTION

5. intersectionality
ONE
BE CONSISTENT
IF YOU CLAIM TO STAND FOR NON-
VIOLENCE, MAKE YOUR EVERY
CHOICE AS NON-VIOLENT AS
POSSIBLE

6. intersectionality
ONE
BE CONSISTENT
DON’T FIGHT FOR SOMEONE’S
LIBERATION IN A WAY THAT HURTS
SOMEONE ELSE. WITHOUT TOTAL
LIBERATION, THERE CAN BE NO
LIBERATION

7. intersectionality
TWO
BE A RESPECTFUL ALLY
DON’T ALWAYS SPEAK FOR OTHER
PEOPLE – CREATE A SPACE WHERE
THEY CAN SPEAK FOR THESELVES
AND BE HEARD

8. intersectionality
TWO
BE A RESPECTFUL ALLY
DON’T ALWAYS KNOW BEST.
LEARN TO LISTEN. HAVE
EMPATHY FOR THE STRUGGLES
OF YOUR COMRADES

9. intersectionality
THREE
SHOW SOLIDARITY
…WITH EVERYONE WHO IS OPPRESSED.
SHOW SOLIDARITY IN YOR DAILY CHOICES.
LET NO VIOLENT ACTION OR WORD GO
UNCHALLENGED. AS MARCUSE SAID:
“SOLIDARITY IS THE DRIVING POWER OF
LIBERATION”

10. intersectionality
FOUR
THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT YOUR PRIVILEGE
ARE YOU WHITE? MALE?
HETEROSEXUAL? FINANCIALLY
SECURE? HUMAN? IF SO, THINK
ABOUT THE PRIVILEGES YOU ENJOY IN
A HIERARCHICAL SOCIETY AS A RESULT
OF THESE ARBITARY CHARACTERISTICS

11. intersectionality
FOUR
THINK CRITICALLY ABOT YOUR PRIVILEGE
THINK ABOUT THE VIOLENCE AND
EXPLOITATION YOU DO NOT HAVE
TO EXPERIENCE OR BE
CONSTANTLY AFRAID OF DUE TO
YOUR PRIVILEGES

12. intersectionality
FIVE
BE AWARE OF ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE
WE ALL HELP TO CREATE THE OPPRESSIVE
SYSTEM IN WHICH WE EXIST.
CONSUMPTION OF CONSUMER GOODS
(ANIMAL PRODUCTS, CASH CROPS,
PRODUCTS OF SWEATSHOPS AND CHILD
LABOUR) IS VIOLENCE

13. intersectionality
FIVE
BE AWARE OF ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE
SEXIST JOKES ARE VIOLENCE. ABLEIST AND
RACIST ATTITUDES ARE VIOLENCE. BE AWARE OF
THE VIOLENCE IN THE LANGAGE YOU USE, THE
PRODUCTS YOU BUY, YOUR ASSUMPTIONS
ABOUT OTHERS, YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH
THEM

14. intersectionality
SIX
RECOGNISE THAT JUSTICE IS LIMITLESS
JUSTICE DOES NOT END (OR EVEN
REALLY BEGIN) WITH PUTTING
MONEY IN A COLLECTION BOX,
SIGNING A PETITION, OR
ATTENDING ONE PROTEST

15. intersectionality
SIX
RECOGNISE THAT JUSTICE IS LIMITLESS
JUSTICE BEGINS IN YOUR HOME AS WELL AS IN
THE STREETS. IN YOUR TOWN AS WELL AS FAR-
AWAY WAR ZONES. THE EXPANSIVE VISION OF
PEACE THAT IS VEGANISM IS LIMITLESS…
…IT BEGINS WITH YOU