Vegan education is about helping people connect with their values, not forcing them to change their values

Posted on by animalandmind

Is vegan education about forcing people to care about something they don't care about? Sometimes I hear people say "you can't force people to care about animal rights" as an argument against vegan education. Or that we should continue eating animals because everyone can care about different things, "so I'll care about humans over here … Continue reading Vegan education is about helping people connect with their values, not forcing them to change their values

You’re allowed to call yourself a vegan even if you don’t have it ‘right’

Posted on by animalandmind

Does someone need to be 'perfect' at veganism before they call themselves a vegan?  What if calling yourself vegan leads to learning more about it? Or motivates you to do more to help animals? Or makes you take pride in the title and spread it positively, encouraging more people to look into this whole 'vegan' … Continue reading You’re allowed to call yourself a vegan even if you don’t have it ‘right’

Animal activist whistle-blowers: why defending them is defending democracy

Posted on by animalandmind

Recently the Australian government has been cracking down on vegan animal activist whistle-blowers. Activists entering farms to capture footage may be able to face up to $200 000 fines as of this year, this is despite the fact that activists have captured countless footage of animal cruelty (both legal and illegal practices) in Aussie farms … Continue reading Animal activist whistle-blowers: why defending them is defending democracy

Vegan FAQ: Responses to Common Debates about Eating Animals

Posted on by animalandmind

Currently conversations about eating animals and veganism are happening countrywide after the recent bold and controversial nationwide animal rights protest. Many questions and comments that arise tend to be commonly held. So below are a list of 18 of the most common ones I come across, with my responses to each. 1. "We should continue … Continue reading Vegan FAQ: Responses to Common Debates about Eating Animals

Veganism is not a black or white concept

Posted on by animalandmind

It can be easy to see things in black or white - that something is good or bad, right or wrong, perfect or a failure. Termed as 'polarised thinking' in psychology, this type of thought pattern is recognised as unhelpful due to its irrational and simplistic approach. Most of us think in this way from … Continue reading Veganism is not a black or white concept

A world without slaughterhouses

Posted on by animalandmind

After the incredible 2018 Melbourne March to Close All Slaughterhouses, which had approximately 1000 people colouring the city red, I began pondering what a world without slaughterhouses would look like.  Here's what I envision: Given animal agriculture is currently the leading cause of environmental damage,  including air and water pollution, mass land clearance and habitat … Continue reading A world without slaughterhouses

Responding to the infamous ‘But plants have feelings too’

Posted on by animalandmind

During a recent presentation I gave about veganism, I was asked by a member of the audience during Q&A - "plants are living things too, so why eat plants?"   I know many advocates roll their eyes at this question, and fair enough, many people ask it to be deliberately antagonising. But then there are … Continue reading Responding to the infamous ‘But plants have feelings too’

Eating animals and freedom of choice

Posted on by animalandmind

Have you ever thought to yourself, "it's my choice to eat meat, stop forcing your choice on others" when faced with a vegan activist? This is a common thought, and in many respects, it's true. After all, people do have the choice to eat animals or not eat animals. And other than most multi-million dollar … Continue reading Eating animals and freedom of choice

A lasting image

Posted on by animalandmind

As an activist, I've seen a lot of animal suffering. From starved dogs during my work in a rehabilitation animal shelter, whose bones protruded from their skin after having been abandoned for weeks by their human adopters; to young cows running bewildered among a crowd of noisy onlookers as they were chased by a stranger with a … Continue reading A lasting image