This changed when I witnessed the hurtfulness of PETA’s racist “Animal Liberation” campaign firsthand. Directly seeing PETA’s cynical appropriation of a group’s experience of oppression and the tangible harm it did to our community dismantled the wall of self-deception I had fabricated in my mind to separate the “bad” things the corporation does from the purported “good.”

I could no longer ignore reality so I could keep getting what I wanted.

I was no longer willing to be associated with PETA and decided to stop distributing their materials. And when I did, I was freed from the justifications that had kept me from fully acknowledging, even to myself, the harm done to human animals by PETA. And I began to realize that, by distributing their literature, I was not only unwittingly fundraising for, but also tacitly endorsing a corporation that actively seeks out oppressive campaigns.

Fast forward a few years, and I was in a similar position with another animal welfare corporation that was actively unwilling to examine its own racist and sexist attitudes. I continued to distribute their literature, again in the name of expediency (“What else would I hand out if I stopped using these? Everybody says they’re the most effective pamphlets.”)

But finally I started thinking that I wouldn’t support or even be associated with a racist or sexist organization in any other part of my life, so why was I doing that here? Put in those terms, the decision to stop distributing the literature was easy and I was freed from the strain of trying to reconcile a fear of the unknown (“what would I do if I didn’t use this corporation’s lit?”) with not wanting to being complicit with the racism and sexism of the known.

Thinking back, I am embarrassed that it was so difficult for me to stop supporting these corporations, that something as frivolous as brightly colored stickers or the fear of the unknown was more important to me than the oppression of others. But then again, this is the trap of an oppressive system in action. Oppression is always something that can be ignored so long as it is somebody else who is being oppressed: that’s the very nature of privilege.

And so, having experienced the difficulty of disentangling myself from a dysfunctional relationship with animal welfare corporations perpetuating oppressive norms, I was encouraged to read the strong online response to PETA’s hurtful fat shaming campaign. Vegans publicly declared an intention to stop donating to PETA and mobilized to show their opposition.

These responses to a corporation unwilling to examine its role in perpetuating oppression are expressions of veganism. Veganism is revealed through our actions. When we refuse to give money to these corporations; refuse to link to their websites; renounce the perceived benefits of collaborating with them; publicly express our opposition to oppressive corporations and campaigns; and refuse to promote or otherwise support any of their campaigns and investigations until they take genuine action towards eradicating their institutionalized -isms, we give meaning and life to veganism.

Rip Esselstyn of Engine 2 Diet fame just sent me this. It’s a six minute video from an Engine 2 potluck. No freaks anywhere. Just a bunch of normals enthusiastically showing off their recipes, telling us their success stories, and letting us glimpse an incredible diversity of healthful vegan food.

Before continuing, please take a moment to watch this promotional video for the diet book. Notice anything?

(Please scroll down to read the rest of this post.)

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What really stood out for me was the overwhelming whiteness of the gathering, with only a single visibly identifiable person of color shown. It was particularly apparent given the word choices in the blurb: “no freaks anywhere,” “a bunch of normals,” “incredible diversity of … vegan food.” I felt really sad thinking about well-meaning people forwarding this video around as a promotion for vegetarianism, unaware of the assumption of whiteness.

My thoughts keep going back to my experience of mainstream animal activism in the U.S., how it is white and how there is no awareness of that whiteness. I’ve felt the intense frustration of trying to make other activists notice their whiteness, desperately trying to feel that they cared at all about issues of race, in an attempt to tell them that they are triggering deep wounds in me. But, of course, the whiteness of mainstream animal activism (and, in particular, the power structure of the animal welfare corporations) mirrors the whiteness of the broader society and there is little incentive in either case to recognize white privilege.

Watching the video brings up this visceral frustration. How do all our communities become places where being in a sea of white faces is considered abnormal and uncomfortable for everybody involved? In the meantime, do I choose to interact with mainstream, white animal activism and all the triggering that involves? If so, how do I navigate that territory? Would participating in that white dominated space mean being complicit in racism? What do I learn from my experiences in speaking about race with white animal activists?*

I think about my attempts to speak out against sexism at the animal welfare corporation I worked at and I think about the disappointment and powerlessness I felt as the leadership reacted with the backlash of privilege. I wonder how to be an ally with women in the face of such sheer callousness, especially when I am simultaneously dealing with institutional racism.

For the vegans of color, how do you relate with these questions?

For those who identify as white allies, I wonder if the whiteness of the video stood out to you? If so, how did it make you feel? If not, how do you feel about not noticing it?

Finally, if what I wrote doesn’t make sense to you, this Vegans of Color blog post, the sidebar of The Vegan Ideal, and L.O.V.E.’s additional resources page offer some starting points for learning about racist oppression.

* I know I am placing all white people in a single category. It’s not my intention to invisibilize our many wonderful, beautiful allies in the vegan community (especially my lovely, loving wife, who spent a long time listening to me and discussing the video with me). If you know better wording that can make the distinctions I am searching for, please let me know.